London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Chelsea 1926
Annual report of the Medical Officer of Health for Chelsea, 1926
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| B. Proceedings under Public Health Acts. | |
| (1) Number of dwelling houses in respect of which notices were served requiring defects to be remedied | 826 |
| (2) Number of dwelling houses in which defects were remedied after service of formal notices— | |
| 213 | |
| 1 | |
| C. Proceedings under sections 11, 14 and 15 of the Housing Act, 1925. | |
| (1) Number of representations made with a view to the making of Closing Orders | 6 |
| (2) Number of dwelling-houses in respect of which Closing Orders were made | 34 |
| (3) Number of dwelling houses in respect of which Closing Orders were determined, the dwelling houses having been rendered fit | 0 |
| (4) Number of dwelling houses in respect of which Demolition Orders were made | 0 |
| (5) Number of dwelling houses demolished in pursuance of Demolition Orders | 0 |
Staff. The staff engaged on housing work in 1926 consisted of three
Sanitary Inspectors, each carrying out all the duties of a Sanitary
Inspector in the district allocated to him.
General Housing Conditions. It is difficult to discuss the subject of
housing in Chelsea without some understanding of the peculiar conditions
which appertain to the district.
Probably in few London boroughs have there been so many alterations,
consequent on demolitions and reconstructions, during the past 30 years,
as in Chelsea. The process of reconstruction is still in progress, though
largely suspended by the operation of the Rent Restriction Acts. The
developments which have taken place have arisen from the fact that a
very considerable proportion of Chelsea is comprised within the areas of
two large estates—the Cadogan Estate and the Sloane Stanley Estate.
Many of the building leases on these estates were granted early in the
19th century and a large number have already expired. A certain
proportion of demolition of small property has been due to the acquisition
of land by large trading corporations, but up to the present this has
not been a factor of any great magnitude.
Owing to the proximity of the eastern boundary of the Borough to
Hyde Park and Belgravia, and to the attractiveness of the Embankment
forming the southern boundary, residential values in these neighbourhoods
have greatly appreciated in recent years, the price of land has been
correspondingly increased, and the old type of small house, accommodating
the small trader and the artizan or labourer, has been replaced
by modern houses and mansions let in flats commanding high rents.