Catalogue description Central Lancashire Development Corporation records

The selection of the Corporation's records was based on the recommendations of a report produced by a joint working party of the Association of County Archivists and the New Towns Association. Meetings of Central Lancashire Development Corporation, the Commission for New Towns and Record Office staff selected a representative sample of records relating to the Corporation's work in the fields of housing, industry, urban renewal, and roads and sewers. New developments in housing and industry were illustrated by the records relating to Walton Summit, Clayton Brook, Clayton Green, Carr Brook/Wood End, Moss Side and Ingol.

Plungington and Broadgate were chosen to represent the Corporation's policy on urban renewal. The documentation relating to the implementions of these schemes demonstrates a policy of working with the local authorities on projects of landscape improvement, slum clearance, rebuilding and renovation.

Red Scar, School Lane Mill at Bamber Bridge and Preston Dock were chosen as examples of the refurbishment of out of date industrial facilities to provide new units and thus attract new industry to the area.

The provision of infrastructure is illustrated by the Ingol Distributor Road and Savick Brook Sewer.

Abortive schemes were also selected as examples of projects abandoned as a result of changes in government policy, unexpectedly high costs or pressure from local community groups. Such schemes are Grimsargh, Sherwood D, Savick B, Clayton Green Community School, Cuerden, Shade Lane/Grundy's Lane and Pickering's Farm.

The housing competition at Pope Lane was selected as a small scheme of particular interest.

The records of the Research Unit and those relating to the production of the Outline Plan show the work of the Development Corporation in informing the public, surveying public attitudes and providing information on public reactions for the planners.

Arrangement of the Catalogue

Records were selected to illustrate the chosen projects. In addition Central Registry files were kept as a comprehensive series covering all aspects of the Corporation's work. Departmental records, with the exception of the Research Unit, are less well represented.

Production of the Catalogue

The compilation of this catalogue was made possible by a grant from the Central Lancashire Development Corporation, to cover the cost of appointing a full time archivist for one year.

Cataloguing Conventions

The Corporation is usually referred to as CLDC, except in file titles where CLNT has been used by the Corporation staff. Catalogue descriptions of files are generally copied from the file title. Where a file has a reference, this is recorded in round brackets as the final line of each catalogue entry.

NTC 1 Designation Order

NTC 2 Board:

NTC 2/1 Minutes

NTC 2/2 Board meeting agendas and supporting papers

NTC 2/3 Members' files

NTC 2/4 The Plan for the Central Lancashire New Town

NTC 2/5 Annual reports

NTC 2/6 Annual budgets

NTC 2/7 Registers of documents sealed

NTC 2/8 Chairman's papers

NTC 3 Board Committees:

NTC 3/1 Chief Officers' meetings: notes

NTC 3/2 Establishment committee minutes

NTC 3/3 Licensed premises committee minutes

NTC 3/4 Liaison committees: files

NTC 4 Central Registry:

NTC 4/1 Files

NTC 5 Research Unit:

NTC 5/1 Files

NTC 5/2 Plans

NTC 5/3 Publications

NTC 6 The Social Atlas:

NTC 6/1 Files

NTC 6/2 Plans

NTC 6/3 Publications

NTC 7 Planning:

NTC 7/1 Files and reports

NTC 7/2 Plans

NTC 7/3 Photographs

NTC 8 Housing:

NTC 8/1 General papers

NTC 8/2 Tenants' files

NTC 8/3 Publications

NTC 8/4 Photographs

NTC 9 Landscape:

NTC 9/1 Files

NTC 9/2 Plans

NTC 9/3 Publications

NTC 9/4 Photographs

NTC 10 Accounts:

NTC 10/1 Files

NTC 10/2 Accounting records

NTC 11 Establishment and Staff:

NTC 11/1 Files

NTC 11/2 Disciplinary proceedings

NTC 11/3 Publications

NTC 12 Publicity:

NTC 12/1 Press publicity

NTC 12/2 Marketing

NTC 12/3 Publications

NTC 12/4 Visits

NTC 13 Project Co-ordination Section:

NTC 13/1 Files

NTC 13/2 Progress charts

NTC 14 - 32 contain selected records relating to projects

NTC 14 CLDC Offices, Cuerden Park:

NTC 14/1 Files

NTC 14/2 Plans

NTC 14/3 Publications

NTC 15 Grimsargh/Haighton:

