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Working Classes Act, 1890, and the Acts amending the same, in respect of an area in Hoxton known as
the Ware-street area, about 9 acres in extent, and comprising 386 dwelling houses, and to apply to the
Minister of Health for an order confirming the scheme. The Minister caused a local inquiry to be held
on 18th November at the Town Hall, Old-street.
Bell-lane and
Ellen-street
area*.
Official representations under Part I. of the Housing Act of 1890 were made by the borough
medical officer of health of Stepney with reference to two insanitary areas in the borough, known respectively
as the Bell-lane area and the Ellen-street area. The first-mentioned area is about 4½ acres in extent,
containing some 248 houses with an estimated working-class population of 1,284 persons; while the
Ellen-street area is about 1½ acres in extent with 112 houses and a working-class population estimated
at 568 persons. On 18th May the Council authorised the making of a scheme for the improvement of
these areas, providing for the rehousing of not less than 1,230 persons and decided to apply tothe Ministry
of Health for an order confirming the scheme. In October the ministry held a local inquiry at the Town
Hall, Cable-street, E.
In addition to these schemes under Part I. of the Housing Act of 1890, the Council has in progress
a scheme for the amelioration of the Tabard-street and Grotto-place area, Southwark, and Crosby-row,
Bermondsey. This area is some 17 acres in extent, and the scheme involves the displacement of 4,552
persons with rehousing accommodation for 2,580. At the end of December 90 tenements were in course
of erection.
Hickman's
Foilj area,
Bermondsey.
On 20th July, 1921, the Council had under consideration a scheme for the improvement of an
area known as Hickman's Folly, Bermondsey. The area involved was some 3£ acres in extent, comprising
163 dwelling-houses in addition to a number of manufacturing premises, workshops and buildings
used for storage purposes. The displacement of 891 persons of the working class was contemplated
for about 650 of whom accommodation was proposed in five-storey block tenements. This scheme was
eventually referred back to the Housing Committee in order that a conference thereon might be held
with the borough council.
Stepney.
Brady-street
area, Bethnal
Green.
As regards action taken under Part II. of the Housing Act, 1890, the Council in 1919 made a scheme
for dealing with the first section of the Brady-street area, and in due course a local inquiry was held by
an inspector of the Ministry of Health. In September the Ministry intimated to the Council that the
Minister wras not prepared to agree to the proposed exchange of land, but considered that practically the
whole of the area should be used for re-housing; that a wider area should be adopted than that included
in the Council's scheme; and that with the exception of two blocks of premises of five storeys, the proposed
tenement buildings in the area should be rest -icted to a height of three storeys.
Having regard to this decision the Council in February, 1920, made an amended scheme embracing
nearly all the additional property referred to by the Minister, and involving a displacement of about
1,875 persons of the working classes, accommodation for some 1,800 persons being provided. This
scheme was forwarded to the Minister for sanction and a public local inquiry held in due course.
Action taken under Part III. of the Housing Act, 1890 during the year was a6 follows :—
The Bermondsey and Deptford Metropolitan Borough Courcils put forward for the approval
of the Minister of Health a proposal to undertake a joint housing scheme at Grove-park in the metropolitan
borough of Lewisham and containing a small portion in the adjoining borough of Bermondsey.
The Minister took up the position that the provisions of section 41 of the Housing Act of 1919
should be applied to the proposal. This section provides that in the case of London the Council shall
be the local authority for the county for the purposes of Part III. of the Housing Act of 1890, to the
exclusion of any other authority so far as regards the provision of any houses outside the county, and
that the metropolitan borough council shall be the authority for the provision of houses within its own
borough. With the approval of the Minister, the Council may, however, develop land in a metropolitan
borough to meet the needs of the district outside the area of such borough. In these circumstances the
Minister urged upon the Council the desirableness of acquiring a site at Grove-park for housing purposes,
and on 13th March the Council made and submitted to the Minister of Health for confirmation an order
for the compulsory acquisition of some 573 acres in the neighbourhood of Grove-park. This order was
on 12th May confirmed by the Minister. In November the Council sought from the Minister permission
to purchase about 14 additional acres of land adjoining the site originally proposed.
The Minister of Health, in January 1920,approved, subject to a satisfactory price being arranged,
of the acquisition by the Council of about 250J acres of land situated in Bellingham in the Metropolitan
Borough of Lewi"ham, on which it is proposed to erect about 2,355 houses for persons of the working
classes. In December, 1920, 250 houses were in course of erection.
In order to meet the suggestion of the Ministry that provision for additional dwellings in the southwestern
district should be made, the Council decided, subject to the approval of the Minister, to acquire
a site at Castelenau, Barnes, of some 50 acres in extent. This approval was subsequently given subject
to a satisfactory price being arranged.
In last year's annual report it was stated that the Council had applied for powers to acquire an
area of approximately 3,000 acres capable of mixed development situated in the urban districts of Barking
Town and Ilford and in the Parish of Dagenham in the rural district of Romford. In October, 1920,
application was made to the Minister of Health for the confirmation of an order for the compulsory acquisition
of certain additional land at Dagenham some 87½ acres in extent required for the purposes of development,
including the formation of a road to afford access to the site from the river Thames.
On 2nd November the Council decided to name the whole of this area "Becontree," and at the
end of the year 260 houses were in course of erection thereon.
In addition to these estates the Council decided in 1919 to purchase, in the exercise of its powers
under Part III. of the Housing Act, 1890, a site of about 143 acres at Roehampton, known as the Dover
House Estate. At the end of the year 1920, 211 houses were in course of erection. Other schemes in
Grove-park
estate,
Lewisham.
Bellingham
estate,
Lewisham.
Castlenau
estate,
Barnes.
Dagenham or
Becontree
estate.
Roehamptor
estate.