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9
LITTLE CORAM STREET SCHEME.
This area presents about the same appearance as it did twelve
months since. A very small portion of the wretched buildings thereon
have been removed. The claims of the owners and tenants of part of
the area are being investigated by the Metropolitan Board of Works,
and dealt with. The concurrence of several parties interested in the
scheme being necessary, some delay is caused in carrying out the
same.
COAL YARD AND GOLDSMITH'S ALLEY IMPROVEMENT.
The Board has much pleasure in reporting that this Improvement
has been completed. The purchase of the remaining land referred to
in the Board's last Report has been carried out. The sewer and the
foot and carriage-ways have been formed, and the street thrown
open for public use.
The Metropolitan Board of Works have, in accordance with their
promise, contributed the sum of £1,126 10s. towards the cost of the
acquisition of the land needed for the same.
Enlargement of the Offices of the Board.
It has been a well-founded complaint for many years past that the
only public entrance to the Board Room and its Offices from Holborn
has been by a lane only 10 feet wide and 120 feet long, continually
used by the heavy waggons and carts conveying goods to the Stone
Yard and to the Warehouses of adjoining Tradesmen, and that owing
to this traffic it had become highly dangerous to persons having
business at the Offices of the Board.
A favourable opportunity occurred in the month of June, 1880, to
purchase the freehold premises Nos. 197 & 198, High Holborn, and
the extensive workshops and stabling adjoining, which were old and
dilapidated, abutting on those of the Board.
It accordingly entered into negotiations with the freeholder
for acquiring the same, which resulted in the purchase thereof at the
moderate price of £8,000.
The Offices of the Board being too small, and in some respects very
inconvenient, it has been resolved to enlarge the same, and erect in the
rear on part of the premises so purchased additional Offices; to convert
the present Board Room into Surveyor's Offices, and erect a new Board
Room above the same. These works are now in progress, and will
shortly be completed.
It is believed that the surplus land will realise nearly sufficient to
pay the cost of the purchase of the whole site.