NTC 15/1 Files

NTC 15/2 Plans

NTC 15/3 Contract documents

NTC 16 Savick Brook Sewer:

NTC 16/1 Files

NTC 16/2 Plans

NTC 16/3 Contract documents

NTC 16/4 Photographs

NTC 17 Walton Summit:

NTC 17/1 Files

NTC 17/2 Plans

NTC 17/3 Contract documents

NTC 17/4 Photographs

NTC 18 Clayton Brook:

NTC 18/1 Files

NTC 18/2 Plans

NTC 18/3 Contract documents

NTC 18/4 Photographs

NTC 19 Moss Side:

NTC 19/1 Files

NTC 19/2 Plans

NTC 19/3 Contract documents

NTC 19/4 Photographs

NTC 20 Clayton Green:

NTC 20/1 Files

NTC 20/2 Plans

NTC 20/3 Contract documents

NTC 20/4 Photographs

NTC 21 Ingol:

NTC 21/1 Files

NTC 21/2 Plans

NTC 21/3 Photographs

NTC 22 Sherwood Site D:

NTC 22/1 Files

NTC 22/2 Plans

NTC 22/3 Contract documents

NTC 23 Carr Brook/Wood End:

NTC 23/1 Files

NTC 23/2 Plans

NTC 23/3 Model

NTC 24 Pope Lane:

NTC 24/1 Files

NTC 24/2 Plans

NTC 24/3 Photographs

NTC 25 Plungington:

NTC 25/1 Files

NTC 25/2 Plans

NTC 25/3 Contract documents

NTC 25/4 Photographs

NTC 26 Shade Lane/Grundy's Lane/Eaves Green:

NTC 26/1 Files

NTC 26/2 Plans

NTC 27 Savick:

NTC 27/1 Files

NTC 27/2 Plans

NTC 28 Preston Dock:

NTC 28/1 Files

NTC 28/2 Plans

NTC 29 Broadgate:

NTC 29/1 Files

NTC 29/2 Plans

NTC 29/3 Photographs

NTC 30 Pickerings Farm:

NTC 30/1 Files

NTC 30/2 Plans

NTC 31 Red Scar:

NTC 31/1 Files

NTC 31/2 Plans

NTC 31/3 Contract documents

NTC 31/4 Photographs

NTC 32 School Lane Mill:

NTC 32/1 Files

NTC 32/2 Plans

NTC 32/3 Photographs

NTC 33 General Manager's Papers:

NTC 33/1 Diaries

NTC 33/2 Files and memoranda

NTC 33/3 Talks, publications and consultancies

NTC 34 Dissolution of the Corporation:

NTC 34/1 Files

NTC 35 Photographic Records:

NTC 35/1 Transparencies

NTC 35/2 Prints and negatives

NTC 36 Miscellaneous:

NTC 36/1 Files

NTC 36/2 Plans

Abbreviations

CB County Borough

CLDC Central Lancashire Development Corporation

CLNT Central Lancashire New Town

CNT Commission for the New Towns

CPO Compulsory Purchase Order

CPRE Council for the Protection of Rural England

CR Central Registry

GM General Manager

GIA General Improvement Area (attracts 60% grant)

HAA Housing Action Area (attracts 75% grant, 90% in cases of hardship)

HA Housing Association

LA Local Authority

LCC Lancashire County Council

MB Municipal Borough

PBC Preston Borough Council

RD Rural District

RMJM Robert Matthew Johnson-Marshall and Partners (Architects)

RWP Richard W. Phelps (General Manager)

SPNW Strategic Plan for the North West

UD Urban District

Skelmersdale Development Corporation

Records of the Skelmersdale Development Corporation have also been deposited at the Lancashire Record Office (NTSk) and various differences will be apparent in the two catalogues in terms of records kept and deposited. For example, the General Manager's records at Central Lancashire were kept in a separate series (NTC 35), rather than within the Central Registry as at Skelmersdale. The Skelmersdale deposit includes title deeds, unlike Central Lancashire. A more comprehensive set of records has been preserved for Central Lancashire.

Records relating to Central Lancashire New Town after 1986 (ie after the dissolution of the Development Corporation) can be found under the reference CNT in the binder AHA - LT.

