An Urgent Need for New Housing 

Netherhall was part of the large “Scraptoft Valley” housing scheme on both sides of Scraptoft Lane to meet the needs of the city after World War II. The population was increasing by around 3,000 a year, but house-building ceased during the war, and many people were living in overcrowded or unhealthy conditions when it ended. Over 12,600 applications for houses had been made to the Housing Committee by the end of 1945, and in the following year the council made a Compulsory Purchase Order to acquire additional building land beyond the borough boundary for the scheme.

The Scraptoft Valley Housing Scheme 

The order was opposed by Leicestershire County Council and Billesdon Rural District Council, along with the National Farmers’ Union and owners of private property in the area. The issue was only resolved in 1951 following a government inquiry which found in favour of the City Council. Work finally began in 1953 to provide over 4,700 homes across the two sites. These were mainly houses without sitting rooms or parlours, intended for ‘wage earners working in Leicester’ and including a small number with four bedrooms for larger families.

A New Community 

Other facilities followed in due course, including shops, a large recreation ground, a community centre on Armadale Drive, and two pubs, the Golden Age on Ramsey Way and the Moat (later the Monk’s Rest) on Netherhall Road. Scraptoft Valley Infant School and Scraptoft Valley North County Junior School were opened in 1956, The Junior School opened “in an incomplete state” according to its log book. A branch library was also established and St Elizabeth’s church hall on Netherhall Road opened in 1959 for worship and social activities. The Scraptoft Valley Working Men’s Club, known at the “Scrappy Valley” was also established in 1959. It was originally housed in a wooden hut and moved to purpose-built premises on Grantham Road in 1964