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need from the point of view of public health versus the long-term need in
relation to future planning and development—must therefore figure prominendy
in any future consideration of housing development in Leyton.
We find it difficult to conceive how a long-term re-development
programme can be put into operation with any degree of success unless
provision is made for re-housing the occupants of individual houses or groups
of houses which have either reached or are rapidly reaching a state of total
unfitness for habitation and may therefore require urgent demolition many
years before the completion of the scheme of re-development—perhaps
even before the scheme is due to be put into operation.
It is in the face of the anomalous situation outlined above that the
Public Health Committee is endeavouring to discharge the statutory functions,
under the Housing and Public Health Acts, delegated to it by the Council.
The bridging of the interval between the demolition of slum houses and the
provision of new dwellings, an essential part of any long-term re-development
programme, is an extremely complicated and difficult task which the Public
Health Committee has to undertake. It can be achieved only by the adoption
of resolute action and the full exercise of all available statutory powers.
By diverting to this sphere of housing activity but a small part of the
money and effort spent in providing new houses we could at least bring a
substantial measure of hope and comfort into the lives of many who have
little other hope of enjoying elementary hygienic amenities now regarded as
necessities, and the planning of areas for re-development should not be so
rigid as to cause bodily privation and mental distress to the many who must
continue to tolerate slum conditions and may never live to enjoy the fruits
of the labours of those who have been planning so long on their behalf.
POSTSCRIPT (2nd February, 1955).
With reference to the information contained in paragraph 7 of the above
Joint Report, attention is called to the subsequent consideration of this
matter by the Housing and Town Planning Committee at their meeting on
6th January, 1955 and to the following extract from the relevant Council
Minute.
MINUTE 2227—FUTURE HOUSING DEVELOPMENTREDEVELOPMENT
AREAS.
As a result of Part I of the Housing Repairs and Rents Act, 1954,
and the changed planning proposals in the vicinity of one of the areas
under consideration it had been found necessary further to consider the
boundaries of the proposed re-development areas concerned with a view
to including the maximum number of properties which, from a preliminary
survey carried out by the Chief Sanitary Inspector, had been
provisionally classified as unfit. The Borough Engineer and Surveyor
submitted sketch proposals for the revised areas under consideration
and stated that they contemplated further changes in certain planning
proposals.
Resolved: That the sketch proposals now submitted be
approved in principle.