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Somers Town Housing Scheme (Wolcot Street Area).
The fifth and final block of dwellings of the Borough Council's housing scheme in the
Somers Town area was completed in December, 1930, and was named "Clarendon House,"
after the thoroughfare in which it is situated. This block comprises 36 dwellings, so that a
total of 124 separate tenements have now been provided by the Borough Council in this area.
It will be remembered that the Council bear the whole financial liability, without any contribution
from the State, as regards the first four blocks of dwellings, but that the block just
completed is eligible for State and County Grants under the Housing Act, 1924. It might
be mentioned that accommodation has been found for all families who were displaced by
reason of the operation of the clearance scheme.
Camden Road Housing Scheme.
This property, situated on a site at Nos. 7 and 9, Camden Road, will be developed for the
crection of 22 self-contained working-class dwellings, in respect of which the State and
County Subsidy will be available under the Housing Act of 1924, and will also house a
Tuberculosis Dispensary and Maternity and Child Welfare Centre. Shops or offices are to be
erected on the ground floor frontage in Camden Road.
The Council accepted the tender of the Canonbury Construction Company, Ltd., to
carry out the work for the sum of £21,464 in July, 1930, but some delay arose in obtaining
the consent of the sanctioning authorities for the provision of the Maternity and Child
Welfare Centre, and it was not until the end of December, 1930, that the work could be
commenced. It is, however, now proceeding satisfactorily, and is expected to be completed
by the end of the year.
London County Council Housing Estates.
The London County Council continue to house a number of St. Pancras families in
their various estates, and so relieve bad cases of overcrowding and special hardship, to which
preferential treatment is given upon the recommendation of the Borough Council. This scheme
was initiated in January, 1925, and the number of St. Pancras families benefited to the end of
1930 is 686. There are, in addition, a large number of St. Pancras families accommodated in
the County Council's dwellings who make application direct. The London County Council
have also rendered valuable assistance in providing suitable accommodation for persons
displaced by the clearance of the Wolcot Street Area.
There is, however, considerable difficulty in arranging for families living in this
Borough to accept housing accommodation in the outlying Estates, even if they are able to
afford the fares for travelling to their work. This is due to the fact that many of the
applicants are railway employees and other transport workers, who, by reason of their being
called upon to work at night, must of necessity live within reasonable distance. This factor,
of course, applies to many other trades and may be considered to be one of the causes of
housing congestion in the Borough.
Una House, Prince of Wales Road, Kentish Town.
The Borough Council have approved a proposal for the provision of an additional floor,
which would provide for 16 additional flats, thus making a total of 80 flats at these dwellings.
The proposal has not yet been carried into effect, because of the negotiations that have been
taking place between the Council and the Ministry of Health, with a view to an agreement
being arrived at for a fixed annual grant to be paid in respect of the Council's Housing
Assisted Schemes, instead of the present annual payment of the actual deficiency in excess of
the produce of a penny rate. It will be remembered that Una House comes within the
category of "Assisted Housing" schemes, and, in the event of an agreement being arrived at,