London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
View report page
Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Chislehurst 1960
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Chislehurst]
This page requires JavaScript
59
SLUM CLEARANCE.
Two houses in the Clearance Area comprising 1-12 School
Cottages, declared in 1958, have been vacated. Houses suitable for
the elderly persons residing in most of these properties are being
constructed, and it is hoped that they will be rehoused in 1961.
A Clearance Order comprising Nos. 3-18 Garden Place, and
19-23 Garden Cottages, Footscray, was confirmed during the year.
This area consisting of 21 old houses, most of them of wood frame
construction, constitutes the most extensive slum clearance scheme
undertaken in the district. They lie within the Footscray Redevelopment
Area. They are adjacent to No. 5 Cray Road. Footscray,
and three flats above Nos. 7 and 9 Cray Road, Footscray.
The Demolition Order made on No. 5 Cray Road in 1959, was
carried into effect during the year and the families occupying two
of the flats at Nos. 7 and 9 Cray Road, on which Closing Order
was made in 1959, were rehoused. The third occupant died before
he could be accommodated.
A survey was in progress in 1960 to ascertain whether any
further houses in the district have deteriorated to such an extent that
they fall within the Closing or Demolition sections of the Housing
Act.
During the year, 96 applications were received for Improvement Grants of which 82 were made.
Details are as follow:—
| Discretionary Grants | Standard Grants | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Total applications received | 60 | 36 |
| 2. | Schemes approved | 33 | 29 |
| 3. | Amount involved in item 2 | £7,936 | Not yet known |
| 4. | Grants made | 54 | 28 |
| 5. | Houses involved: | ||
| (a) owner occupied | 51 | 26 | |
| (b) rented | 3 | 2 | |
The majority of Discretionary Grant applications are in respect
of the provisions of a bathroom, internal W.C. and hot water supply.
Two applications were for provision of additional accommodation
and one for the elimination of rising dampness.
So far as Standard Grants were concerned, applications covered
17 bathrooms, 21 wash hand basins, 4 W.C.'s, 24 hot water supplies
and 11 food stores.