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of dwellings (563 rooms) have been erected on part of the cleared site (Collingwoodestate),
and at the end of the year two further five-storey blocks of dwellings (Blackwood
House and Harvey House), comprising in all 50 tenements of the normal type,
with 161 rooms, and 4 lock-up shops on the ground floor of Harvey House, were
almost completed. Arrangements were also well forward for the erection of a further
block, to be known as Rutherford House (117 rooms). The central portion of the
estate will be laid out as an open space of about 1½ acres.
On 18th June, 1929, the Council decided to acquire by agreement two adjoining
old houses in Brady-street, for the purpose of adding to and improving the area.
A lock-up shop provided by the Council was during the year let on lease for 21 years
to a medical Practitioner displaced in connection with the clearance of the area.
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. Up to the end of 1928
rehousing accommodation had been provided on the area in 8 blocks of dwellings
containing 215 tenements (547 rooms); during 1929 a further block of dwellings
(part of Stringer Houses), four storeys high, comprising 32 tenements of the simplified
type with 72 rooms, was completed.
On 29th January, 1929, the Council approved an estimate of £3,447, for the
construction of the foundations for a further block of dwellings (Crossbow House),
comprising 54 tenements (164 rooms), and the work was carried out during the year
by Henry Boot and Sons, Limited. An estimate of £63,000 was approved on
30th July, 1929, for the erection of Crossbow House together with Longbow House
(55 tenements with 167 rooms) and certain road and sewer works and the cost of
the foundations of Crossbow House was included in this figure. Both of the blocks
will be of the normal type, five storeys in height. The building work was entrusted
to Rowley Brothers (1929), Limited, and at the end of the year considerable progress
had been made with the erection of Crossbow House. Preliminary plans were also
being prepared for the erection of two further blocks.
A small portion of Mill-row which has been closed and incorporated in the
estate has been appropriated for education purposes in connection with the enlargement
of the playground of the Canal-road L.C.C. school. The education account
will be debited with £400 in respect of the value of the land, and the cost of the
new boundary wall, estimated at £320, is to be charged in equal proportions to the
housing and education accounts.
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. The scheme, which involves the displacement of about 1,660 persons of
the working classes was confirmed by the Minister of Health in 1923. Up to the
end of 1928 accommodation had been provided on the area in two blocks of dwellings
containing 86 tenements (247 rooms). During 1929 a further block of dwellings
(Dombey House) four storeys high, of the normal type, comprising 28 tenements,
with 76 rooms, was completed. At the end of the year preparatory work in connection
with four further blocks of dwellings on the area was in hand.
During the year a small strip of land forming part of the area was sold to the
Bermondsey Metropolitan Borough Council for £100 for the purpose of widening
and improving a portion of Jacob-street, and an area of about 6,850 square feet,
surplus to the requirements of the scheme, was sold to the Borough Council for £1,500
for the erection of public baths and washhouses.
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) and involves the displacement of 1,705
persons of the working classes. The name Holland estate has been selected for the