Housing Act 1985

244 Environmental works. E+W

(1) For the purpose of improving the amenities in a housing action area, the local housing authority may—

(a) carry out environmental works on land belonging to them, and

(b) give assistance towards the carrying out of environmental works by others.

(2) Assistance under subsection (1)(b) may be given to any person having an interest in the land in question and may consist of all or any of the following—

(a) a grant in respect of expenditure which appears to the authority to have been properly incurred in carrying out the works;

(b) the provision of materials for the carrying out of the works;

(c) the execution of the works, by agreement with the person concerned, either at his expense or at the authority’s expense or partly at his expense and partly at the authority’s expense.

(3) No such assistance shall be given towards works

[F1 (a)] in respect of which an application for an improvement grant, intermediate grant, special grant [F2 , repairs grant or common parts grant [F1 under Part XV]] has been approved [F3 or

(b) which are included in the external works specified in a group repair scheme, within the meaning of Part VIII of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989, in which the person concerned is eligible to participate.

(3A) In subsection (3)—

(a) the reference to an improvement grant under Part XV includes a reference to a renovation grant, disabled facilities grant or HMO grant under Part VIII of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989; and

(b) the reference to a common parts grant under Part XV includes a reference to a common parts grant under the said Part VIII.]

(4) Where the assistance takes the form of a grant, it may be paid—

(a) after completion of the works, or

(b) in part by instalments as the works progress and the balance after completion of the works;

but where part is paid by instalments the aggregate amount of the instalments paid at any time whilst the works are in progress shall not exceed one-half of the cost of the works executed up to that time.

(5) In this section “environmental works” means any works other than works to the interior of housing accommodation.

Textual Amendments

F1 “(a)” and words “under Part XV” inserted by Local Government and Housing Act 1989 (c. 42, SIF 61), s. 194(1), Sch. 11 para. 68

F2 Words substituted by Housing and Planning Act 1986 (c. 63, SIF 61), s. 15, Sch. 3 Pt. II para. 17

F3 Word “or” and s. 244(3)(b)(3A) added by Local Government and Housing Act 1989 (c. 42, SIF 61), s. 194(1), Sch. 11 para. 68