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Arrangements were made during the year with the Hammersmith Metropolitan
Borough Council to wire the houses on the estate for electric lighting, free of
cost to the Council, the borough council's charges to be collected with the rents of
the houses and paid in bulk to the borough council, less 5 per cent, to cover the cost
of collection. The Council also accepted the offer of the Gas Light and Coke Company
to supply a gas installation for cooking and heating purposes (with a gas lighting
point in the kitchenette), subject to a payment by the Council of £1 a
tenement.
Western-avenue, one of the proposed arterial roads from London, crosses the
estate from east to west. On the transfer of the housing estate to the Council it was
decided to construct the road at once to the full width of 100 feet throughout. To
enable this to be done it was necessary to acquire at the eastern end of the road
a small portion of the White City grounds, and an arrangement was accordingly
entered into with the owners of the White City to obtain vacant possession of the
land required for the sum of £400. The work of constructing the portion of the road
through Wormholt estate is being carried out by the Hammersmith Metropolitan
Borough Council, the Council paying its appropriate share of the cost oi
the work.
St. Helier
estate.
A compulsory order for the acquisition of about 846 acres of land for St. Helier
estate, situated mainly in the parishes of Morden and Carshalton, was made by the
Council on 15th December, 1925, and confirmed by the Minister of Health, with slight
modifications, on 13th May, 1926. On 12th April, 1927, the Council decided to make
a compulsory order for the acquisition of a further 71½ acres of land in the urban
district of Carshalton for addition to the estate. After a local inquiry the Order was
confirmed by the Minister of Health, on 18th July, 1927. The Council on 22nd
November, 1927, approved a capital estimate of £5,000 for survey work, including the
sinking of trial borings, and other preliminary expenses in connection with the
development of the estate.
Preliminary lay-out plans for the development of the first section of the estate
are in course of preparation, and arrangements are in progress with the local
authorities concerned for the drainage of the estate. Arbitration proceedings in
respect of the purchase of a large part of the estate were pending at the
end of tli e vftiir
St. Quintinpark
site.
The Council, on 12th October, 1926, decided to appropriate for housing
purposes a site at St. Quintin-park, Kensington, originally acquired for purposes
of the education service. The site, which is about eight acres in extent, was sold
during the year to the Sutton Dwellings Trust for the erection of tenement dwellings
and cottages. The Council is thereby relieved of the heavy capital expenditure
which this very substantial addition to the provision of housing accommodation in
London involves. Application will probably be made in due course by the Trustees
for a grant from the Council under the Housing (Financial Provisions) Act, 1924.
Clearance
schemes.
Particulars are given below of the various schemes being carried out by the
Council for the clearance and reconstruction of unhealthy areas under Part I. or
Part II. of the Housing of the Working Classes Act, 1890, or Part II. of the Housing
Act, 1925.
Tabardstreet,
etc.,
scheme.
The Tabard-street, etc., scheme deals with the Tabard-street and Grotto-place
areas, Southwark, and the Crosby-row area, Bermondsey, comprising in all about
18| acres. The clearance of the three areas involves the displacement of 4,550 persons
of the working class, and the Council is required under the confirming Order, as
amended by the modification Order issued by the Minister of Health in July, 1926,
to provide rehousing accommodation for not fewer than 3,580 persons, of whom not
fewer than 2,580 are to be rehoused on the Tabard-street area. Accommodation
has been provided on the main portion of the Tabard-street area, known as Tabard
Garden estate, for 2,380 persons in seven blocks of dwellings and one cottage. Two