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Owners are doing a good class of work in complying with notices under Section 17 and it may
be said that generally the workmanship is as high a class as that performed by those builders carrying
out repairs under contract for the Council. Furthermore, the actual number of houses in regard to
which the Council have served Section 17 notices is no index of the extent of the improvements
being secured, because it has become known that the Council intend to enforce a reasonable state
of habitability in all houses in North Kensington, and owners and builders are forestalling action
by the sanitary inspectors by undertaking voluntarily first class repair work in a large number of
cases.
Domestic Water Supply.
Except in a limited number of high-class flats in South Kensington which draw their water
supply from artesian wells sunk in the chalk below the London clay, each house in the borough
has its own supply of water from the mains of the Metropolitan Water Board. Until seven years
ago, the only tap in many of the houses let in lodgings was fixed in the basement, with the result
that considerable inconvenience resulted, especially to housewives on top floors. Since then,
however, the Council have required improvements in this matter and to the best of my knowledge
every house let in lodgings now has not less than two water supplies, one on the lowest floor and
the second on one of the upper floors. Frequently the new supply has been fixed on a half-landing
and a sink placed beneath it. The supply in the basement generally comes from the rising main
and in the majority of cases the new tap fitted at a higher level has been fixed on the rising main.
There are no instances in Kensington where there is a public stand or tap for the common
use of several houses.
Water Closet Accommodation.
Every house in Kensington is provided with at least one water closet in direct communication
with the public sewers. There are no earth closets or privies within the borough.
For many years, the Council have insisted upon the provision of a second water closet in every
house let in lodgings which has more than twelve persons resident therein. Instances arise from
time to time where an increase in the number of persons in a house results in the water closet
accommodation becoming inadequate. When such cases come to light, as a result of routine
inspections or otherwise, the Council take steps to enforce the standard above mentioned.
CLEARANCE AREAS.
In November, I submitted representations to the Council to the effect that the dwelling houses
in the undermentioned areas are, by reason of disrepair or sanitary defects, unfit for human habitation
or are, by reason of their bad arrangement, or by the narrowness or bad arrangement of the
streets, dangerous or injurious to the health of the inhabitants of the area, and that the other
buildings in the area are for like reasons dangerous or injurious to the health of the inhabitants.
I also expressed the opinion that the most satisfactory method of dealing with the conditions in
the areas is the demolition of all the buildings therein.
No. of occupants.
(i) Nos. 1, 3 and 5, Adair Road, and 86, 88 and 90 Southam Street 112
(ii) Nos. 36 to 52 (inclusive), Talbot Grove, 1 to 13 (inclusive),
Talbot Mews, and 23 to 26 (inclusive), Talbot Mews 170
(iii) Wornington Mews (including No. 88, Wornington Road) 29
The Council concurred in the representations made and are at the present time considering
proposals for dealing with these three areas.
Barker Street.
Barker Street is a bottle-shaped cul-de-sac having its entrance in Fulham Road, the extreme
southern boundary of the borough. The entrance passage is formed by an archway under No. 258,
Fulham Road, the width of the passage being 10 ft. 6 in. and the length 40 ft. 6 in. The street
then widens to 19 ft. 6 in., where are found two parallel blocks of houses extending northwards
for a distance of approximately 250 feet. The depth of each block is approximately 32 feet, and
each consists of eight three-storey premises which are used as dwellings by members of the working
classes. The ground floors of seven of the premises are used as stables or storage places.
The surface of the roadway is cobbled, having a fall from each side to the centre of the road,
where two gulleys are provided to take the surface water. The northern end of the road is broken
and defective. The roadway is bounded on each side by a pavement of approximately 2 ft. 6 in.
in width running about two-thirds of the length of the street.
The existing premises are unsuitable and badly designed, having regard to the confined area
of the site. There is an obvious lack of ventilation and the ground floor premises lack sufficient
natural light. The very small back yards at the rear of Nos. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 10, Barker
Street, backed by high walls of adjoining premises, and the absence of yards in the other premises
in the street make the amount of through ventilation very small. Moreover, the high four-storey
buildings in Fulham Road at the southern end of the street make the amount of sunlight very poor.