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after giving any person interested an opportunity of being heard, may
vary the terms of the lease or other instrument imposing the prohibition
or restriction so as to enable the house to be so converted subject to such
conditions and upon such terms as the Court may think just.
Application was made to the Courts under this section in respect of a
large house in Princes' Gate, but permission was refused on the ground
that the difficulty in letting the premises, as a single residence, was not
due to changes in the character of the neighbourhood.
It will be noticed below, under heading " Plans," that 13 houses have
been converted into flats and 5 stables into dwellings during the year.
An attempt was made by the Council to lease the old Peabody Buildings,
Buckingham Gate, for the temporary housing of families who were
overcrowded or living in unsatisfactory conditions. Only a portion of
the Buildings could be so used, the rest being unfit for occupation and
the amount asked for rent together with the sum necessary to be expended
rendered the suggestion impracticable. One block is now being converted
into flats by the purchaser, and the remainder is to be utilised as
shops and offices.
New Peabody Buildings.—The Trustees have at last been able to
obtain possession of the ground for the remaining block of their dwellings
in Horseferry Boad, and are clearing the site.
Restriction of Rents Acts.—Nine applications for certificates were
asked for and were granted.
Houses let in Lodgings.—At the end of 1924 there were 1,120 houses
on the register, 4,062 visits were paid to such houses, and notices were
served with reference to 229 defects, 9 being for overcrowding. Statutory
notices were served in 17 instances. No police court proceedings had to
be taken to enforce them. As has been pointed out previously, many
of these houses are partly used as work places, and consequently more
visits than those stated have been paid to the premises.
The by-laws drawn up by the County Council under the Housing
and Town Planning Act are, unfortunately, still in abeyance.