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101
Housing.
During 1926 the housing question in Battersea underwent
little change, so far as the scarcity of housing accommodation is
concerned. There is still considerable overcrowding to be recorded,
especially in the lower Wards, and until adequate housing provision
is made for the needs of the working classes, and at rentals which
are within the means of the class of the community which is most
urgently in want of suitable housing accommodation, this insanitary
state of affairs will continue to exist as a reproach to our
civilisation. It is distressing to receive the constant heartrending
appeals for housing accommodation from families in the Borough
who are living under seriously overcrowded and otherwise insanitary
conditions, and yet be incapable, except in a very small proportion
of cases, to assist them. It is true, of course, that the London
County Council, and some of the Metropolitan Boroughs, including
Battersea, have to some extent attempted to overcome the serious
housing shortage; but such efforts have so far proved quite inadequate
to abate overcrowding and its attendant evils in workingclass
areas. The difficulties associated with the housing shortage
in London Boroughs, especially those centrally situated, are either
that the new houses provided by the London County Council are
too remote, or too highly rented to enable the working class to avail
themselves of housing accommodation at such distant localities as
Becontree and Downham, and unless, therefore, the Government
and local authorities are prepared to deal with these difficulties
and apply the appropriate remedy, it is to be feared that for some
years to come the present unhappy housing conditions in certain
areas of the Borough, and similar districts elsewhere in London will
not be removed.
The Borough Council, with praiseworthy zeal, have so far as
their opportunities permitted, provided housing accommodation
by securing all available building sites in the Borough and erecting
thereon working-class tenements, or acquiring for conversion
premises capable of being used as tenements; and since the war
86 new working-class dwellings have been provided by them. Unfortunately,
these efforts have been quite insufficient to meet the
needs of the Borough.
During the year, the Council acquired Southlands College, a
large training college with three acres of ground. It is proposed
by them to adapt the buildings for various health services, including
a Tuberculosis Dispensary, a Central Maternity and Child Welfare
Centre, &c. The acquisition of this property will set free the site
in another part of the Borough which was already allocated for
these purposes. Accordingly there will be available for housing
accommodation either by the erection of new dwellings or by conversion
of existing buildings—
(1) The site in Latchmere Road on which it was proposed to
erect a new Tuberculosis Dispensary and a Central Maternity
and Child Welfare Centre.