London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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Chelsea 1963

Annual report of the Medical Officer of Health for the year 1963

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64
CLEM AIR ACTo 1966
SMOKE CONTROL ORDERS
Cheyne Ward and Royal Hospital Ward. Smoke Control Area
The Council at its meeting on the 19th December, 1962, agreed in
principle to making Cheyne Ward and Royal Hospital Ward its third smoke
control area.
In accordance with the planned programme dealing with the whole of
the Borough the next area comprised Royal Hospital Ward with only part of
Cheyne Ward. After consideration it was decided that dealing with part of
a ward would create difficulty in arriving at statistics in regard to area,
premises, population and assessment of cost and that it would be preferable
to deal with the two Wards in their entirety as one area. The simplification
of administration by this procedure together with some extension of time being
provided to deal with the additional premises involved, will result in a
saving of time in completion of the overall programme,,
These two Wards cover a little over 300 acres and contain 6,593 dwellings
accommodating approximately l69654 persons. In addition there are 444
commercial premises, 12 industrial premises and 55 other premises.
The detailed survey of the Area is now almost complete and the returns
show that less than 25% of the dwellings inspected will require any conversion
or adaptation of their heating appliances in order to comply with the Act,,
There has been a marked trend in this Area towards the use of central heating
and gas and electric room heaters,,
During the year the Ministry of Housing and Local Government issued an
important circular - 69/63. It stated that in view of technological changes
in the gas industry there would be a consequent decrease in the future production
of gas coke. This fuel has been widely used to replace raw coal in smoke
control areas and revised arrangements were therefore necessary. It was
emphasised however that sufficient supplies of solid smokeless fuel would
continue to be available in existing smoke control areas. The circular
contains certain revised grant arrangements. The installation of openable
stoves, under-floor draught open fires or fixed gas, electric storage or oil
heaters should now be regarded as "reasonably necessary" works and the full
expenditure on such appliances should rank for grant. The provision will
give householders in smoke control areas a much wider freedom of choice in
selecting new appliances.
A map of the Cheyne Ward and Royal Hospital Ward Smoke Control Area
appears on the following page.