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amounting to £26,656, for the work, has been accepted, and the buildings are due to be
completed towards the end of 1929.
The central open space (about 1 acre) to be formed on the estate will be maintained
as an estate garden, but as an experiment it will be available for the first
12 months also for the use of the general public.
Arrangements were made during the year for the Bethnal Green Metropolitan
Borough Council to carry out at an approved schedule of charges the paving works
in connection with the diversion and widening to 40 feet of Merceron-street between
Pereira-street and Collingwood-street. A strip of land has also been surrendered
for addition to the public way to enable Collingwood-street between Bath-street
and Merceron-street to be widened to a width of 20 feet from the centre of the road,
and arrangements have been made for the Borough Council to carry out the
necessary paving works, free of cost to the Council.
Ware-street
scheme.
The scheme for dealing with the Ware-street area (Whitmore-estate), Hoxton
(8½ acres), which was confirmed by the Minister of Health in 1922, involves the
displacement of about 2,648 persons of the working classes, and the Council is required
to provide rehousing accommodation for that number, of whom not fewer than 2,160
are to be accommodated within the area. Up to the end of 1927, rehousing
accommodation for 1,144 persons had been provided on the area and elsewhere.
During 1928 three blocks of dwellings (part of Stringer Houses and Fletcher
House), comprising 66 tenements (48 of the simplified type and 18 of the normal
type) with accommodation for 328 persons, were completed. On 24th July, 1928,
the Council approved a capital estimate of £11,830 for the erection of a further
block of dwellings (part of Stringer Houses), comprising 32 tenements of the simplified
type with accommodation for 144 persons. The building work, which is due to
be completed in October, 1929, is being carried out by Rowley Brothers
Limited, as an extension of their contract and supplemental agreement for the
erection of the three Horner Houses completed in 1927, and the three further blocks
completed in 1928.
During the year two licensed premises on the area were acquired by the Council
as de-licensed nremises.
Hickman's-
folly
scheme.
Another unhealthy area which is being cleared by the Council is the Hickman'sfolly
area, Bermondsey (6 acres), to be known after reconstruction as Dickens
estate. About 1,660 persons of the working classes will be displaced, and under the
scheme, as confirmed by the Minister of Health in 1923, accommodation has to be
provided for this number of persons, of whom not fewer than 1,000 are to be accommodated
within the area. Accommodation for 494 persons has already been provided
on the area in Pickwick House (302 persons) and Oliver House (192 persons). On
22nd May, 1928, the Council approved a capital estimate for the erection of a further
block of dwellings (Dombey House) of the normal type, comprising 28 tenements,
with accommodation for 152 persons. The tender of Rowley Brothers, Limited,
amounting to £12,683, for the work has been accepted and the building is due to
be completed in May, 1929.
A site was sold during the year for the reinstatement of certain existing club
premises on the area reauired for demolition.
Bell-lane and
Ellen-street
scheme.
The Bell-lane and Ellen-street scheme, which was confirmed by the Minister
of Health towards the end of 1923, provides for the clearance and reconstruction
of two areas known as the Bell-lane area, Spitalfields (4 acres), and the Ellen-street
area, St. George-in-the-East (1½ acres). Dwellings have to be provided for the
accommodation of 1,705 persons of the working classes, of whom not fewer than 600
are to be accommodated within the Bell-lane area, and the remainder elsewhere.
The name Holland-estate has been selected for the Bell-lane area when reconstructed.
Accommodation for 364 persons has already been provided on the area in Carter
House (204 persons), and Bernard House (160 persons).