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52
Ministry of Health,
Whitehall, S.W.i,
13th May, 1920.
Conversion of Houses.
Sir,
I am directed by the Minister of Health to enclose a statement
which sets out the agreement reached at the conference held
at this office on the 11th inst. The Ministry are of opinion that the
arrangements now made are warranted in the special circumstances
of the cases in question, particularly in view of the extreme urgency
of providing additional accommodation, and they accept the responsibility
for their adoption. It is understood, of course, that the,
special measures now adopted will not justify the Council in
permitting departures from any statutory requirements in other
cases.
The Minister trusts that the conference will have cleared away
any misunderstandings. He is anxious, as he is sure the Council
also are, that additional housing accommodation shall be completed
as speedily as possible.
I am, Sir,
Your obedient Servant,
Assistant Secretary.
The Town Clerk,
Metropolitan Borough of Greenwich.
from which it will be seen that the Ministry of Health purports
to accept responsibility for the illegal conditions now existing in
tenement dwellings owned and let by this Council, the Sanitary
Authority for the district, but at the same time this Council are
not to permit departures from any statutory requirements in the
case of other individuals desiring to make similar alterations to
their premises. The material parts of the Public Health (London)
Act, section 96, in question are:— .
1. Any underground room which was not let or occupied separately
as a dwelling before the passing of this Act shall not
be so let or occupied unless it possesses the following
requisites:—
(a) Unless the room is in every part thereof at least seven
feet high, measured from the floor to the ceiling, and has at
least three feet of its height above the surface of the street or
ground adjoining or nearest to the room; provided that, if the
width of the area hereinafter mentioned is not less than the