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73
A very disturbing feature in the Borough is the conversion of a room or
of rooms in dwelling houses into workshops or workplaces, in some cases the
whole dwelling house having been so converted. In view of the overcrowding
and of the shortage of housing accommodation this is becoming a very
serious matter and it is hoped that legislation will be forthcoming shortly
by which this practice can be brought to an end. At the end of the year there
were 85 dwelling-houses used entirely as workshops and 1,466 in which at
least one room was used for such purpose.
Workshops
in Dwelling
houses.
There is no question that workshops and dwelling-houses should be
entirely separate; Town Planning will ensure this separation in time to come.
Ideally there should be a zone for residential purposes and a zone for
industrial. Powers to acquire property for reconditioning and for conversion
should enable the Council to reconvert into dwelling-houses all converted
workshops in residential areas; then workshops to take their place can be
constructed in the appropriate neighbourhood.
During the year a survey was made of the 9,594 underground rooms in
the Borough.
Underground
rooms.
The following is the result of that survey:-
(a) Number which do not comply with the Regulations—
(1) Used for sleeping purposes 698
(2) Used for living purposes 5,461
(3) Empty or used as workshops, stores, etc. 2,260
(b) Number which do comply with the Regulations—
(1) Used for sleeping purposes 316
(2) Used for living purposes 838
(3) Empty or used as workshops, stores, etc. 21
The Regulations are those made by the Council pursuant to Section 18 (1)
of the Housing Act, 1925.
At the present time the Council are concerned with underground rooms
under the Housing Act only with a view to closing for sleeping purposes those
rooms which do not comply with the above Regulations. The Council have
no power to deal with any other underground rooms and must therefore limit
their attention to the above 698 rooms which, though not complying with the
Regulations, are used for sleeping purposes.
With regard to this closure for sleeping purposes, it will be realised that
unless the room is habitually used for sleeping the Council cannot deal with
it under the Housing Acts. This gives rise to difficulties because, if the