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134
The weekly net rents for the 168 houses on the second section have been fixed
as follows : Three rooms, scullery and bathroom, l1s. 6d. and 12s.; four rooms,
scullery and bathroom, non-parlour type, 12s. 6d. and 13s., parlour type, 13s. 6d.
The site of Dover House with adjacent land, comprising in all about 39½ acres,
was let during the year to Wm. Willett, Limited, on building lease, at a rent of £2,040
a year. The Company, having demolished the mansion and outbuildings, proposes
to erect one-story buildings known as the " Willett country flat." An elementary
school has been erected on the estate and a site of about 9 acres has been allocated
as a playing field in connection with the education service.
Becontree.
At Becontree 2,891 houses have been completed on a section known as the Ilford
(No. 1) section, comprising 440 acres. With the approval of the Minister of Health
another section, known as the Dagenham (No. 2) section in the south-eastern corner
of the estate, comprising 59 acres, is being developed by the erection of 1,002 houses,
the whole of the work being charged to the Assisted Scheme under the Act of 1919.
During the year 134 houses on this section were completed. The Minister has approved
the erection of 1,000 additional houses on the Dagenham section and 1,000 houses
on land adjacent to the Ilford (No. 1) section to rank for subsidy under the Housing,
etc., Act, 1923. These sections are known as the Dagenham (No. 3) and the Valence
(No. 4) sections, and work on the former was commenced towards the end of 1923.
Capital estimates amounting to £1,000,000 for the development of these two sections
were approved by the Council on 31st July and 13th November, 1923.
Rents on the Dagenham (No. 2) section have been based on those fixed for the
Ilford (No. 1) section. To meet the need for economy, the new houses are being
constructed of a modified type, with fewer amenities than those on the Ilford section,
and the rents are consequently lower. The weekly net rents subject to suitable
variations on account of position or other special amenities, are as follows : Houses—
Five rooms, scullery and bath, 12s. 6d. ; four rooms (parlour type), scullery and
bath, l1s. 6d.; four rooms (non-parlour type), scullery and bath, 10s. 6d.;
three rooms, scullery and bath, 9s. 6d.: Flats—Three rooms, scullery and bath
(first floor), 9s. ; three rooms, scullery and bath (ground floor), 8s. 6d. ; two
rooms, scullery and bath (first floor), 8s.; two rooms, scullery and bath (ground
floor), 7s. 6d.
On 19th June, 1923, the Council decided to enter into an agreement with the Gas
Light and Coke Company for the supply of gas for fighting, cooking and heating on
this section, the company laying the mains and service pipes, carcassing the houses
and providing all necessary fittings in consideration of a payment of £5 17s. 6d.
for each dwelling.
Ripple-road along the southern boundary of the estate, which is part of the main
arterial road to Southend, has been widened to 80 feet and the Council has
surrendered about 10½ acres of land for the purpose. During the year the Council
agreed to surrender some strips of land about 4 acres in extent and such rights
as it might possess in other strips comprising some 2½ acres for the widening of
Longbridge-road in the urban districts of Ilford and Barking Town, the local
authorities undertaking to bear any tenants' compensation and the cost of fencing.
As part of the arrangement the Council was permitted to incorporate in its building
sites some land lying between the line of the hedge bordering the original road and
the boundary line of the new road. Land measuring about 800 square yards has
also been surrendered on similar terms for the widening of Goodmayes-lane.
During 1923 the Council sold two sites for the erection of churches (Wesleyan
Methodist and Roman Catholic) and another site on the Ilford section to the Essex
County Council for an elementary school. Other sites have been let on building
leases for 99 years for the erection of shops and on 12th June, 1923, the Council
accepted the tender amounting to £3,300 of Hammond and Miles, Limited, for the
erection of five shops on the Ilford section. Arrangements are being made for the
erection of further shops for letting. A site of about 2½ acres on the Ilford section