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bounded by King's Road, Edith Grove and Tadema Road. It was
purchased by the Borough Council in 1928 at a cost of £19,000. An
additional small plot of land, 29¾ poles in extent, situated at the northwest
corner of the site and necessary for the purposes of the Scheme,
was subsequently purchased by the Borough Council at a cost of £4,000,
of which the Guinness Trust contributed £2,000.
With the consent of the Minister of Health, the Borough Council
has leased the site to the Guinness Trust for a term of 99 years at a
nominal rent and the Trust has erected working-class dwellings thereon,
preference as to tenancies being given (a.) to persons residing in Chelsea
and (b.) to persons employed in Chelsea. These buildings comprise a
total of 160 flats, of which 41 contain four rooms, 78 three rooms, 40
two rooms, and one is a one-room flat. Each flat has, in addition a
scullery, bathroom and lavatory. Perambulator sheds are provided
in the grounds, also a drying room for clothes, and a constant hot water
supply at the boiler house. The total weekly rents vary from 5s. 6d.
to 16s. l1d. These additional housing facilities are of material assistance
in meeting the needs of a large section unable to pay the rents at Hortensia
Road.
(3) Peabody Trust Buildings, Manor Street.
This site comprises an area of 1 acre, 16 poles, situated centrally in
the Borough, in close proximity to the Town Hall. The frontage is on
the western side of Manor Street, its northern and southern boundaries
being Wellington Street and Grove Buildings respectively. It was
purchased by the Borough Council towards the end of 1928 at a cost of
£19,000.
With the consent of the Minister of Health, the Borough Council has
leased the site to the Peabody Trust for a term of 99 years at a nominal
rent and the Trust has erected working-class dwellings thereon, in
accordance with plans approved by the Borough Council, the London
County Council, and the Ministry of Health. The buildings consist of
eight blocks of flats' four stories high, comprising a total of 112 flats,
of which 24 contain four rooms, 46 three rooms, 32 two rooms and 9
one room. In addition, each flat includes scullery, bathroom and lavatory.
A combined flat and office is occupied by the Superintendent. The
total weekly rents vary from 6s. 2d. to 16s. 9d. These additional housing
facilities have also been of material assistance in meeting the needs of a
large section who cannot pay a high rent.
Reviewing the history of the past 35 years, it would appear that the
housing policy of the Borough Council has been firstly to preserve,
where possible, in areas threatened with demolition, such working class
accommodation as was of reasonably good type ; and secondly, to provide
accommodation by means of new buildings in an accessible situation
within the Borough for those persons of the working class who are average
representatives of their class, and for whom the necessities of their trade
or calling render residence within the Borough desirable or necessary.
It cannot be disputed that at the present time in Chelsea, as in other
Metropolitan Boroughs, there is considerable dearth of accommodation