Central Lancashire Development Corporation

They are classified as public records, under the Public Records (Commission for New Towns) Order 1984. As such, all the records, including the Board minutes, are closed to the public for thirty years, except for those records which have been published. Records not affected by the thirty years rule, therefore, include the Outline Plan (NTC 2/4/59), annual reports (NTC 2/5), annual budgets (NTC 2/6), Research Unit publications (NTC 5/3) and publicity material published by the Central Lancashire New Town (NTC 12/3). Certain records have been identified as being of a particularly sensitive nature and need to be closed for longer than thirty years; these are marked with an asterisk.

Deposited by R.W. Phelps, General Manager

25 March 1986

(Accession 5817)

• Lancashire
• Housing
• Urban renewal

Summary History

The Central Lancashire New Town (Designation) Order was approved on 14 April 1970 and the Development Corporation formerly constituted on 17 February 1971. It was the last new town to be designated under the New Towns Act (1965). A Chairman, deputy and seven other members were appointed as the Board. The Corporation was empowered 'to acquire, hold, manage and dispose of land and other property, to carry out building and other operations, to provide water, electricity, gas, sewerage and other services, to carry on any business or undertaking in or for the purposes of the new town, and generally to do anything necessary or expedient for the purposes of the new town, or for purposes incidental thereto.'

The concept of new towns originated with Ebenezer Howard who established the pioneering town of Letchworth. The idea was taken up by the government in the New Towns Act (1946) which enabled a Secretary of State to create a government appointed agency, called a development corporation, to administer each new town created. The Commission for New Towns was established on 10 October 1961 under the New Towns Act (1959) to take over new towns from development corporations whose purposes had been achieved.

In 1981 a terminal date for the 'third generation' new towns (the six new towns launched in the mid sixties) was given in a Parliamentary Statement of 4 February, and the legislative framework in which the Corporation acted was altered by the New Towns Act (1981).

The Statutory Order for the dissolution of the Central Lancashire New Town was approved on 31 December 1985 and the Corporation was formally dissolved on 31 March 1986. The housing stock was transferred to the North British Housing Association, Bradford and Northern Housing Association, Alexandra Association and the Central Housing Association. Other assets were transferred to the Commission for New Towns.

For a comprehensive picture of the work of the Corporation the key introductory sources are the annual reports (NTC 2/5), annual budgets (NTC 2/6), Board minutes and supporting papers including the general manager's reports (NTC 2/1 and 2), the Outline Plan (NTC 2/4/59), and the social survey reports of the Research Unit (NTC 5/3).

Central Lancashire Development Corporation

(1971-1986)

General History

In 1966 Messrs. Robert Matthew, Johnson-Marshall & Partners were commissioned to conduct a two-part study. The first part being a study to advise of the feasibility of a major expansion in Central Lancashire. This study was concluded by the report 'Central Lancashire Study for a City' in 1967. The second part was the production of a Master Plan and much work was done up to the creation of the Corporation. Sir Frank Pearson was appointed as Chairman of Central Lancashire Development Corporation (DC) on 17th March 1971.

During 1972-3 the DC submitted to the Minister proposals to develop a residential area of 84 hectares called Astley Park and a proposed employment area of 98 hectares called Walton Summit. Approvals were granted in June 1973 and March 1974 respectively. A land use plan and summary of the Outline Plan were published in February 1974. The Plan was submitted to the Department on 3rd June 1974 and a Public Inquiry was held in Preston between November 1974 and January 1975.

During the year 1974-5 approval was granted for major developments at Clayton Brook (for up to 1,600 dwellings - formerly known as Walton Summit); Cop Lane, Penwortham (500/600 dwellings) and Moss Side, Leyland (circa 1,500 dwellings). Approval was granted for two schemes during 1977-8 - a housing development of 175 hectares at Ingol East; and 148 hecates of land at Moss Side, Leyland for industrial, commercial, residentail and associated development. At this same juncture a decision was finally reached on the Outline Plan, in essence certain parts of the designated area from positive development. During the following year (ended 31st March 1979) approval was received for a development of 83.7 hectares of land for housing at Carr Brook and Wood End, Clayton-le-Woods, Chorley.

