The Rushden Echo and Argus, 24^th November, 1944, transcribed by Gill Hollis

No “Portals” For Rushden? - Council Have No Lead From Whitehall

  Rushden has made no plans for Portal Houses, and the reason is that the Ministry of Health has not asked the Urban Council to take up the scheme.

  Mr. T. L. Watts, L.L.B., Clerk to the Council, explained the position to the “Echo and Argus.”

  “For some reason,” he said, “the Ministry, who initiate these temporary housing schemes, have not asked us to put any up in Rushden.  I understand both Wellingborough and Kettering have been asked by the Ministry.  Why Rushden has not been asked I don’t know.  I understand the Government circular speaks of Portal houses as being suitable for districts which have had bomb damage, and while no place in Northamptonshire has suffered heavily, we consider ourselves the most-bombed place in the county.

  “We are very active in permanent housing and have recently sent a deputation to inspect various types of houses, including some employing new methods at Northolt, Middlesex.

New Estates

  “The Council, it is true, received an invitation to inspect Portal houses also, but we declined simply because we had no scheme in hand for them, and it would not have been any help to us.  It took us a whole day to see the other houses, and it would have needed another visit to London if we were going to see the Portals.”

  Mr. Watts added that the Council has sufficient land for about 300 houses, which will form the programme for the first two post-war years.  Lay-out plans of two new estates – called the Newton-road Extension and the Higham-road sites – were passed at the last Council meeting, and five or six acres more are left on the pre-war estates.

  There is a long waiting list for houses, but it probably needs much revision, and the true number of valid applications is not available at the moment.

Higham Hopeful

  Higham Ferrers Town Council is interested in Portal houses, has arranged to inspect the prototypes, and may erect a number in places where the roads are already made.

  The Mayor (Ald. H. R. Patenall, J.P., C.C.) told our reporter: “We are considering what we might be able to do in utilising some of these Portal houses in various sites where we already have roads and sewers.  For instance we have a small site on our Windmill Banks estate which might hold three or four.

  “We have already agreed in committee that the chairman of our Housing Committee (Mr. Lambert) and the Town Clerk should go up to London and see them.  I expect they will be going any time now, and if we are satisfied that the Portal houses are going to fulfil a need for the time being we shall probably go ahead.

  “My own view is that if these prefabricated houses will serve a useful purpose for a short period it is up to us to put some up to alleviate the immediate need.”

  No Portal houses will be erected on the Council’s main post-war housing estate off High-street, which will adjoin one of the new Rushden estates.  There were 120 applications for the last house let by the Council.