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Council housing schemes, tenants in flats have been quick to take advantage
of window boxes to display flowers, etc. Where these are not available
many tenants have constructed their own flower boxes. It is thus evident
that this small amenity is very greatly appreciated by the tenants and
does appear to emphasise the desire of people to have at least one small
piece of garden.
During 1945 fifty-nine emergency hutments (Nissen and Uniseco) of
the two-year type were erected by the Council but all have now been
demolished or vacated except six on the sites of numbers 446-452 Archway
Road. This land is to be reserved for highway improvement and open
space, and thus it will not be possible to use it for housing purposes.
Permanent dwellings have been erected on all the other sites except at
Wightman Road and Park Road by Palace Road where it is anticipated
that works will be commenced in 1952.
Eighty-two temporary bungalows of the ten-year type were erected in
1946 and further representations are to be made to the Ministry for
permission to redevelop these sites during 1952 or 1953. It is also interesting
to record that twenty-four transfer licences have been issued to enable
families in Hornsey to build dwellings for their own occupation outside
the borough. It is hoped that during 1952 this scheme can be extended,
as 200 applications have already been received, including sixty from
persons on the housing waiting list, ten from requisitioned premises and
five from tenants of permanent Council dwellings.
The Middlesex and County of London Development Plans were
published during 1952 and both of these are incapable of fulfilment
unless the housing problem is solved. The Middlesex Plan gives a target
population of 83,000 for Hornsey, or a reduction of just over 15,000 on
the present figures. It is not known when this reduction will take effect
but it is estimated that the population in 1971 will be 97,292 (or about
1,000 less than in the borough at present). It is interesting to note that
during 1948 and 1949 over 12,000 people or one-eighth of the population
left Hornsey and that a similar number entered the area apparently with
little or no assistance from the Council in the provision of housing
accommodation. These figures are remarkable as they do indicate a movement
of population on a scale not generally appreciated.
Requisitioned Premises
The number of units under requisition at the end of the year was
792, a decrease of forty during the year and eight-nine during the last
three years. No. 27 Weston Park was purchased by the Council and
converted into three flats.
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