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Proceedings by the County Council under Part I. of the Act.
Garden-row (St. Luke) scheme.—On the 23rd April the Housing of the Working Classes Committee
reported the completion of Chadworth-buildings, providing accommodation for 720 persons
in 9 tenements of four rooms, 67 of three rooms', 58 of two rooms, one cottage of four rooms, one
cottage of three rooms, and 19 shops. The clearance of the areas comprised in the scheme involved
the displacement of 1,193 persons of the working class, and re-housing accommodation has been
made for 1,216 persons.
Webber-row (Southwark) scheme.—On the same day the Committee reported the completion of
Mawdeley-buildings, the last block on this estate. In addition to 10 shops fronting on Waterloo-road,
with store rooms on the ground floor, the buildings contain accommodation for 210 persons in 20
tenements of three rooms, 16 of two rooms, 4 of one room, and 18 cubicles. Accommodation has
thus been provided on the estate for 1,130 persons, the clearance of the areas included in the scheme
involving the displacement of 997 persons of the working class.
Warner-street (Holborn) area.—Account of this area was given in the last annual report, On
the 23rd April, 1907, the Housing of the Working Classes Committee further reported on the area
as follows :—
On 3rd July, 1906 (p. 86), we reported that a local inquiry had been held by the Local Government Board
with reference to the official representation made by the medical officer of health of the Metropolitan Borough of
Holborn in relation to the Warner-street (or Italian colony) area in the borough.- At the inquiry the Chandos Land
and Building Society, which owns the freehold of the greater portion of the property comprised in the area, gave
an undertaking to demolish many of the houses standing in the courts, and to carry out any other reasonable suggestions
with a view to minimising or removing the more objectionable features then existing, and as other owners
agreed to observe any suggestions affecting their particular properties, the inquiry was adjourned. The owners of
the property subsequently arrived at a complete agreement with the Council's medical officer and the medical officer
of health of Holborn, and steps were immediately taken to clear the courts and to discontinue the use of the underground
rooms as living rooms. The owners having done all that was promised, to the satisfaction of the borough
council, the inspectors did not consider it necessary to hold the adjourned inquiry on 15th April, 1907, and there
is no need for the preparation of a clearance scheme under the Housing of the Working Classes Act, 1890.
This was a case in which the Council did not feel justified in incurring the heavy expenditure which would be
involved in dealing with the area by way of a scheme as prescribed by the Act, as it was probable that in the near
future the property in the area would be redeveloped by the freeholders. The Council may therefore regard the
result of the inquiry with satisfaction, a considerable improvement in the sanitary conditions of the property
having been effected without expending the large amount of public money which would have been necessary if the
Council had been compelled to deal with the area under the provisions of Part I. of the Housing of the Working
Classes Act, 1890.
Proceedings by the County Council under Part III. of the Act.
Norbury estate.—On the 19th February the Committee reported the completion of 59 cottages
on section A of the Norbury estate, and the Council accepted a tender of £12,794 for the erection
of 52 cottages on the first part of section B of the estate.
Totter down-fields estate.—On the 26 th February the Committee reported the completion of 157
additional cottages on section B of the Totterdown-fields estate, constituting the completion of the
development of section B. on which there have been provided 429 cottages and 2 shops, the accommodation
being sufficient for 5,376 persons in 726 tenements. On the 16th July the Council accepted a
tender of £5,800 for the erection of 19 cottages on the first part of section C, and on the 12th
November a tender of £14,648 for the erection of 67 cottages on the second part of section C of this
estate.
White Hart-lane estate.—On the 14th May the Council accepted a tender of £22,200 for the
erection of 103 cottages on the second part of section B of this estate.
Proceedings by District Councils under Part II. of the Act.
Brantome-place and Prospect-terrace (St. Pancras) scheme.—On the 8th February the County
Council approved revised plans for a block of dwellings to be erected by the borough council in the
Brantome-place area, the building to be six storeys in height and to provide accommodation for 432
persons in 36 tenements of two rooms, and 48 tenements of three rooms, with a lodge, and with a storeroom,
workshop, and a drying-room in the basement. In June the borough council obtained sanction
for an amended scheme for the erection in the Prospect-terrace area buildings for the accommodation
of 356 persons in 36 tenements of three rooms, and 34 tenements of two rooms, with lodge and 12
baths and drying room.
Proceedings by District Councils under Part III. of the Act.
The medical officer of health of Chelsea records the gift by Lord Cadogan of a plot of land of an
area of nearly half an acre, situated on the south side of Grove-cottages. The borough council had
under consideration plans for the erection of working-class dwellings on the site.
In connection with unhealthy areas, Dr. Alexander reports that the houses in the Gandy-court
area, Poplar, 12 in number, which he had represented under Part I. of the Act, had been greatly
improved. Dr. McCleary reports that the houses in the Kilburn-vale area in Hampstead, which had
been represented by his predecessor under Part I. of the Act, had been substantially improved. Dr.
Bate reports that the houses in the Brady-street area in Bethnal Green, which he had represented
under Part I. of the Act, remained in the same condition, and that no real improvement is possible
without a comprehensive scheme for the clearing and reconstruction of the whole area. Dr. Annis
reports the completion of the works for the improvement of the Greenwich market and the approaches
thereto.