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57
Two Completed Schemes.-
The two housing schemes, which were nearing completion at the end of
1927, were opened for occupation in May and June, 1928. Details of each,
Admiral House, Willow Street, and Schomberg House, Esher Street,
were described last year. In considering applications for the 118 flats
in both houses the Housing Committee gave preference to cases which
had come under the notice of the Medical Officer of Health and were recommended
by him. In this way 79 families found relief from overcrowding
and other insanitary conditions.
With regard to a proportion of the flats in Schomberg House the
Housing Committee had to alter the allocations for the following reasons.
In the Millbank Scheme it was agreed by the contracting parties to proceed
at once with the houses on the South side of Vincent Street. That is to
say, whether the Bill passed or not the Duke had agreed to give this
section of land for the purpose of new working-class dwellings. Consequently,
in order to expedite demolition and re-construction, the tenants
of this side of Vincent Street were housed in Schomberg House, soon after
it was opened. These old houses were soon razed to the ground and the
site cleared for rebuilding. The Housing Committee has in consequence
a considerable list of urgent cases which would have been housed in
Schomberg House had it not been necessary to house the Vincent Street
tenants and thus accomplish the clearance of the south side of this street.
Wonnholt Estate, Hammersmith.—In the report for last year details
were given of an agreement entered into with the London County
Council under the provisions of Section 14 of the Housing (Financial
Provisions) Act, 1924, under which the London County Council allocated
to the City Council 50 houses on the Wormholt Estate at Hammersmith,
for the housing of Westminster families to be nominated by the
City Council.
By January, 1928, 42 of these 50 houses had been let to the City
Council's nominees and in that month the agreement was extended
to cover a further 50 houses, making a total of 100 in all. As a result
of the conditions arising out of the flood, the letting of these houses
proceeded rapidly and was completed in the early part of the year.
Other London County Council Estates.—Under the arrangement made
by the London County Council by which a certain percentage of new
accommodation on that Council's outlying estates is allotted to the
various Borough Councils for families living in overcrowded or other
insanitary conditions, 52 Westminster families were re-housed, principally
on the Downham and Watling Estates.
(10285) E