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34
Private Conversions and Buildings.
During 1952, building licences were issued for the conversion of
large houses by private owners to provide a total of 81 dwellings. The
Council were also enabled by the Ministry of Housing and Local Government
to allocate licences for the building of 72 dwellings by private enterprise.
Applications for Accommodation.
Accommodation was found by the Council during 1952 for the
families of 176 applicants, comprising 571 persons.
In October, 1952, a thorough revision of the housing waiting list
took place and some 1,700 applications were cancelled. At the end of
the year, 3,945 applicants were on the housing list and may be divided
into groups as follows: —
Group A: Applicants with very urgent housing
need 1,350 (approx.)
Group B: Applicants with urgent housing
need 850 (approx.)
Group C: Applicants with little or no housing
need 1,250 (approx.)
Applicants without full residential qualification,
etc. 495 (approx.)
During the year no less than 507 housing applications were referred
to my department for a Sanitary Inspector's report as to the urgency of
the case.
These reports were supplied not only to our own Housing Estates
Department but also to the London County Council and other Local
Authorities, from whom enquiries were received. A large number of
housing applicants base their claims primarily on insanitary conditions
and appropriate action is taken by the service of sanitary notices where
the complaints are well founded.