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2. Barker Street.
This area was declared to be a clearance area by the council on the 28th July, 1931, but in
the absence of alternative housing accommodation for the persons to be displaced nothing further
had been done up to the time of preparation of the five years programme. In the early part of
1934 the council made an order for the demolition of the buildings and subsequently a local enquiry
was held by the Ministry of Health.
3. Hayden's Place and Tavistock Mews.
The council declared this area on the 3rd October, 1933. On the 6th March, 1934, they made
an order for the demolition of the buildings and subsequently a Ministry of Health local enquiry
was held.
4. Silvester Mews.
The council declared this area on the 3rd October, 1933. On the 6th February, 1934,
they decided to secure the clearance of the area and made an order for the compulsory purchase
of the land. A local enquiry was subsequently held by the Ministry of Health.
5. Brantley Mews.
6. East Mews Road.
7. Manchester Mews.
No official action has yet been taken in regard to these three areas, which are included in the
five years programme.
8. Gadsden Mews.
This mewsway was included in the Southam Street improvement area in the five years
programme and the houses therein were scheduled for demolition as part of the improvement area
procedure. It was subsequently decided that it would be more satisfactory to treat the mewsway
as a clearance area ; consequently, on the 9th January, 1934, the council declared the area to be a
clearance area, and on the 6th March, 1934, they made an order for the demolition, which was
followed by a Ministry of Health local enquiry. There are 14 dwellings in Gadsden Mews and their
demolition will involve the displacement of 44 persons.
9. Edenham Mews.
This mewsway was included in the Southam Street improvement area and the buildings therein
were scheduled for demolition ; but, as in the case of Gadsden Mews, it was subsequently decided
that it would be more satisfactory to deal with the area as a clearance area, and on the 6th February,
1934, it was declared to be a clearance area. Further action is pending. There are in Edenham
Mews ten buildings, and their demolition will involve the displacement of 34 persons.
Improvement Areas.
1. Southam Street Area.
Following the adoption of the five years programme, negotiations were commenced with the
county council in regard to improvement area procedure, and it was eventually decided that the
Southam Street improvement area should be divided into two separate areas, namely, Southam
Street area No. 1 and Southam Street area No. 2. On the 28th November, 1933, the council requested
the county council, in accordance with the provisions of Section 70 of the London County Council
(General Powers) Act, 1933, to pass resolutions declaring that the Southam Street areas should be
respectively defined on maps and declared to be improvement areas. The county council made
the necessary declaration on 23rd January, 1934 ; they also made a code of improvement area
by-laws for application to these two areas in February, 1934, and these were confirmed by the
Minister in April, 1934.
During 1933 two sanitary inspectors were busily engaged in making surveys of the two Southam
Street improvement areas so that there would be in readiness a list of all the families to be displaced
immediately the necessary powers were granted.
In view of the vast amount of work to be undertaken in improvement areas, the public health
committee set up in 1933 a defective houses sub-committee. In the early part of 1934 the subcommittee
commenced the task of making inspections of basement rooms and interviewing families
living under overcrowded conditions in the Southam Street areas. Some of the basement rooms
have already been closed officially, and a number of others have been scheduled for closure
immediately new housing accommodation becomes available for the tenants to be displaced.
2. Crescent Street area.
On the 11th July, 1933, the council requested the county council, in accordance with the
provisions of Section 70 of the London County Council (General Powers) Act, 1933, to pass a resolution
declaring that the area should be defined on a map and declared to be an improvement area, and
after various conferences in regard to boundaries and other details the appropriate declaration
was made in the early part of 1934. The county council have forwarded draft by-laws which they
propose should be made in respect to this area. The by-laws are identical with those which apply
to the Southam Street areas.
3. Other areas.
No official action has yet been taken in regard to the other improvement areas included in
the five years programme, but steps will be taken in these cases so as to synchronise displacements
with the provision of new housing accommodation.