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The effect of the altered definition of "house let in lodgings" and the qualification to that
definition added by the Minister is that approximately five hundred houses will have to be
removed from the Council's Register of houses let in lodgings. This estimate is a rough one,
for it is impossible to give accurate figures until all houses registered have been visited.
REGISTER OF HOUSES LET IN LODGINGS.
Registration of houses let in lodgings commenced in this Borough in 1886. When the Counciladopted
their present housing policy in 1923, the number of houses on the Register was 2,169,
and by the end of 1927 this number had increased to 3,608.
In March, 1926, the Public Health Committee decided that housing records should be kept on
the card index system; blue cards were introduced for houses let in lodgings and white cards for
other houses. This system has effected a great improvement in the work of the Public Health
Department and it is now possible for the Committee to learn at a moment's notice full details as
to the size of rooms, ventilation, water-supply, drainage, and all the material points in regard to
several thousand houses which have been inspected in a routine manner in recent years. The work
will continue until there is a card in respect of every house in Kensington and the Council will then
be in possession of extremely valuable housing records.
The work of registration was practically completed during 1926, and in 1927 the Council's
temporary inspectors were engaged in a routine inspection of all registered houses with a view to
bringing the information up to date. In this way, 1,238 houses were carefully inspected by the
temporary inspectors in 1927; cards were made out and the necessary notices served in respect of
defects found. One hundred and seventy-five houses were removed from the Register, as their
occupation was such as to render them no longer registerable; and thirteen houses were added to
the Register.
ACCOMMODATION PROVIDED BY COUNCIL.
The Council are the owners of 120 houses and flats which they built prior to the War in Kenley
Street, Hesketh Place and Runcorn Place, abutting upon Avondale Park.
The new housing accommodation provided by the Council since the termination of the War is
as follows: —
Cottages 54
Flats and tenements 263
Flats and maisonettes provided by conversion of large houses 102
419
The approximate expenditure incurred in connection with the provision of the 419 flats, tenements
and cottages has been as follows: —
Acquisition and conversion of houses in Powis Square, Colville Terrace,
Elgin Crescent, Ladbroke Grove, Bassett Road and Adair Road,
into 102 flats and maisonettes 84,371
Avondale Park Gardens and Mary Place Scheme—
Provision of 32 cottages, including cost of site and road and sewer
works 42,060
St. Quintin Estate Scheme—
Cost of land, fencing, &c 14,447
Construction of roads and sewers 15,205
Buildings 125,133
Threshers Place Scheme—
14 flats (estimated) 9,300
St. James's Place Scheme—
38 flats (estimated) 20,000
No. 33, Sirdar Road—
4 tenements 666
Nos. 54 and 56, Sirdar Road—
12 tenements 6,463
Nos. 34 and 36, Bosworth Road—
12 tenements 6,031
£323,676
In addition to the above the Council have recently purchased the properties known as Windsor
House, Kenley Street, and Nos. 22-30, Sirdar Road, which were in an unsatisfactory condition;
and plans have been approved for the demolition of the buildings and for the erection of an Infant
Welfare Centre and five flats on the site. The cost of the new buildings will be upwards of £5,000.
Some years ago the Council acquired, under the provisions of the Housing Acts, the freehold
interest in a number of premises in Hesketh Place, Notting Dale, and they have recently decided
to take steps to obtain the surrender of the leases of the premises.