THE PULFORD STREET SITE
[To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.]
Sne,—In two of your recent issues, reference is made to an approaching appeal to the charitable public to supply funds to the Westminster Housing Trust for the purchase and, as I understand, the development of the Pulford Street site.
The physical and moral conditions of that unfortunate street has during these years of rather barren effort and dis- cussion been steadily going from bad to worse, though one no longer hears the argument or 'allegation that the site is for engineering reasons wholly unsuitable for building houses on. • To complete the site purchase-money 16,000 is required : the cost of building and development thereafter is estimated at about 1100,000, after allowing for a substantial contribution from the City Council.
The slowness of the public response to the appeal for the relatively small sum needed for the site does not in these difficult days afford much encouragement to the prospects of the larger appeal. But, wholly apart from this merely practical consideration, is the appeal entitled to support ? £100,000 represents (taking interest and sinking fund at current figures) 15,000 per annum, and 15,000 per annum represents a rate burden in Westminster of about one-eighth of a penny per pound. Should not the Westminster City Council which has the early prospect of a golden harvest from the "flood area" take over and carry to completion without delay (1) this Pulford Street scheme (2) a much needed scheme in Soho and (3) a much to be desired, though I dare say slightly less urgent, "clean up" in the corner of Pimlico abutting on Chelsea ?
It would enlighten the public if at this stage an official estimate could be given of what gain is to be made by the ratepayers out of the new flood area (it must be a very large sum)on the one hand, and of what the three schemes proposed above would cost on the other. We could then judge whether it was desirable to supply 1100,000 in order to avoid a rate of one eighth of a penny. In the absence of official informa- tion we must form our own opinion mine is that the appeal is not a reasonable one.—Iam, Sir, &c., G. W. CURRIE. 83 Cadogan Place, S.W. 1.
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