[Report 1931] / Monmouthshire County Council.

  • Monmouthshire County Council
Date:
1931
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1931] / Monmouthshire County Council. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    50/128 page 44
    Have again been made during the year to improve the housing position. In the St. Mellons Rural District Council Area, extensive building developments have taken place during the past year in the parishes of St. Woolos, Malpas, lloger- stone and Rumney. In these parishes, which are the populous centres of this rural area, the majority of the houses are of a modern good class urban type. In the Magor Rural District and particularly in the parish of Christchurch and that portion adjoining the Borough of Newport, some houses have been erected during the past year. The majority of these houses are of a modern type and semi-detached. There is a tendency for town dwellers to migrate to the country. A housing scheme is being planned on the Coldra Estate in the parish of Christchurch (near Newport), and it is anticipated there will be an increase of population here in the next few years. There are no special difficulties in providing suitable building sites. In the thickly populated areas of the County the housing question cannot be regarded as settled, as from the reports received from the District Medical Officers of Health and from other observations there is still a shortage of houses for the working classes. In some of the areas serious overcrowding is still prevalent, and this becomes more acute each year. It must be realised that this shortage of houses is one of the chief causes of overcrowding, and it is evident that this state of affairs is not conducive to good health or decent morals. At many of the older houses where the accommodation is limited it is quite common to find two families living in the same house. Parents and children, some of whom have reached puberty, are compelled to sleep in the same bedroom, whilst it is not uncommon for members of both sexes of advanced ages to use a common sleeping room. These houses have in addition none of the advantages that tend to promote a healthy life, as most of the household washing, cooking, etc., have to be carried out in the one living room which is often the only room on the ground floor. Many of these older type of houses are in a condition only fit for demolition, but it is unfortunate that most of these houses are to be found in the areas where the Industrial depression has been most keenly felt and the tenants, in most cases, are not in a position to avail themselves of better housing accommodation, even when provided. The houses erected by the Local Authority under the Housing Acts, have been designed for the occupation by one family only, and are not in any way suitable for dual occupation. It is regretted that a number of these houses are now occupied by more than one family, and the practice of allowing this double occupation should be discouraged as much as possible by the Local Authority, as there is the danger that the houses so occupied will soon become little more than slum property. It is noted that the Sanitary Inspectors in the districts paid considerable attention to the inspection of houses under the Public Health and Housing Acts, and notices are served for the abatement of nuisances and the repairs necessary. The general character of the defects found to exist in unfit houses dealt with were mainly defective roofs, damp walls and defective windows and floors, and in
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