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171
The total number of grants by the Council to owner-occupiers under the Act of
1923 (included in the figures given above) has amounted to 2,051, of which 50 were
made during the year.
Since the war, the Council itself, up to 31st December, 1929, has completed
37,109 houses and flats. The houses and flats completed during the year 1929
totalled 3,104. Altogether since the completion of the first dwellings in 1894, the
Council has provided 47,094 tenements and houses and three lodging-houses with
1,880 cubicles, The total estimated population of the Council's dwellings on 31st
December, 1929, was nearly 215,000 persons. These figures cover the whole of the
Council's housing operations for the period mentioned, including rehousing in connection
with schemes for the clearance of unhealthy areas and other public improvements.
The programme of work in hand is very considerable, comprising the erection
of about 20,000 additional houses under Part III. of the Housing Act, 1925, apart
from the rehousing required under slum clearance schemes.
The Minister of Health is empowered by the Housing, etc., Act, 1923 to make
State contributions towards the expenses incurred by local authorities in carrying
out improvement or reconstruction schemes under Part II. of the Housing Act, 1925,
such contributions being limited to one-half of the estimated average annual loss to
be incurred by the local authority in carrying out the scheme. A large programme
of slum clearance is being carried out by the Council with the aid of State contributions
on this basis. The schemes now in operation or decided upon by the Council
are 16 in number, and include 26 separate areas comprising 11T56 acres. The
displacement of 30,787 persons of the working classes is involved, and rehousing
accommodation for about an equivalent number has to be provided, of whom about
25,000 will be accommodated within the limits of the improvement areas.
This programme generally may be taken to be approximately half-way towards
completion.
On 23rd July, 1929, the Council decided to embark on a further programme
for the clearance and reconstruction of unhealthy areas in London covering about
95 acres and involving the rehousing of about 30,000 persons. Between 25 and 30
areas in various parts of the County have been selected, and the total estimated cost
of acquisition and clearance and the provision of necessary rehousing accommodation
is about £4,600,000. Each scheme will be considered by the Council on its merits,
and it is hoped that all the schemes in this further programme will be initiated during
the course of the next five years.
Realising the need for large numbers of persons to reside in reasonable proximity
to large centres of business and industry, the Council on 24th July, 1928, decided to
provide under Part III. of the Housing Act, 1925, a number of new block dwellings
in or near the central areas of London, quite distinct from rehousing operations, and
on 22nd January and 23rd July, 1929, approved capital estimates amounting
to £500,000 for the acquisition of sites for the purpose. These new dwellings will
be of a type superior to those provided by the Council for rehousing purposes, and the
tenants will be selected from applicants from the central areas of London who are
obliged to reside reasonably near to their places of employment. This new accommodation
will not be available for persons displaced from unhealthy areas, for whom
provision is specially made in connection with each clearance scheme.
On 19th November, 1929, the Council reviewed the question of the location of
sites to be acquired for housing purposes in or near the central areas, and decided
that the following should be the main considerations governing the selection of anv
such site:—
(i) The site shall be suitably situated so as to be reasonably accessible to
persons living and working in the central areas of London who are obliged to
reside in reasonable proximity to their place of employment and are therefore
unable to avail themselves of accommodation on outlying cottage estates.
Houses
erected by
the Council.
Clearance
schemes.
Dwellings in
or near the
centra! areas.