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Town Urban District. The application was unsuccessful, and, in the circumstances, the Council felt
that it had no alternative but to proceed with its development plans on the basis of the estate remaining
under the divided control of three local government authorities.
Having regard to the magnitude of the undertaking which was contemplated, involving the
building of a new township with an ultimate population of some 120,000 persons, the Council came to
the conclusion that the whole work of organisation and the development of the site should be entrusted
to one large firm of master contractors with wide experience and substantial resources at their command,
and that the work should be paid for on a cost plus participating profit basis. The tenderers were
invited to state the amount of the fee (to include head office expenses) they would require, such fee to
be given as a lump sum on stated amounts of expenditure or " actual cost " ranging from £1,000,000
to £30,000,000,so that in the event of the work being suspended for any reason the amount of the fee payable
at any stage would be a definite sum fixed beforehand. In response to an advertisement 20 tenders
were received and, after very careful consideration of the many factors involved, the Council decided
to accept the offer of C. J. Wills and Sons, Ltd., who asked for a fee of £450,000, or 1½ per cent., on an
actual cost of £30,000,000. The form of contract was the subject of negotiation with the contractors
and the Ministry of Health and work was commenced on 1st September, 1920. Good progress was made
during the year with the construction of roads and sewers and by the end of December work on some 500
houses had been commenced.
In view of the difficulties as regards both materials and skilled labour and the great cost involved
in brick construction, the Council decided to take advantage of the local conditions by building a large
number of the houses in concrete. The aggregate required is available on the site and, in addition
to a saving in transport, it is anticipated that the use of concrete will ensure greater rapidity of construction.
The supply of water presented considerable difficulty and, in view of proposals for the speedy
development of the site, it was important that all necessary steps should be taken with despatch to place
the matter on a satisfactory basis. The whole site is within the area of the South Essex
Waterworks Company, but the company requires additional sources of supply before it can provide an
adequate supply for the whole estate and it is necessary, therefore, for the company to apply to Parliament
for powers. So far as the estate lies within the Barking Town and Ilford Urban Districts
there is no obstacle to the Metropolitan Water Board extending its mains in competition with the company,
subject to satisfactory terms being arranged, but under section 36 of the Metropolis Water Act, 1902,
the Board is prohibited from supplying the parish of Dagenham so long as the company is able and
willing to supply. In case the company should not be immediately successful in obtaining the additional
powers the Council thought it most desirable, in order to provide an alternative, that the restrictions
imposed on the Board should be removed, and it was decided to promote legislation with this object
in the session of Parliament of 1921.
The question of lighting had also to be considered, and inquiries were made as to the practicability
of using gas or electricity or a combination of both. The cost of installing electric light is heavy and
higher prices would be charged for gas for cooking and heating purposes if electric light were employed.
For these reasons it will probably be necessary to dispense with the use of electricity for the working-class
houses, but the final decision is being deferred, pending negotiations with the gas company which
were in progress at the end of the year.
The Council gave early consideration to the forming of main and arterial roads and providing
facilities for the transport of building materials. The proximity of the site to the Thames naturally
suggested the employment of water transport, and arrangements are being made with a view to the
construction of a jetty in the river and a railway to connect the wharf with the building site. For
this it was necessary to acquire about 87½ acres of additional land to afford access from the river and an
order for the compulsory acquisition of this land was made by the Council and confirmed by the Minister
of Health on 16th October, 1920.
A proposal was provisionally agreed to during the vear for the diversion and construction of
Ripple-road as an arterial road through the southern portion of the estate and for the allocation of the
cost between the Council, the Ministry of Transport and the Essex County Council. The Council has
agreed to bear the additional expense which may be incurred by the Essex County Council upon the
maintenance of certain main roads on or in the vicinity of the housing site by reason of extraordinary
traffic induced by the development operations.
The Council has given preliminary consideration to the question of controlling the sale of
intoxicating liquors on the estate. Among the properties over which the Council has obtained compulsory
powers are three beerhouses. Within the area there is a fourth licensed house which was omitted from
the original compulsory order, and application has been made to the Minister of Health for confirmation
of a further order made by the Council on 9th November, 1920, for the compulsory acquisition of the
premises. On 13th July, 1920, the Council decided that the existing licences should not be abandoned for
the present and that the supply of refreshments on the licensed premises should be controlled by the
Council. On 26th October it decided that the system of control should be based on management by a
company or association whose servants would not have a pecuniary interest in encouraging the sale of
intoxicating liquors and that such system should provide for the general entertainment and refreshment
of the population. The terms and conditions upon which any such system of control and management
can be established are being considered.
The Council has acquired an estate of 252 acres at Bellingham between the Mid-Kent branch
of the South-Eastern Railway and the Bromley branch of the London, Chatham and Dover Railway.
The purchase price, part of which has been fixed by arbitration, has amounted to £50,339. The scheme
Bellingham.