By the end of the 1970s (31st March 1979) the estimated population of the New Town area was 251,500. Under the aegis of the DC over 2,000 dwellings had been completed for rent; 1,835 by the Council for rent; and 1,110 Private Housing on land made available by the DC. Following policy guidance from the Department, the DC circulated (in June 1979) the possibility of buying their own properties as sitting tenants. By the following March 26 sales had been completed. A major part of the DC's activities at this juncture was 'Urban Renewal' predominately in the urban areas of Preston - Plungington, The Saints, Broadgate, Fishwick and Tulketh: a total of approximately 7,500 existing dwellings.

During 1980-1 construction started on three schemes: at Sherwood, north of Preston; Carr Brrok/Wood End, Chorley and Harcourt Street, Preston. Schemes were completed at Astley Park, Chorley; Tanterton, Preston; Cowling Brow, Chorley and Cop Lane, South Ribble. At this point the DC acquired the large manufacturing complex at Red Scar (including 2 large cooling towers near the M6), north east of Preston, previously occupied by Courtaulds.

Towards the end of the financial year ended 31st March 1984, Ministers agreed that DC housing in Preston Borough should be transferred to a Housing Association. The DC's assets were to be transferred to the Commission for the New Towns (CNT) at the end of 1985. The Corporation's housing stock transferred to four housing associations during July 1985 - in the region of 4,900 properties.

The assets and liabilities of the DC were transferred to CNT on 1st January 1986. During the lifetime of the DC (31st March 1971 - 31st December 1985) 4,657 dwellings had been completed for rent; 261 for shared ownership; 2,922 by Borough Councils; 380 by Housing Associations on land provided by the DC; and 5,690 private housing on DC land. In terms of industrial and commercial development a total of 272,670 sq. m. of industrial floorspace; 850 sq. m. of office floorspace; 9,505 of shopping floorspacee had been provided. A large of educational, recreational and other buildings had also been completed. Sales to sitting tenants numbered 237.

Staff Numbers and Key Officers

After the appointment of a General Manager the DC entered into negotiations with the Department to devise an organisational structure that would be effective in relation to the Central Lancashire project. In essence the DC argued that the executive building programme would be much smaller than other Corporation's. However, the administrative complexities of the area and existing communities created potential problems of overlap. Consequently, a Chief Officer for Executive Services was appointed to handle 'top level administrative co-ordination'. The General Manager was left therefore, to co-ordinate 'broad based social and physical planning group'. (Central Lancashire Development Corporation, First Annual Report for the Period Ended 31st March 1972, p.113)

The first annual report of the DC explained the structure as follows:

The structure which has resulted, therefore, divides the executive from the planning and marketing function in every sphere. For instance the chief accountant, or Accounting Manager, is responsible to the Chief Officer for Executive Services, while the Financial Planning Manager in the planning group is responsible for all forward looking financial work. also under the Chief Officer for Executive Services are those responsible for land acquisition and the routine legal work of conveyancing and so on. Equally, in relation to physical design, detailed production drawings and the supervision of contracts are the responsibility of the executive architects and engineers under the general direction of the same Chief Officer.(Ibid.)

By 31st March 1973 DC staff totalled 87. Within two years this had risen to a total of 224.

During 1976-7 the DC occupied a building at Cuerden Hall vacated by the Army, in time (by August 1977) this would allow for all staff to be accommodated on one site. The peak staffing level was reached in August 1980 when, 549 were employed by the Corporation. By 31st March 1985 the DC's full-time equivalent employees decreased to 367 (the previous year the figure had stood at 420).

At the end of the DC's life full-time equivalent employees numbered 265. At the point of transfer 63 members of staff obtained appointment with one or other of the Housing Associations. A further 166 were engaged by CNT. Large numbers of other employees found employment with other public authorities.

Chairmen

Sir Frank Pearson (1971-85)

Deputy Chairmen

Gerald Ainscough Wright (1971-2)

B. B. Pugh (1972-85)

General Manager

Richard W. Phelps (1971-85)

Chief Officer - Executive Services

R. C. Peagram (1971-85)

Chief Officer - Physical Planning

C. Beck (1971-4)

J. Desmond Procter (1974-85)

Chief Officer - Private Housing, Commercial and Industrial Development

W. McNab (1971-85)

Chief Officer - Legal Aspects of Development and Liaison with Local Authorities

D. Cudworth (1971-85)

Chief Officer - Finance, Research, Statistics, Demography, Market and Social Surveys

T. Wilson (1971-83)

Chief Officer - Accounting and Personnel Services

B. W. Levey (1983-5)

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