HC Deb 22 May 1884 vol 288 cc989-90
MR. BRYCE

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, Whether he is aware that a site in White-chapel, nearly eight acres in extent, from, which five thousand persons were displaced by the Metropolitan Board of Works, under the provisions of the Goulston Street and Flower and Dean Street schemes made under the Artizans' and Labourers' Dwellings Acts, remains still almost wholly unbuilt on, although a large part of it was cleared nearly four years ago, and the remainder a year ago, and although the need for dwellings for the poor is very pressing in that over-crowded district; whether he will, if it is within his province to do so, call the attention of the Board to the above facts, and urge them to sell the land for building without delay, or to require those who have bought it, or parts of it, to proceed forthwith to erect dwellings of the kind needed for the accommoda- tion of labourers; and, whether he will suggest to the Board that, in case they desire further delays, they should plant this site with shrubs, and let it be used as a recreation ground till such time as the erection of the dwellings required can be begun?

MR. HIBBERT (for Sir WILLIAM HARCOURT)

The only portion of the Goulston Street area in the market in 1883 comprised about two acres. Of this, only one acre was reserved for the re-housing of the artizans displaced. This was put up to auction on the 1st of June, 1883, but was not sold, and the Metropolitan Board have since been using every endeavour to find a purchaser. They have recently been successful in so doing, and the agreement for sale was executed on Friday, May 9. The Metropolitan Board have not yet been in a position to dispose of the remaining land, as it has not long been cleared, and the approaches have only just been completed; but negotiations are in progress for the sale of the whole of the remaining artizans' land in the Goulston Street area, and the Flower and Dean Street sites are to be advertised this week. It may be stated that a small site in George Yard—part of the Flower and Dean Street area—has already been covered with buildings for the accommodation of 100 persons. The Secretary of State will press upon the Board the desirability of pressing forward the sale of the land and the erection of the necessary dwellings.