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39
(10) East Mews Road and Manchester Mews.
These two small clearance areas, included in the five years programme, have not yet been
declared. It is proposed that action will be taken during 1935.
Improvement Areas.
Southam Street Area.
In the declaration of this area, it was found desirable for technical reasons to divide it into halves,
which are known as No. 1 and No. 2, but it will be convenient in this report to regard the entire area
as one.
This area, comprising about 15 acres, is situated in the Golborne ward, which at the 1931 census
was the third most densely populated ward in London. The area had a population of 5,818 persons,
an average of 16 per house. There were in the area over 400 houses of a similar type, namely,
four-storied-basement houses built in terraces. Speaking generally, each house was constructed
with seven rooms above ground level, two rooms in the basement, and a common washhouse at the
rear of the basement. Water-closet accommodation, water supply and washing accommodation
were provided but these conveniences had to be used in common by all the families in a house. There
was no provision for storing or preparing food, although cooking appliances, such as gas stoves and
fire ranges, were generally adequate.
The houses were about 70 years old and had been originally constructed for single-family
occupation. They were fast deteriorating on account of the tremendous amount of wear and tear
due to the fact that they were let in unfurnished tenements to persons of the poorer working classes
with an average of over four families per house. Practically every room was used for living and
sleeping purposes. Disrepair and sanitary defects were apparent, but it was practically impossible
to improve the conditions with any lasting effect because of excessive usage. The main structures
were on the whole fairly good, the streets were wide and well planned, and the area could not have
been reasonably dealt with under clearance schemes.
The area was declared by the county council to be an improvement area on the 23rd January,
1934, and the improvement area by-laws came into operation on the 27th April, 1934. The by-laws
enable the borough council to require 450 cubic feet of air space for every person irrespective of age
in a sleeping apartment. In no other part of the country has such a high standard been imposed and
it has been tried for the first time in this area on what might be termed an experimental basis.
Another interesting feature in regard to the powers applicable to this area is Section 70 of the
London County Council (General Powers) Act, 1933, which is known as the " Kensington section " ;
it enables the council to close all unfit basements in the area for both living and sleeping purposes,
whereas the law applicable to the country as a whole enables these underground rooms to be closed
for sleeping purposes only. The operation of these special powers in regard to overcrowding and
basement room occupation has been watched with considerable interest by many with a view to
their contemplated application in other districts.
In the early part of the year, the public health committee appointed a special defective houses
sub-committee, the members of which inspected every basement room and investigated all cases of
overcrowding within the area. Subsequently, the sub-committee held a large number of meetings
at the Town Hall to interview owners, tenants and other interested persons. They recommended
the council to make 400 closing orders and to issue notices in every case of overcrowding on the 450
cubic feet standard. It is satisfactory to note that in only five cases have the owners appealed to the
county court against the council's closing orders ; three appeals were withdrawn, and in the remaining
two the appellants finally agreed to carry out such works as the council specified in order to make the
basement rooms fit for human habitation. As a result of their inspection of the houses and their
meetings at the Town Hall, the sub-committee scheduled 474 families as requiring improved housing
accommodation. These families were divided into two groups :—
(i) families to be rehoused " outside " the improvement area, namely, in the new flats or other
accommodation at the disposal of the council ; and
(ii) families to be rehoused " inside " the area, namely, in the accommodation vacated by some
of the families in group (i).
In dividing the tenants in this way, the sub-committee had regard to the number in family,
cleanliness, arrears of rent and other relevant considerations.
The families to be housed outside the improvement area were referred to a housing board which
met at the Town Hall and consisted of representatives of the Peabody Donation Fund, the Sutton
Dwellings Trust, the Kensington Housing Trust, the Improved Tenements Association, the Aubrey
Trust, the Wilsham Trust, the Town Clerk's Department and the Public Health Department. This
board nominated the various families for the flats and houses owned by the bodies represented thereon.
In July, 1934, the first block of buildings at Dalgarno Gardens was ready and the rehousing of " outside
" families from the improvement area began. The council's housing inspectors were notified of
every removal to a house owned by the borough council or the allied housing associations, and they
immediately got into touch with the owner of the rooms vacated. In the case of basement rooms, the
owner was informed that it would be an offence to re-let, and in the case of upstairs rooms vacated on
account of overcrowding the owner was asked if he would co-operate with the council by accepting
for these vacant rooms smaller families living elsewhere in the area under unsatisfactory conditions.
The families selected for rehousing inside the area were visited by the housing inspectors and told of
rooms becoming vacant within the area which would be suitable for them. Owners, generally, were
very helpful, and upstairs rooms as they became vacant were gradually re-occupied by families from