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St. Marylebone Housing Association and Trust.- The Council decided to co-operate, under the Housing
Acts, 1936-1949, with the St. Marylebone Housing Association and Trust in the development for
housing purposes of a site adjoining the existing Cochrane Street Estate. By this arrangement the
Council obtain the exchequer subsidy in respect of the flats and transfer it to the Association. The
Council also make a contribution from the general rate. It was agreed during the year to lend the
Association the sum of £37,000 under section 93 of the Housing Act, 1936, to enable development
to proceed.
Inspection of Dwelling-Houses.—The total number of houses and flats (separately assessed residential
units) in the Borough at the end of 1951 was 22,772. Details of inspections made and resultant action
are given in the following statement:—
Houses inspected for defects under the Public Health or Housing
Acts 2,721
Inspections made 7,914
Houses found not to be in all respects reasonably fit for human
habitation 946
Defective houses rendered fit in consequence of informal action 474
Houses in which defects were remedied by owners after service of
formal notices under the Public Health (London) Act, 1936 328
Underground Rooms.—Closing orders under section 12 of the Housing Act, 1936, were made in respect
of 13 rooms, and variations in the user of four rooms already subject to closing orders were approved
by the Public Health Committee. Three orders, involving five rooms, were determined. Two
undertakings from owners not to use or permit to be used three basement rooms for human habitation
were accepted by the Committee during the year.
The underground room problem, in the south-east area of the Borough particularly, has demanded
special consideration. With the prevailing high rents for business premises, the restrictions on factory
building and the willingness of foreign elements to occupy sub-standard accommodation, there is a
growing tendency to utilise underground rooms for commercial purposes. Some have been officially
closed for living purposes, others vacated though not covered by an order, and the remainder are
still occupied but unsatisfactory. This move to occupy basements as workrooms cannot be condemned
altogether as generally they make better workrooms than they do homes. There are, however,
drawbacks which affect the occupants of living accommodation above basements: among these are
smells from manufacturing processes, noise from machinery, the sharing of sanitary accommodation,
and the ever-open street door. On the other hand, these objections may be offset by certain advantages
to the residents: the basement rooms are kept in repair and no longer are they the playground for
stray animals, the dumping place for refuse or the source of discomforting draughts from windowless
and doorless rooms. Inspection of many of these basements indicates that inherent defects can be
sufficiently overcome and reasonable standards achieved to safeguard workers at a cost which need
not prove excessive. The main defects in these basements are concerned with ventilation, lighting
and dampness. Ventilation and lighting do not usually present great difficulties, and in the majority
of cases the question of dampness should not prove to be insuperable. After reviewing the situation
it is felt that the Council could be recommended to give favourable consideration to applications to
use basement rooms for business purposes, subject to the carrying out of essential works and involving,
where necessary, the determination or modification of closing orders.
Re-Housing.—During the year 598 enquiries were received from the Borough Council's Housing
Director, the London County Council and other local authorities, regarding the circumstances of
persons applying for re-housing. Nearly all requests necessitated investigation by a sanitary inspector
before the enquirer could be provided with a report to assist him in assessing the degree of priority
to be given to the various applicants. In 356 of these cases the application was supported by a medical
certificate. The use of the special form of certificate adopted in November, 1950, was continued.
These certificates are considered by the Medical Officer of Health personally, and the medical
practitioner is invited to give fuller and more precise information than he would ordinarily provide.
The detailed medical evidence made available in this way, along with environmental reports by the
sanitary inspectors, places the Medical Officer of Health in a better position to express an opinion on
the number of "points" to be awarded in these cases. Medical practitioners generally have taken full
advantage of the new arrangement, and their co-operation has been most helpful in this further
endeavour to improve methods of assessement as to need for re-housing.
Common Lodging Houses.—There are two lodging houses in the Borough: one for men, owned by
the Salvation Army and situated at No. 2, Burne Street and premises in Lisson Street; the other
for women, conducted by the Church Army at Portman House, No. 10, Daventry Street. The