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HOUSING.
In last year's report it was stated that there were no areas
in the district which could be constituted into clearance or improvement
areas. There were a few individual houses which were
unfit for human habitation and these were represented as unfit.
Some of the houses were closed and demolished before the end of the
year, but in four instances, proceedings were still pending at the
end of the year. The owners of the property were reluctant to
eject the tenants and certain proposals were made which were not
acceptable to the Council.
During the year the Council erected 28 flats in seven blocks
of four flats each. 16 of the flats are in Perryn Road, and 12 at the
junction of Brassie Avenue and Old Oak Common Lane. The contract
for the erection of the flats was let to Messrs. F. G. Cressy,
Ltd., at £11,600. Each flat comprises a living room, two bedrooms,
scullery and a bath room. Electric light is provided throughout
and hot water is supplied from a. boiler behind the Eagle combination
grate in the living room.
It has been stated in previous annual reports that the contribution
of the Council to the erection of houses in the district can
have but a very small effect upon the housing problem. The development
of the district since the war has been in such a manner
that the demand for houses for the working classes will be greater
than the supply. The term 'working class' is here used in a
manner similar to that in which it is used in various Housing and
Town Planning Acts of Parliament. Not only houses of that character,
but there will always be a scarcity of all kinds of small houses
oiwng to the establishment of large industries in the district, and
in the adjoining districts. There will be competition for houses
by people who wish to live as near as possible to the factories in
which they are employed. Yet in spite of this fact, there is probably
less legal overcrowding in the district than has been the case
for a very long period.
The figures of the Census showed that in 10 years the population
of the South-West ward has decreased by 2671 inhabitants.