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Of the 204 premises which were examined, 60 fell into class "a" ; 13 into
class " b " and 131 into class " c." The Housing Board then suggested that,
through the Office of Works, they should undertake the work of conversion
in the Borough and submitted draft resolutions to give effect to the proposal.
The Housing Committee agreed to the suggestion in order to expedite this
branch of the work and to leave them free to concentrate upon the schemes
for the erection of houses, and on the 24th September, 1919, the Council
resolved as follows:—
" That, for the purpose of securing the immediate provision of dwelling
accommodation, the Ministry of Health, acting through the London
Housing Board, be requested to exercise on behalf of the St. Pancras
Borough Council the powers of the Council under Section 12 of the
Housing, Town Planning, &c., Act, 1919, and that such dwelling
accommodation as and when provided be taken over by the Borough
Council as part of the Council's housing scheme, provided that the
plans of the proposed conversions are submitted to the Special
(Housing) Committee for their approval before the actual work is
commenced."
With regard to results, not a single house in the Borough has been converted.
Several representations were made to the Housing Board with reference to the
block of 24 empty houses in Euston Road. The matter was considered by
the Board from the conversion point of view, but having regard to the high
cost of the freehold, the condition of the premises, and the total estimated cost
of conversion, they decided that the scheme was not one which they would be
prepared to proceed with. The Ministry did make a Compulsory Order for
the purpose of acquiring No. 37, Sidmouth Street. This property forms part
of the Sidmouth Street area, which it is proposed to deal with under Part II.
It was represented to the Ministry that it would be unfortunate if any
expenditure were incurred in acquiring or repairing property which, sooner or
later, would be dealt with as part of a housing scheme, and the matter was
therefore dropped.
Having regard to the disappointing results under Section 12, the Ministry
were urged to apply for powers giving local authorities the right to eater
upon and to take possession of empty premises; to put such premises into a
habitable state of repair to the satisfaction of the local authorities at the
expense of the owners ; and to compel the owners to relet the premises.
A Bill enabling local authorities to hire compulsorily vacant houses has
now been introduced into Parliament by the Minister of Health.
(3) Insanitary Areas.
Somen Town.—The area known as Somers Town presents the evils of the
tenement house system aggravated by bad social conditions to a greater
degree and on a larger scale than any other part of the Borough. At a
Conference at the Ministry of Health, the opinion was expressed that with a
view to furthering the improvement of this area, it was desirable that reconstruction
schemes should be undertaken under Part II. of the 1890 Act, and on
the 17th December, 1919, the Council resolved that the Housing Committee