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62
1926, the subject of an official representation under the Housing Act,
1925. After full enquiry, the Minister of Health's ord,er confirming the
Scheme was received by the Borough Council in March, 1928. '
Under the Scheme, as modified by the Minister of Health, the Council
are to provide upon the site dwellings for the accommodation of 379
persons of the working classes (approximately the number resident on
the area). Arrangements have been made for the erection (on the cleared
site) of four blocks of buildings, comprising a tota( of 62 flats, of which
5 contain four rooms, 37 contain three rooms, and 20 contain 2 rooms.
A provisional estimate of £50,000, to include cost of acquisition, clearance
of the area and the erection of buildings thereon, has been approved by
the Borough Council.
Necessary work in connection with clearance of the area and construction
of new buildings is still in progress.
With the consent of the Minister of Health, the Borough Council has
leased, for 99 years at a nominal rent, to the Chelsea Housing Improvement
Society, Limited,—a public spirited and practical body—a portion
of the area. The eastern section of the area was cleared first and the
construction of two blocks of buildings on this site has been completed.
This was followed by clearance of the central section on which the erection
of a third block of buildings was completed last year. All these are now
fully occupied. The total weekly rents vary from 5s. to 16s! 6d. The
construction of the fourth block is being proceeded with. It has been
agreed that the Society shall have the management of the buildings on
completion. During the process of reconstruction, the Borough Council
have made arrangements for the management of the remaining properties
on the area and the collection of rents, to be undertaken by the Association
of Women House Property Managers, as agents of the Council.
A large area in the north-western district of the Borough contains
many houses which are old, worn out and require constant repairs and
renovations. During the year this area was the subject of an official
representation made by me under the Housing Act. The matter is still
receiving the close consideration of the Housing Committee.
One of the most unsatisfactory features in this, as in other boroughs,
is the presence of a large number of houses let in lodgings. These houses
were not constructed for the purposes to which they are now put. The
use of staircases, washhouses, yards, waterclosets, ashbins, etc., in
common leads to misuse and neglect, and the general environment is
not prone to the cultivation of habits of self-respect, morality or health.
Many such houses are without adequate provision for the cooking or
storage of food, and housework is carried on at great inconvenience.
While the great majority of these houses are structurally sound, a
number of them are old, worn out and below the modern standards of
sanitation and convenience. It is probable that only a. minority of the
tenants would be able to pay economic rents for alternative accommodation,
having regard to the rents that required to be fixed for new
dwellings owing to the greatly increased cost of land and construction
during recent years.