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198
At the end of the year about 3,225 houses had been completed, and over 2.624
houses were in course of construction. The houses already built include No. 165,
Downham-way, the 17,000th dwelling provided by the Council since the war. This
house was opened by Her Majesty the Queen on the occasion of a visit of Their
Majesties the King and Queen to Downham, on 19th February, 1927. A tablet
commemorating the event has been affixed to the house.
The Council, on 22nd November, 1927, decided, after offers had been invited
by public advertisement, to let on building lease (subject to a ground rent and the
payment of a premium), for 99 years, to Barclay, Perkins and Company, Limited,
a site at Downham for the erection of a licensed refreshment house, on the special
lines of those proposed at Becontree (see p. 196).
During the year a site on the estate was sold to the Roman Catholic Church
authorities for the erection of a church and elementary schools, and another site
was sold to the Wesleyan Methodist Church authorities for the erection of a church.
Sites were let on building lease for the erection of shop premises, and a house was
also let for use as a school medical treatment centre.
Roehamptor
estate.
Roehampton estate, Wandsworth, was acquired in 1919, and the development
of the area of about 93 acres allocated for the erection of 1,212 working-class
dwellings was completed during the year. The remainder of the estate has been leased
for the erection of houses of a higher value.
White Hartlane
estate.
Part of White Hart-lane estate, Tottenham, was developed before the war,
and since the war 1,237 houses and flats and 11 shops have been erected by the
Council. The development of the estate has now been completed with the exception
of one small plot of land. During the year the last remaining shop site was let on
a building lease for 99 years.
Watling
estate.
The development of Watling estate (390 acres), un the east side ot luigware
road, Hendon, which is being carried out by C. J. Wills and Sons, Limited, under
a cost contract with a variable fee to the contractor, was commenced early in 1926.
By 31st December, 1927, there were 1,373 houses and flats completed and occupied,
and 1,194 others were in various stages of construction. The estate, when finished, will
comprise 4,018 houses and flats. About 75 acres of land on the west side of Edgwareroad
have been acquired by the Council, but no definite decision has yet been arrived
at with regard to its use or development.
During the year the Council sold three sites on the estate for the erection of
churches, one to the Plymouth Brethren, another to the Wesleyan Methodist Church
authorities, and the third to the Westminster Diocesan Trustees. Other sites were
let on building lease for 99 years for the erection of shops or business premises, and
a site was let on lease for 99 years to the Hendon Electric Supply Company, Limited,
for the erection of a transformer station for the supply of electricity to shop premises on
the estate. A site in Watling-avenue was also let on lease for 99 years to a doctor for
the erection of a residence and surgery, and a house was sold to the Hendon Urban
District Council for the use of the schoolkeeper of the elementary school to be
erected on an adjoining site sold to the district council for the purpose.
During the year the Council entered into an arrangement with the Hendon
Urban District Council for the Council to collect the rates with the rents of houses at
Watling estate, subject to an allowance to the Council of 21 per cent, of the amount
of rates so collected.
The lay-out plan has been designed to allow of the retention of most of the
trees, and some of the finest of these are situated on land which will become the
central open space of about 12 acres. A careful examination of all the trees was undertaken
during the year and expenditure, not exceeding £300, was sanctioned for the
work of preserving as many trees as possible, including necessary lopping and
trimming.
In connection with the proposal of the Middlesex County Council to widen certain