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the Public Enquiry was held at the Lambeth Town Hall by Mr H. A.
Chapman, F.R. I.B.A., an Inspector of the Ministry of Health, on
November 19th, 1925, lasting 3 days, during which a large amount of
evidence was submitted. The Inspector of the Ministry of Health
visited personally the Area afterwards. The Area includes a large
number of insanitary houses, the result of their original ill-planning and
their present ages, an Improvement Scheme in connection therewith,
was much needed apart from the question of slum-clearances in the
general acceptation of that term. There are 249 houses and buildings
contained within the Area, and for the purposes of the Public Enquiry,
approximately 1,000 visits have been paid for the collection and
tabulation of information as to the sanitary and insanitary states of
such houses and buildings, the preparation ot censuses and other
statistical details (mortality and morbidity reports), lists of owners, &c.
The Public Enquiry revealed no great difference of opinion as to
the suitability of the Area for clearance and improvement purposes,
but did show very clearly that, if the improvement of so-called slum
areas by clearance for improvement schemes is to be generally adopted,
in future, as a policy, some modifications of the present method of
determining the terms of the compulsory acquisition of the sites and
houses and buildings will require to be made, in fairness to the owners
concerned, especially in the case of those owners who, in spite of the
ages of the properties, endeavour to keep them reasonably fit in all
respects for human habitation. Another question that came forward
for serious consideration was the probable hardship that might result
to small shopkeepers and other persons occupying business premises
(with or without leases). Such are the views that have been held by
the Lambeth Officials (Medical Officer of Health and Housing
Inspectors) for some time past, and it was satisfactory, therefore, to
have the points emphasised at the Public Enquiry by the legal
advocates (and others) appearing for the owners or tenants.
If, and when, the Provisional Order is made, the new buildings tobe
erected on the Area, after clearance, are to be of the usual L.C.C.
type of dwellings or tenements, arranged on five floors, with shops on
the ground floors, and with a total capacity for accommodating about
the same number of persons as will be eventually displaced (about
1,500 to 2,000 persons).*
Representations and Closing Orders under Section 17 of
the Housing, Town Planning, Etc , Act, 1909.
During 1925, the Medical Officer of Health made no representations
to the Council under Section 17 of the 1909 Housing
Act, and, consequently, no Closing Orders were made by the
Council.†
* Prince's Square was scheduled by Order of the London County Council for
compulsory acquisition on July 28th, 1925, but the scheme has since been abandoned.
† Section 17 of the 1909 Housing Act is now incorporated in the new Housing
Act, 1925 (section 11).