that living conditions in the area can most appropriately be improved by the improvement of the amenities of the area or of dwellings in the area, or both, and

that such an improvement may be effected or assisted by the exercise of their powers under the provisions of this Part relating to general improvement areas,

land comprised in a clearance area,

land purchased by the local housing authority under section 290(2) (land surrounded by or adjoining clearance area), or

land included in a clearance area under section 293(1) (local housing authority’s own property);

identifying the area, and

naming the place where a copy of the resolution, of the map on which the area is defined and of the report mentioned in section 253(1) may be inspected at all reasonable times.

that the resolution is brought to the attention of persons residing or owning property in the area, and

that those persons are informed of the name and address of the person to whom enquiries and representations should be addressed concerning action to be taken in the exercise of the authority’s powers under the provisions of this Part relating to general improvement areas.

carry out works on land owned by them and assist (by grants, loans or otherwise) in the carrying out of works on land not owned by them,

acquire any land by agreement, and

let or otherwise dispose of land for the time being owned by them;

improve a dwelling which has not been acquired or provided by them in pursuance of this section, or

make a grant towards the cost of works in a case where F1a renovation grant or common parts grant might be made under Chapter I of Part I of the Housing Grants, Construction and Regeneration Act 1996 (grants for renewal of private sector housing)..

any compensation under F5subsection (1) of section 250 (compensation for loss of access to highway) is payable by them instead of by the local planning authority, and

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F6

exclude land from a general improvement area, or

declare F8that an area shall cease to be a general improvement area.

shall be equal to one-half of the amount of the expenditure; and

shall be payable in one sum or by two or more instalments, according as the Secretary of State may determine.

F11£600, by

the number of dwellings stated by the local housing authority under section 254(4) to be in the areaX;

by order substitute in subsections (2) and (3) another fraction for one-half and another amount for £400;

direct that those subsections shall have effect, in the case of a general improvement area specified in the direction or of a description so specified, with the substitution of a higher fraction or a greater amount than that for the time being specified in the subsection.

may make different provision for different cases or descriptions of case, including different provision for different areas, and

shall be made by statutory instrument which shall be subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of the House of Commons.

the cost of acquiring an estate or interest in a case where periodical payments fall to be made in connection with the acquisition shall be taken to include such sum as the Secretary of State may determine to be the capital equivalent of those payments; and

the cost of works shall be taken to include the cost of the employment in connection with the works of an architect, engineer, surveyor, land-agent or other person in an advisory or supervisory capacity.

works to which the M1Housing Act 1971 applied (works in certain areas completed before 23rd June 1974), or

expenditure on providing land treated as expenditure on such works by virtue of section 2(4) of that Act,