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186
Annual Report of the London County Council, 1911
permit of the erection of dwellings for any other than the working classes on land which the Council holds
under Part III. of the Act of 1890, and the Council decided, therefore, to promote legislation in the
session of Parliament of 1912 to enable it to develop any part of the estate on the lines of a garden
suburb, and not solely for the accommodation of the working classes, and further to authorise the leasing
of separate plots of land on the estate for the erection of better-class houses on the condition that
the plans of the houses to be erected should be subject to the approval of the Council.
The development of the other portion of the estate was proceeded with during the year. Roads
and sewers have been constructed on a part of the estate adjoining Lordship-lane, sufficient
to enable about 48¾ acres to be developed. Cottages have been erected on about 29 acres, and
31/3 acres have been laid out as an estate garden. About 28 acres have been laid out as allotments
for the benefit of the tenants of the cottages. On sections A and B (101 acres), 304 cottages, containing
accommodation for 2,454 persons, have been erected.
Preliminary arrangements have been made for the provision of a row of 14 shops along the
frontage to Lordship-lane, between Waltheof-avenue and Kevelioc-road ; but it is proposed in the
first instance to erect five shops only at the end of the plot next Waltheof-avenue. If this experiment
proves successful no time will be lost in arranging for the erection of the remaining nine shops to
complete the block.
Administrative buildings are about to be erected on the estate, and it is proposed to provide
in connection therewith a small meeting hall for the convenience of the tenants. There is at present
no public building in the immediate vicinity which the inhabitants can hire on reasonable terms,
and the Council feels that in an estate of this size, occupying a somewhat isolated position, some
provision should be made to afford the tenants an opportunity of enjoying the ordinary social
amenities of suburban life.
Lord
Swaythling's
gift.
In 1903 the late Lord Swaythlling (then Sir Samuel Montagu, Bt.), gave to the Council £10,000
to be applied towards the development of about 25 acres of the White Hart-lane estate. After taking
into account the interest which had accrued, the gift amounted to £11,970 10s. 2d. on 31st March, 1912,
up to which date a sum of £9,788 3s. 8d. had been applied to the purposes of the gift. The portion
of the estate to which the gift has been allocated is known as the Tower-gardens section. The construction
of roads and sewers on the whole of this section has been completed and most
of the roads have been finished and the footways paved, the remainder of the work being
carried out as the cottages are completed. About 31/3 acres have, by arrangement with the donor,
been laid out as an estate garden, the cost being defrayed out of the gift. On 31st December, 1911,
410 cottages, capable of accommodating 3,276 persons, had been completed on this section, and
others were in course of erection.
Totterdown
Fields estate
The development of the Totterdown-fields estate, Tooting (38¾ acres) has now been completed,
with the exception of a small amount of work of finishing certain roads. The total number of cottages
erected on the estate is 1,229, in addition to four shops, providing accommodation for 8,788 persons.
Particulars of the cottages and the rents charged are given in Appendix XIX. The capital expenditure
upon the estate has been as follows:—Land, £44,934; fencing, £638; roads, sewers and development,
£33,119; buildings, £315,756; estimated outstanding liabilities, £1,484; total, £395,931. The
annual gross rent receivable is £29,341, and the actual surplus for 1911-12 as shown in the accounts
is £843
Norbury
estate.
Further progress has been made with the development of the Norbury estate, Croydon (28½
acres). Roads and sewers have been constructed on about 16½ acres of the estate, and the cottages
already built cover about 15 acres. The work of finishing the roads on this estate is being carried out
by the Croydon Corporation. Up to 31st December, 1911, accommodation for 3,207 persons had
been provided in 430 cottages. Further cottages are in course of erection on the portion of the estate
on which roads have been formed, and plans for the development of the remainder of the estate are
in course of preparation.
Old Oak
estate.
The Old Oak estate, Hammersmith, was purchased by the Council in 1905, and then comprised
about 54¼ acres, but about 8 acres have been acquired by the Great Western Railway Company
for the construction of a branch line. A scheme for the development of the western section of the
estate, comprising about 14 acres, has been approved by the Council. The scheme provides for
the erection of 333 cottages and cottage flats, and 5 shops. Roads and sewers have been constructed
on the western section, and Ducane-road has been widened to 50 feet in front of Wormwoodscrubs
prison and extended along the southern boundary of the estate to Old Oak Common-lane.
The total estimated cost of the work, including incidental expenses is £8,671. During the year contracts
were let for the erection of 121 cottages, 26 cottage flats and 5 shops, the total of the contract
sums, added to the cost of articles to be bought direct and other incidental expenses, being estimated
at £30,860. Plans of additional cottages for erection on the western section were in course of
preparation at the end of the year. The irregular boundary where the estate adjoins
Wormwood-scrubs has been adjusted by a mutual exchange of land, and a 40-feet road
will be constructed along the new boundary line, half the land required for the purpose being taken
from the open space and half from the housing estate. A temporary school is about to be
erected on the estate and the question of allocating a site for the provision of permanent school
accommodation is under consideration. Two additions to the estate were made during the year.
Five cottages, some stabling and vacant land of a total area of about half an acre, situated in Old
Oak Common-lane, adjoining the estate, were purchased by the Council for the sum of £700, with
the object of facilitating the development of the estate, and the widening of Old Oak Common-lane.
The Council also acquired about an acre and a quarter of vacant land abutting on the housing estate