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58
At a special meeting of the Council on September 30th, a report of the
Housing and Town Planning Committee, dated 24th September, was considered,
and the report of the Engineer on the development of the Hyde Estate,
belonging to the Ecclesiastical Commissioners. The Committee disapproved
of the proposal of the Tottenham Council to co-operate in developing land on
our southern boundary, around Waggon Lane, Tottenham. The area is six
acres, and will accommodate 72 houses, half in each district. On the other
hand, the Committee recommended the consideration of the Engineer's report
on the Hyde Estate. It was reported that, exercising their powers under the
new Housing and Town Planning Act, the City of London Corporation had
evolved a scheme for building outside their own area, viz, accommodation
for 10,000 people at Chingford, Essex, due east of Edmonton on the other side
of the River Lea; also that the new Housing Act had limited the expenditure
of the Local Sanitary Authorities in housing schemes to a penny rate, all costs
above that to be borne by the taxpayers at large.
In his report of September 24th to the Committee, Mr. Brown advised
negotiations with the Ecclesiastical Commissioners about the Hyde Estate,
where some roads with kerbs had been made years ago, and sewers and gas mains
laid down therein. £70,684 for 172 acres was the price asked. He estimated
that after the proceeds had been received from Edmonton—a penny rate at £950
for 80 years—a balance of £59,971 per annum would be paid by the general
taxpayer. Mr. Brown stated that the London Housing Commissioner viewed
his scheme with favour, and declared that the Treasury and Public Works
Commissioners would assist in raising the money, and that the Board of Education
might materially assist in providing two new public elementary schools.
The report of the Committee was adopted, including the Hyde Estate scheme
of our Engineer, and it was ordered that the Government District Valuer be
asked to co-operate, and that other necessary steps be taken.
Hyde Estate.—On the 5th November a Special Council Meeting was
held to discuss a report of the Housing and Town Planning Committee, dated
31st October. To the Committee the Engineer reported that the Government
Valuer had fixed the value of the 172 acres of the Hyde Estate as £63,839; that
the Ecclesiastical Commissioners had now offered 170 acres for £60,000, subject
to corn rent of £17 per annum and to settling with various tenants, each side
to pay its own costs; that the post-war cost of roads and sewers already made
was £41,000, leaving £19,000 for the land itself, which amounts to £111 per
acre; assuming 2,046 houses at 12 to the acre, the site cost works out at £9
per house; that the Ministry of Health objected to the Council's own Architect
(Mr. H. W. Dobb) being engaged on the scheme, and thereupon Messrs. Niven
and Wigglesworth had taken up the position of Architects to the scheme and
prepared a lay-out, and that preliminary sketches had been submitted to
Mr. Unwin, Chief Architect of the Government's Housing Board. The Committee
adopted this report of the Engineer. At this meeting I submitted to