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149
light at the cost of the Council. The cost of installation to be borne by the Council
is estimated not to exceed £7,178, the capital charges in respect of which will be
£377 per annum for 60 years. It is estimated that a charge of 7.7d. per unit will
cover this amount, together with the cost of distribution and maintenance as well
as the cost of supply of energy in bulk. The Wandsworth, Wimbledon and Epsom
District Gas Company has agreed to inst.al a gas supply, with a cooking stove, in
each tenement free of cost to the Council, provided the company is free to fix two
gas points, which may be used by the tenant, if desired, for lighting purposes, the
gas to be supplied to the tenements through automatic meters at the current rate
for the district.
On 8th October, 1924, the Council agreed to guarantee to the Metropolitan
Water Board annual payments for a period, by way of rates or by special payments,
10 per cent, of the cost of laying a water main to supply the estate.
On 16th December, 1924, the Council decided for the purpose of providing
additional means of access, to acquire for £400 certain property known as St. Peter's
Cottage with a yard and workshops adjoining the estate.
r1 or the purpose of carrying out the programme of housing work contemplated
by the Housing (Financial Provisions) Act, 1924, so far as the needs of London
were concerned, it was necessary for the Council to acquire additional land for
the erection of houses. The Council was already in possession of housing sites
in all the suburban areas with the exception of the north-west district, and the
possibility of acquiring sites in that district was therefore investigated. The
amalgamation of the Midland and North Western lines into the London, Midland
and Scottish Railway would doubtless result in the re-arrangement of the traffic
facilities to the territories in the north-west, and it appeared to the Council that
the construction of the Edgware extension of the Hampstead and Golder's Green
tube railway, coupled with inter-communications towards the centre, would make
practicable housing operations in that direction.
Sites at
Hendon.
The attention of the Council was directed to certain sites in the neighbourhood
of Edgware-road in the Hendon urban and Hendon rural districts, and in the urban
district of Kingsbury which it was thought would be suitable for housing purposes.
No difficulties were anticipated in the lay-out and draining of the sites and the
travelling facilities were good. The Council, therefore, on 22nd July, 1924, made
an Order for the compulsory acquisition of the lands, comprising altogether about
450 acres, and approved an estimate of £300,000 in respect of the purchase and
partial development of the sites. The Order was duly submitted to the Minister
of Health for confirmation, and a local inquiry into the application was held on
11th—12th December, 1924.
The Council in 1920 decided to purchase a site at Castelnau, Barnes, for housing
purposes. Owing, however, to the curtailment of the housing programme at the
instance of the Government in 1921, it was decided that for the time being no
further action should be taken to acquire the property, and the matter remained
in abeyance. Further consideration was given to the proposal in 1924, and the
Council decided to purchase the land with a view to its early development. The
Council, on 29th July, 1924, accordingly made the necessary Order for the compulsory
acquisition of about 54¼ acres. The Order was submitted in due course
to the Minister of Health for confirmation and a local inquiry into the application
was held on 25th-26th November, 1924.
Site ab
Castelrau.
The Tabard-street and Grotto-place, Southwark, and Crosby-row, Bermondsey,
scheme relates to areas of about 17 acres, comprising 875 houses with a
population of 4,593. Rehousing accommodation has to be provided on the Tabardstreet
area for not fewer than 2,580 persons. The reconstructed area is known as
the Tabard Garden estate. Chaucer, Becket, Geoffrey, Harbledown, Rochester
and Huberd Houses with accommodation for 2,124 persons were completed between
1916 and 1923. On 16th January, 1924, the Council accepted the tender of Allen
Tabardstreet.
etc.,
scheme.