Resettlement_Department_Annual_Report_1971-1972 — Page 30

59. To relieve overcrowding, a 'decantation' programme aimed at thinning out the population in the older estates was introduced in 1965. An annual quota in the new estates is reserved for overcrowded families from old estates who apply under an external transfer system for larger accommodation in the new estates. In turn, rooms vacated by these families are offered under an internal transfer system to overcrowded families remaining in the same estate. During the year, a total of 5,300 persons in 683 familics were transferred to accommodation in new developing estates and 10,140 persons in 1,272 families were given extra space in the old estates.

60. In the new blocks filled during the year, rooms were allocated at a minimum of 30-32 square feet per adult for Mark V blocks and 35 square feet per adult for Mark VI blocks. These more generous allocations will help to prevent serious overcrowding in the future.

61. In the older estates, where the original allocation minimum was 24 square feet per adult, decantation can only serve as an interim measure. The ultimate solution appears to lie in the conversion or redevelopment of the Mark I and II blocks into self-contained flats to be allocated at a minimum of 35 square feet per adult.

COMMERCIAL PREMISES

62. Until 1969, commercial undertakings in a clearance area were given resettlement shops as compensation for loss of livelihood. The ground floors of nearly all blocks were divided into small shopsites, allocated by ballot, and shopkeepers were allowed to choose their trades, while sites of low commercial value were allocated to cleared workshops. The resulting number of shops is too great and the size of shops too small for them to be viable. Morcover, the system of allocation has led to very unsatisfactory conditions in the old estates. As the shops are regarded as a form of permanent compensation, there are considerable difficulties in enforcing tenancy conditions in the 8,638 shop and 1,638 workshop tenancies. Some 12.1% of them are behind with their rents; and, among other breaches of tenancy condition, attemps to extend their premises on to the pavements and public areas are common. A great deal of the time and effort of the estate staff is taken up in attempting to enforce tenancy conditions. During the year, illegal shop extensions and oversized sunshades were demolished as part of the department's tidiness operations in various estates and the tenancy of 1 commercial premise was terminated with the approval of the Select Committee.

20

Page 30Page 31