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the 7th December, 1901, in regard to the Prospect Terrace Area, were reconsidered
by the Borough Council, and objection was raised on the ground that
the Buildings would not pay, and that they consisted of associated instead of
self-contained dwellings. On the 5th June, 1907, the Borough Council decided
to approve and adopt the plans prepared by Messrs. Joseph and Smithem in
substitution of those previously made, and on the 31st July, 1907, the Borough
Council presented the estimate showing expenses, £1,592 per annum ; and
receipts, £1,598 per annum, in respect of the Dwellings proposed to be erected
on the Prospect Terrace Area in accordance with the plans of Messrs. Joseph
and Smithem. On the 26th February, 1908, the Borough Council resolved to
issue advertisements for tenders for the building. On the 17th June, 1908,
the Borough Council accepted the tender of Mr. F. G. Minter, of Putney, for
the erection of the buildings at £16,208; the tender of Stuart's Granolithic
Company, for the artificial stonework, at £1,292 16s. 9d ; and the tender of
the St. Pancras Ironwork Company, at £125, for the ironwork, etc. On the
28th July, 1908, the London County Council formally approved the plans, and
on the 1st August, 1908, wrote stating that they had decided to sanction the
borrowing of the money under part 2 of the Housing of the Working Classes
Act, 1890, provided that the approval of the Local Government Board was
obtained before proceeding further.
Mr. Joseph, of Messrs. Joseph and Smithem, gave reasons for varying the
plans of the buildings to be erected on the Prospect Terrace area. The earlier
Scheme would not have paid its way, and part of the land shown as belonging
to the Borough Conncil did not so belong, and would have interfered with
the compliance of the London Building Act; further, the dwellings were
associated and were only three floors high. In the new Scheme the dwellings
are self-contained, are six stories high, and have a block of 12 bath rooms, etc.,
attached, and will house 352 persons, instead of 144, and at practically the same
rents, although the Borough Pate has increased from 6s. 8d. to 7s. 1d. in the £,
and the water rate from 4 per cent, to 5 per cent, on the rateable value; and
the size of the rooms also compares favourably. The original plans showed
about 2in. of concrete under the walls, whereas the present have 15in., because
the foundations were found to be very bad. Cost per cubic foot 8¾d. The
cost of the land of the Scheme was £5,600, cost of land per room £31 16s. 0d.,
and under the old Scheme it would have been £77 15s. 0d. The total cost per
room will be £92 10s. 0d., and under the old Scheme £110 15s. 3d.
The Local Government Board consented to the application, and made an
amended Order, dated 19th November, 1908, and the buildings are now in
course of erection.
HOUSING OF THE WORKING CLASSES ACTS.
Part II.— Single Houses.
In the case of individual houses, efforts are made to exhaust the Public
Health (London) Act, 1891, to remedy defects, before resorting to the Housing
of the Working Classes Act, 1890, and amending Acts, except when it is
obvious that no remedy short of demolition and reconstruction is available.
Sandhills Estate.–Medical Officer of Health reported to the Public
Health Committee of the 11th March on the conditions of the Sandhills Estate,