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It was agreed that the scheme should be carried out within five years from the date of the Act
(31st July, 1919), or such longer period as the Minister might approve. The loss on this scheme as well
as on schemes undertaken by the metropolitan borough councils, so far as it exceeds a rate of Id. in
the £ ,will be borne by the National Exchequer.
Much preliminary work, including the acquisition of sites, had to be done before the Council
could proceed with the erection of houses, and, in the earlier stages of building, shortage of labour and
materials delayed progress. As the estates were large and mostly situated in outlying districts the initial
difficulties were greater than is generally the case in small local schemes, and more time was necessarily
taken before building operations could be commenced. By the end of 1920, however, 270 houses had
been completed and 1,500 others were in various stages of construction. About 3,500 men were then
engaged and the work of organisation was being rapidly developed.
In the early part of 1921, owing to the financial situation, the Government reviewed its financial
obligations and eventually restricted the State aid for the building of houses by local authorities and
public utility societies to those houses included in approved tenders on 14th July, 1921, and limited the
grant of subsidy to private builders to houses in respect of which commitments were entered into
before that date. So far as London was concerned the Minister of Health intimated in a letter dated
21st June, 1921, that the extent of the reduction was being considered and that, when it was decided,
the whole situation would be reviewed and the special needs of London borne in mind as far as possible.
He added that the new arrangement with the Council would supersede the original proposal for the
erection of a total of 29,000 dwellings. At the end of 1921 the Minister had agreed to the provision of
approximately 8,720 houses by the Council under the State-assisted scheme, excluding dwellings to be
provided under the Tabard-street and other clearance schemes. The Government proposes to
contribute a sum not exceeding £200,000 a year for the improvement of slum areas in England and Wales,
and part of this will be allotted for work in London. The figures mentioned cannot, however, be
regarded as final, as the Government intends to keep the problem under close review.
In 1921 substantial progress was made with building operations. During the year 948 houses
were completed, making a total at 31st December, 1921, of 1,220 houses erected since the war. The
number of houses in course of erection was 5,100, and 1,090 others had yet to be commenced under
contracts then in progress, in addition to the additional 1,000 houses in the south-eastern corner of Becontree
(see later). The number of men employed rose to as many as 10,900 in October, 1921, and at the
end of the vear this was still about 10,100. Details of work at the various estates are as follows:—
Old Oak
estate.
At the beginning ot 1921 three contracts were being executed lor the erection of 639 houses and
two shops on the remainder (32 acres) of the Old Oak estate, Hammersmith. On 23rd November,
1921, the Council accepted the tender of Messrs. Rowley Bros., amounting to £53,947 for the erection
of 83 additional houses. During the year 218 houses were completed and occupied.
In the development of the estate before the war the building frontages to Old OaK Common-lane
were kept back so as to enable the road to be widened later if necessary. The Hammersmith Metropolitan
Borough Council having decided to carry out the improvement of which the widening forms part, the
land required was added to the public way. On 19th January, 1921, the Council sanctioned expenditure
of £7,564 towards the cost of the making up and paving by the borough council of Ducane-road along
the southern boundary of the estate.
On 19th October, 1921, the Council accepted the tender of Messrs. T. W. Palmer and Co., amounting
to £1,035 10s. 4d., for the erection, by arrangement with the Army Council, of fencing along the boundary
between the estate and Wormwood Scrubs.
Norbury
estate.
The remainder (11 acres) of the Norbury estate, upon which roads and sewers were constructed
before the war, is being rapidly developed. Two tenders for the erection of 218 houses had already
been accepted and by the end of 1921, 200 of these had been finished and occupied. The houses (144)
included in the first instalment were similar in design, with some improvements, to those erected before
the war, but the remaining 74 were of an improved type with larger rooms. The initial rents for the
latter houses have been based on the rents charged for the former, with the addition of Is. a week
corresponding to the increase of 10 per cent, leviable on pre-war houses in July, 1921, under the
Increase of Rent, etc. (Restrictions) Act, 1920, and 3s. 6d. a week for larger floor space and improved
amenities. The scale of weekly net rents, excluding rates, fixed by the Council on 28th June, 1921,
with the approval of the Minister of Health is as follows:—
Type of house. Accommodation. Net rent.
s. d.
Class A Livng room, two bedrooms, scullery, and bathroom 14
Class B Living room, three bedrooms, scullery, and bathroom 15
Class C Parlour, living room, two bedrooms, scullery, and bathroom 16 6
Class D Parlour, living room, three bedrooms, scullery, and bathroom 17 -
White Hartlane
estate.
These rents are subject to reasonable variations by reason of position or other special amenities
and the gross rents are liable to fluctuation in accordance with variations in the rates payable.
During 1921 it was decided to carry out certain minor improvements to the pre-war houses,
subject to the rents being increased under the Increase of Rent, etc. (Restrictions) Act, 1920.
On 26th January and 2nd November, 1921, the Council sanctioned expenditure of £3,189 for the
making up and paving by the local authority of a section of Tylecroft-road and the whole of Isham-road.
About 56 acres of the White Hart-lane estate are being developed by the erection of 720 working
class houses under a contract with Messrs. Fred and T. Thorne on a cost plus participating profit basis.
Roads and sewers on the first section were constructed by John Mowlem and Co., Ltd., under a lump sum
contract amounting to £39,016. The execution of two inter-dependent contracts simultaneously caused