31S 



THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECT'S JOURNAL. 



Oc 



TOBER, 



NEW ACTS OF P^UILIAMENT. 



There liave been introduced, by Lord Normanbv (the late Secretary 

 of Statej into the Houses of Parliament, three pery important Bills 

 connected with the profession, which demand their immediate and 

 especial attention. The bills are too long to be transferred entirely 

 into our Journal, but we shall give an abstract of the most important 

 clauses in each Bill, which will show their general character. 



REGl'LATIOX OF BUILDINGS IN LARGE TOWNS. 



Abstract of a Bill intituled " An Act for regulaiiny Buildings in large Toifns," 

 which has passed the House of Lords, aiul is now before the House of Com- 

 mons. 



1. WiiKREAS disease is engendered and aggravated by t!ie crowded and un- 

 licaltliy manner of building the dwellings of the v.orl«ng classes in tlic large 

 towns and poimlous places of this realm, and it is expedient to niaUe provi- 

 sion for improving snch dwellings : be it therefore cnactud, &c., That the 

 council of every borough wbicli is within the provisions of an act passed in 

 the sixth year of the reign of Ids late Majesty, intituled " an Act to provide 

 for the Regulation of Municipal Corporations in England and Wales," or of 

 any charter granted in pursuance of that or any sidiseqnent act, and of every 

 borough which is within the provisions of an act passed in the fourth year of 

 the reign of her Majesty, intituled "an Act for the Regulation of ^lunicipal 

 Corporations in Ireland," and the magistrates and councils of every royal 

 burgli and parliamentary burgh in Scotland, and of eveiy burgh of barony or 

 of regality in Scotland under the government of magistrates and councils, and 

 also in England and Ireland the justices of the peace in general or quarter 

 sessions assembled, and in Scotland the sberifT, having jurisdiction in any 

 other town or ])laee which her Majesty, with the advice of her privy council, 

 shall order to be within the provisions of this act, shall, within six calendar 

 months next after the passing of this act, or next after such order, and from 

 time to time as vacancies shall happen, appoint a fit person, or so many fit 

 persons as tlie council or justices or sheriff respectively shall think fit, not 

 being surveyors of the estates of the mayor, aUlermcn, and burgesses of any 

 borough, or of the corporation of any burgh, in which they are appointed, to 

 be surveyors of buildings in such borough, town, or place, and to see that the 

 several provisions of this act are observed therein ; and each of the said sur. 

 veyors shall liave in Ids special charge such district of the borough, town, or 

 place for which he is appointed as the council or justices or the sheriff shall 

 in that behalf appoint ; and each of the said surveyors shall hold his otbce 

 during the pleasure of the council or justices or slieritf by whom he is ap- 

 pointed, and may, if the council or justices or sheriff shall so thiuk fit, but 

 not otherwise, have an assistant or assistants under him (such assistants being 

 in all cases appointed by and holding their situations during the pleasure of 

 the council or justices or sheriff); and the council or justices or sheriff shall 

 have authority to fix the districts in which the said surveyors are to act within 

 the borough, town, or place, and to do all things relating in anywise to the 

 appointment and direction of such surveyors and assistant surveyors : pro- 

 vided ahv.ays, that if a charter of incorporation shall be granted to any town 

 or place in which such surveyors or assistant surveyors have been appointed, 

 the future appointment of such surveyors and assistant surveyors shall be 

 Tested in the council, as if such town or place were incorporated at the time 

 of the passing of this act. 



2 and 3 enacts, that surveyors are to make declaration, to diligently, faith- 

 fully, and imi>artially perform the duties of the office ; the council or justices 

 or sheriff shall provide an office for the said surveyors. 



4, Surveyors to he paid by fees, not exceeding for a first rate building 3/. \0s., 

 second rate 3/., third rate 21. \0s., fourth rate 21., fifth rate \l. 10s., sixth rate 

 1/. ; and for every alteration or addition to any building, a sum not exceeding 

 half the above. 



."), Powers given to councils of boroughs by this act to be exercised in Ox- 

 ford by commissioners imder act 11 G. 3, for improving the city of Oxford. 



6, The surveyors appointed under any of the acts specified in the schedule 

 (London, Bristol and Liverpool), shall he the s\irvcyors tor enforcing so much 

 of this act as is to be enforced within the limits of the said several acts, and 

 shall be entitled to receive for their trouble herein 5\ich additional fees as 

 shall he ordered and settled by the authority by which they are appointed. 



7, Notice of building or altering premises to be left at the surveyor's oftice. 

 Clauses 8 to 15, regulations for fees, duties of surveyors, penalties for de- 

 fault of notice, workmen offen(bng and lefusing inspection. 



16, That it shall not be lawful to build within the limits of this act any 

 bouse in which the floor of any room or cellar to be used as a dwelling* shall 

 be below the surface or level of the ground in the immediate neighbourhood 

 of such house, unless there shall be an open area not less than three feet wide 

 from the floor of such room or cellar to the top of the area adjoining to the 

 front or back of such room or cellar, and extending from one side or party 

 wall to tlie other side or party wall ; but this enactment shall not be taken to 

 prevent any archway or coveriitg which may be laid across such area for the 

 purpose of approaching the doorway of the house. 



" We considr that the words here used require to be |iarticularly defined 

 if they mean any mum tb.it is used for domestic purposes, such as a kitchen 

 forming part of a dwelling bouse, the act will Ihen eflect a very serious injury 

 on nearly half the bouses in Ijondon: if dwelling mean a room wherein any 

 person sleeps, then we do not see any objection to the Act, Uit in sucli case 

 it would be better to alter the v\ord dweilivg to sleeping room. — Editor. 



