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HOUSING AND SLUM CLEARANCE.
Two Clearance Areas were represented during the year
under the Council's Slum Clearance Programme for 1956/60;
these were the Mawbey Place Area (2 houses) and the Acorn
Place Area (12 houses). The first named area is too small to
allow for the provision of new dwellings on the same site, hut
in the Acorn Place Area the Council took steps to acquire the
site together with some adjoining lands in order to add to the
permanent housing accommodation.
A publicity campaign was commenced during the year by
the exhibition of posters advising intending house purchasers
to make enquiries at the Town Hall in case the properties in
which they are interested are included in the Slum Clearance
Programme or scheduled for development.
Under the Council's Building Schemes 325 new dwellings
were completed during 1956 and at the end of the year 306
were under construction. The number of new flats and houses
built by the Council since the end of the War now totals 2,101.
The table appearing on pages 47 and 18 gives particulars of
the action taken under the Housing Acts in respect of individual
unfit houses and parts of buildings. In 22 instances where a
Closing or Demolition Order involved the displacement of the
occupants the Public Health and Housing Management Joint
Sub-Committee considered each case on its merits to decide
whether alternative housing accommodation should be offered.
The owners of three houses which were the subject of Closing
Orders themselves agreed to provide other accommodation for
the occupants.
Goldsmith Mansions, Goldsmith Road.
These buildings, which comprise 36 self-contained flats,
have for some years, been the subject of numerous complaints
and action by the Council under the Public Health (London) Act,
1936. During the early part of the year the Public Health
Committee considered the advisability of dealing with them under
the Housing Acts. Although the premises are old and badly
planned, they are, in the main, structurally sound and there are
not sufficient grounds for representing them as a Clearance
Area. Proceedings to close certain of the rooms which are very
dark and overshadowed would have involved rehousing a number
of families in occupation and in view of the housing situation
it was not considered expedient to take such action. It was
decided, therefore, to continue to deal with nuisances as they
arise, under the Public Health legislation and review the matter