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47
verminous condition as to warrant closing orders on that account.
But the facts must necessarily be faced.
Nothing effective can be done until houses have been erected to
accommodate the dishoused who perforce will have to vacate their
present premises while they are repaired or demolished. Indeed the
Council by resolution passed 23rd September, 1919, undertook to find
accommodation for the dishoused. It is doubtful whether this resolution
can be carried out in jts entirety. The Council have drafted a scheme
for the housing of the working classes. The scheme absorbs practically
all the available space in Tottenham that can properly be utilised for
housing, reasonable provision being allowed for open spaces. In
addition certain areas have been mapped out for remodelling under
Sect. 1, Housing of the Working Classes Act, 1890. When the scheme
is complete it is very certain that a sufficiency of houses will not even
then be available for the popu'ation of Tottenham so that there shall
be no overcrowding. The problem cannot be solved by mere local
house building. Rapid, cheap and ample means of transport must
necessarily play a conspicuous part in overcoming the great and growing
difficulty of finding space whereon to provide houses for the huge
population working in London and its environs.
Your Council have shown much diligence and enthusiasm in their
endeavour to overcome the housing difficulty, and by petition and interview
have sought to obtain the best possible conditions from the Ministry
of Health. It is open to question whether the Ministry have not been
overweighed by considerations of economy (so-called) and panic in their
housing policy. The hard and fast line they have adopted of allowing
ceilings in houses to be erected' to be of no greater height than 8 feel)
is open to criticism, and endeavours were made by your Council to
induce the Ministry to modify their views, to the extent at least of
permitting an 8-ft. 6-in. ceiling, but without avail.
Your Council have embodied in their housing plans the best features
of the plans of several other authorities, and have succeeded in obtaining
come minor concessions from the Ministry of Health, so that the houses
propo:ed to be built may be claimed to be as good as any and better
than many coming within the provisions of the Ministry of Health's
Regulations.
The areas upon which it is proposed to build include:—
Devonshire Hill Site 67 acres.
Coombes Croft House Site 3¼acres.