THE MID-LANCASHIRE local valuation panel at Blackburn met in February 1958 to discuss whether council properties devalued adjacent properties.

Mr H. Parker, of Brothers Street, Blackburn, appealed an assessment on his bungalow because he thought a council property opposite him devalued his property.

He complained of rubbish filled gardens, lines of washing even on Sundays, and heavy lorries parked outside. But, the deputy valuation officer said it was a well developed estate, and no council home was directly in front of the property.

Complaints also came from Free View, Blackburn, where Mrs M. Derbyshire explained the issue of high chimneys. More complaints read: “We haven’t even a footpath yet alone a road,” and, “It has been mud and slush for more than 20 years.”

Forty proposals were made, which met with heaps of objections. Residents of Leamington Road complained about the deterioration of the district as a bakery shut down, the heavy traffic that was causing vibrations and damage to the houses, road traffic noises, electrical interference, and soot and dust from chimneys falling onto the road.

The problem of soot was partially resolved when chimneys were raised, but this was only on certain roads.