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149
The demand for accommodation in block dwellings in London is
decreasing, and there is no very great demand for tenements in the
ordinary block dwellings in the neighbourhood of the Tabard Street
area. This, no doubt, is largely due to the general outward
movement of London population, and with increasing facilities for
cheap and rapid locomotion, this migration from the crowded central
districts is likely to continue. It is now quite possible for a
working man to obtain more and better accommodation in the
suburbs at rents which are low enough to enable him to bear the
cost of travelling to and from his work at no greater, or very little
additional expense, for house accommodation and travelling together,
than he would have to pay for house accommodation alone in or
near the commercial centres. In all the circumstances, and
particularly in view of the large amount of vacant accommodation in
Southwark and Bermondsey, the Council thought that it would be
inadvisable to erect new dwellings on the cleared sites sufficient to
rehouse all the people who would be displaced, as a building scheme
in this district on such a large scale would probably be attended
with unfavourable financial results owing to the difficulty in letting
the tenements. The Council considered it desirable however, that
accommodation for a substantial number should be provided on the
area of displacement; and in determining the amount of such
accommodation regard was paid to the number of persons whose
occupations rendered it unlikely that they could remove to any
great distance from their present homes. Having considered the
question from all points of view, the Council arrived at the conclusion
that the requirements of the case would be met by erecting dwellings
on the Tabard Street area to accommodate 2,450 persons.
There is great need for additional public open space in the
locality, and it was therefore decided that the central portion of the
Tabard Street area, about 5 acres in extent, should be laid out as a
public open space, and that the requisite rehousing accommodation
should be provided in five storey balcony block dwellings overlooking
the open space which would, however, be open to the road on two
sides. It is anticipated that dwellings so favourably situated will
readily let. The remainder of the Tabard Street area, comprising
about 3 acres, and the whole of the two smaller areas will be utilised
for commercial purposes.
The street widenings and extensions for which provision has
been made in the scheme may briefly be described as follows:—