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35
In a borough such as this, with relatively little industry, the main
application of the Act is in relation to smoke control areas. In the middle
of the year I reported to the committee that there were three areas in the
borough any one of which might serve as the first smoke control area
to be instituted, and eventually it was decided that an area of 320 acres
in the Ladywell district should be the first to be dealt with. Of the 320
acres about 200 were of open space and the area itself included Ladywell
Lodge and Ladywell Nursery and several roads of private dwellings of
intermediate age. Altogether there were about 1,450 premises, of which
some 1,380 were structurally separate dwellings. The area also included
a laundry, baths, mortuary, police station, library and Lewisham
Hospital; it was therefore one of moderately mixed development. A
preliminary report, as required by the Ministry, was put up to the
Ministry of Fuel and Power in July, and the Minister's approval to going
ahead with a detailed inspection of the area for the purposes of a Smoke
Control Order was received in September.
In anticipation of the Minister's approval it was decided to stage an
exhibition in the area in the early autumn. This was to be on a fairly
large scale, as it was in the first proposed smoke control area of the
borough, and it was open for about a week in the middle of October.
Although primarily addressed to the inhabitants of the proposed smoke
control area (who were specifically invited to an opening meeting for
general explanation and questions), the exhibition was advertised in the
borough generally and attracted many visitors, including quite a number
from outside the borough. The main exhibitors were the Coal Utilisation
Council (who work in close cooperation with the Solid Smokeless Fuels
Federation), the Electricity Board and the Gas Board. It was a wellarranged
exhibition and one of considerable interest to any person who
desired to be informed on the question of smoke control.
Immediately the exhibition was over the detailed examination and
inspection of individual houses in the proposed area was started, the
necessary information being recorded on a specially designed card. At
the same time a descriptive eight-page pamphlet was got out, copies
being given to each householder and, where necessary, sent to each house
owner. The inspection of the area was not due for completion until
February or March, 1958, and it is hoped that the requisite approvals
will be obtained and the Order become operative in May 1959. So far
we appear to have had very considerable cooperation both from householders
and tenants of commercial and industrial premises in the area,
and no large-scale difficulty is anticipated; they of course will be the
first to benefit.
Measurement of atmospheric pollution
The three deposit stations have now been working for over five
years, a period which is thought to even out discrepancies due to differences
in wind direction and other atmospheric variables which must
occur over the course of time. I have therefore got out a chart showing
the monthly recordings at the three deposit-gauge stations which have
been in existence for these five years, and the composite chart is shown