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Wakefield Mews and Gough Street.—The abortive negotiations in regard to
these two schemes pursued much the same lines as in the case of Leighton
Road.
Schemes for both areas were submitted to the Housing Board on the 14th
August, 1919, and rejected by the Ministry on 6th March, 1920, the intervening
time being occupied with negotiations, interviews and correspondence.
The complete scheme for Wakefield Mews provided for the erection of 136
flats at an estimated cost of £105,868, and 72 flats and 8 shops at Gough
Street for £63,012, excluding the cost of the land. Wakefield Mews comprises
1.8 acres at an estimated value of £73,500, and Gough Street about 1 acre
at £15,600. The Ministry withheld their sanction in view of the very heavy
cost of the sites, valuations of which were supplied to the Housing Board in
September, 1919.
Williams Mens and South Crescent Meics*—Sketch plans were prepared for
dealing with these two areas. The proposed schemes were not wholly satisfactory,
and the Committee felt that no advantage would be gained in
submitting them to the Ministry for consideration.
(2) Conversion of Vacant Houses.
On the 29th July, 1919, a circular letter was received from the Ministry of
Health asking that, with a view to obtaining an immediate increase in the
amount of accommodation available to relieve overcrowding, local authorities
should at once consider the question of utilising the powers in regard to the
conversion of existing houses into flats or tenement dwellings. It was pointed
out that to secure one of the main objects of these schemes, it was essential
they should be put in hand at once.
Prior to this communication, the Housing Committee on the 17th July, 1919,
had supplied their Architect with a list of vacant houses in the Borough with
the object of ascertaining those which might be regarded as suitable for the
purpose of conversion. A copy of such list was sent to the Housing Board on
the 24th July, 1919.
Under Section 12 of the Housing Act, 1919, the powers of a local authority
to acquire land for the purpose of housing are deemed to include power to
acquire any estate or interest in any houses which might be made suitable
as houses for the working classes together with any lands occupied with such
houses, and the local authority are empowered to alter, enlarge, repair and
improve any such houses or buildings so as to render them in all respects fit
for habitation.
On the 6th August, 1919, the Committee were represented at a Conference
of the Metropolitan Borough Councils convened by the Ministry of Health
and addressed by the Minister on the subject of conversion.
The Architect presented his report on the 16th August, 1919, a copy of
which, dealing with the houses suitable for conversion, was sent to the Housing
Board on the 25th August, 1919. The houses were divided into three
groups—(a) those suitable for repair or conversion; (b) those which might
possibly be used as a last resource, and (c) those which were entirely unsuitable.