1 7, That in any house to be built within the limits of this act after the 

 passing thereof it shall not be lawful to let separately, except as a warehouse 

 or storehouse, or to suffer to be occupied for hire as a dwelhng place,* any 

 underground cellar or room not having a window and fireplace, as v.ell as 

 such an open area adjoining thereunto, as is herein-before specified. 



18, Enacts, that in any house built within the limits of this act before the 

 passing thereof it shall not be lawful to let sejiaratcly, except as a warehouse 

 or storehouse, or to suffer to be occupied for hire as a dwelling place, after 

 the first day of January 1845, any underground cellar or room not having a 

 window, or after the first day of January 1848, any underground cellar or 

 room not 'laving, in addition to such window, such an open area not less than 

 two feet wide, as is herein-before descriled, or after the first day of January 

 IS.Jl, any underground cellar or room not having a fireplace in addition to 

 such window and area. 



19, Enacts, that every person who shall wilfully let or suffer to be occupied 

 any underground cellar or room contrary to the provisions of this act shall 

 forfeit and piy the sum of 20s. for every day that such cellar or room shall 

 be so occupied, to be recovered by action of debt, either by the person occu- 

 pying such cellar or room, or any other person who wdl sue for the same. 



20, Enacts, that on any nert' _/b«n(fa/iOH within the limits of this act it shall 

 not be lawful to build any house, except corner houses, and houses biult in a 

 street or thoroughfare which was begun or laid out, before the passing of this 

 act, under the authority of any act of parliament, unless there shall be a clear 

 space of at least 20 feet wide between the back wall of such house and the 

 back wall of any opposite house : provided always, that.in estimating this 

 distance no account shall be taken of any hack addition or outbuilding be- 

 longing to either of such houses not more than half the height of the back 

 wall of the house above the level of the street, and which addition or out- 

 buUding shall not extend along more than two-thirds of the whole width of 

 the house to which it belongs; but no such addition or outbuilding shall be 

 nearer than seven feet to any other house, or to any addition or outbuUding 

 to any other house, except privies, sheds, or other buildings, not more than 

 eight feet high above the level of the street which may adjoin the fence or 

 fence wall on cither side. 



21, Enacts, that it shall not be lawful to build any new street, alley, or pub- 

 lic passage within the bmits of this act, except such as were begun or laid 

 out before the passing of this act, under the authority of any act of parlia- 

 ment, unless the houses therein shall be separated by at least 30 feet where 

 there is a carringeway between such houses, or at least 20 feet in the case of 

 alleys and foot passages where there is no carriageway. 



22, Enacts, that it shall not be lawful to bidld within the bmits of this act 

 any new court or alley (except mews and stable yards) nanower than 30 feet, 

 through which there shall not be an open passage at eacli end thereof at least 

 20 feet wide, and entirely open from the ground upwards. 



23, Enacts, that the level of ground floorof every house which shall be built 

 within the limits of this act shall be at least six inches above the level of the 

 footway or road adjoining such house. 



24, Enacts, that no room which shall be built within the limits of this act 

 to be used as a dwelling on the cellar or ground floor, or elsewhere than in 

 the ujjper story of any third rate house, or any house of a lower class or rate 

 than the third, as defined by the said several acts named in the schedule 

 (London, Bristol and Liverpool), within the limits of the said acts respectively, 

 and elsewhere as defined by this act, shall be less than eight feet in height 

 from the floor to the ceding, and no room in the upper story of any such 

 house sluiU be less than seven feet in height from the floor to the ceiling. 



25, That there shall not be more than one story in any part of the roof of 

 any house or other building which shall be built within the limits of this act. 



2G, That no third rate or lower rate of house, defined as aforesaid, except 

 houses in a street or thoroughfare which was begun or laid out, before the 

 passing of this act. under the authority of any act of parbaraent, shall be buUt 

 within the limits of this act without an enclosed yard, which, exclusive of any 

 buildings therein, except the privy (if any), or any shed or other building not 

 more than eight feet high, shall be of the extent of one-sixth part at least of 

 the ground covered by the bouse ; and no house shall be built within the 

 limits of this act without a privy, with proper doors and coverings to the 

 same, either in the bouse, or in the yard attached to the house, and sufficiently 

 screened and fenced from public view, to the satisfaction of the sur\eyor of 

 the district. 



27, .'Vll buildings ei'ectcd contrary to this act to be abated. 



28, Provides for preventing neglect or evasion of this act. 



2n, And whereas it is exjjedient that further provisions for seeunty against 

 fire should be made in such boroughs and towns as aforesaid which' are not 

 within the provisions of any of the acts named in the said schedule (London, 

 Bristol and Liverpool) ; be it enacted, that all buildings begun to be built or 

 rebuilt in any such borough or town not within the provisions of one of the 

 said acts shall, after the passing of this act, be Imilt and rebuilt according to * 

 the regulations herein-after contained, and the outer walls, party walls, sepa- 

 rate side or end walls, chimney backs, and chimney flues shall be built ac- 

 cording to the schedule (A.) annexed to this act : provided always, that where 

 there is more than one story below the level of the street the walls of the 

 lowest story shall be half a brick or four inches and a half tliicker than is 

 otherwise required. 



The remainder of the clauses apply to provincial towns, and are framed 

 somewhat similar to the Metropolitan liuilding Act. The annexed schedule 

 explains the thickness of the walls and the classes of buildings. 



i 



