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58
"Lane, and Princes Street, and comprises some of the most wretched
"houses in the Metropolis, in which the inhabitants are closely
"packed. At the North end of the block are some important business
"premises, which will not be taken for the proposed scheme. South
"of these it will be necessary to clear away all the property up to and
"including the North side of Princes Street, excepting a large pawn"broker's
shop, and one or two other houses in Drury Lane. It will
"be requisite to erect buildings of six stories, in order to provide
"proper accommodation for the numbers to be displaced. Your Com"mittee
recommend that Princes Street be widened to 30 feet; that
"the projecting block of buildings at the junction of Princes Street
"and Great Wild Street be removed, and that the latter street be of
"a width of not less than 40 feet. The net cost of this scheme is
"estimated at £49,540."
The scheme of the Metropolitan Board of Works for the improvement
of the locality did not embrace all that I recommended for its
adoption.
The Secretary of State for the Home Department ordered a public
local inquiry to be held by Mr. D. Cubitt Nichols, at the offices, 199,
High Holborn, for the purpose of ascertaining the correctness of my
official representation made to the Metropolitan Board of Works, as to
the area and the sufficiency of the scheme provided for its improvement,
and to any local objections to such scheme.
Mr. Nichols afterwards reported favourably of the scheme, subject to
certain qualifications, which the Secretary of State has sanctioned, and
a Bill in Parliament is now in progress to confirm it.

No scheme has yet been made, as the representation is still under
consideration by the Metropolitan Board.