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105
Housing.
During the year 1933 progress was made with the housing
situation in Battersea, especially in the direction of the provision
of new working-class dwellings on the St. John's College Estate,
the Hope Street and Darien Road sites.
Special attention was also given to slum clearance areas in
connection with the survey report on the housing needs of the
district required by the Housing Act, 1930, which was submitted
by the Medical Officer of Health to the Council in 1932.
The Health Department of the Council also had under consideration the question of the survey of additional insanitary areas,
with a view to securing, as far as practicable, that such areas should
be dealt with in order of urgency.
Several areas not included in the report of the Medical Officer
of Health above referred to were under consideration during the
latter part of 1933 and the early part of 1934.
With a view to meeting their obligation to re-house displaced
tenants the Council decided to acquire the Stewarts Lane site,
consisting of 36 mainly worn-out, old-fashioned single-storey cottages, occupied by 45 families, by a compulsory purchase Order,
which, after a local inquiry, was approved by the Minister of Health.
Arrangements are being made for the demolition, as soon as practicable, of the houses on this site, and for the erection thereon of
approximately 101 working-class tenements, which, when completed,
will materially assist in the provision of alternative accommodation
for decanting purposes.
During the year interviews were had with the Ministry and
the London County Council, and the Chairman and Officers of the
Housing Committee of the London County Council visited, in conjunction with theHousing Committee, several of the areas under
consideration, notably Nine Elms. In the case of one of the areas,
viz., Didcot Street, originally represented in 1920, the London
County Council have intimated their intention of themselves dealing
with this area in view of the proximity of the site to their East
Hill Estate.
It is anticipated, therefore, that early in 1934 some, at least,
of these areas will be proceeded with and that the clearance, so long
overdue, of many of these old, worn-out and insanitary properties
in the Borough will be gradually accomplished under the extended
powers contained in the 1930 Housing Act.
New Working-Class Dwellings.
St. John's College Estate.
It is satisfactory to report that the St. John's College Estate,
which has been briefly described in previous annual reports, was
completed during the year, and that all the tenements thereon are
now fully occupied.