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65
SLUM CLEARANCE.
The following progress is reported:—
The four properties Nos. 13-16 Albert Road, Mottingham,
were demolished, having previously been declared as individually
unfit.
The five properties Nos. 1-5 Davidsons Cottages, High Street,
Footscray, were declared individually unfit houses, and were
demolished. The five families comprising 15 persons were
rehoused.
Dairy Cottage, Hawkwood, Chislehurst, was declared individually
unfit and a Demolition Order made.
The premises known as Forest Lodge, Halfway Street, Sidcup,
comprising five flats, together with a separate dwelling in the same
curtilage, were declared individually unfit and Demolition Orders
made. Three of the families concerned comprising twelve persons
had been rehoused by the end of the year.
IMPROVEMENT GRANTS
One hundred and two applications for Improvement Grants
were received, an increase of 21 on the previous year. Of these 56
were for Standard Grants, and the remainder for Discretionary
Grants.
92 of the applications were from owner/occupiers the others
being in respect of rented properties.
91 Improvement Schemes were approved at a cost of £10,900,
together with two Conversion Schemes costing £600.
The number of Grants actually made were 33 in the "Standard"
category and 24 "Discretionary".
The Government, in a White Paper has urged that full use
be made of these grants for the improvement of structurally sound
dwellings, lacking certain amenities now considered essential to
modern living. A pilot survey was therefore carried out by the
Department into 245 properties in the Sidcup Hill, Sidcup area.
Of these, 73 were found to need no further improvements, but the
remainder lacked some of the five standard amenities, 123 being
without a full hot water supply.
The information obtained enabled the Council to crystallise
its policy and to proceed with a vigorous scheme for improvement
at Sidcup Hill, and in other older parts of the area.