A GARDEN SUBURB.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1711, 31 March 1913, Page 6

A GARDEN SUBURB.

THE HAMPSTEAD TENANTS. CO-PARTNERSHIP IN HOUSING. (BY S. V. BRACHEH.) Even Oil the dullest of February afterliooiij, the Hampstead Garden Suburb is pleasant enough to make tho visitor wish himself a resident. He has walked but yards from the Tuljo station when lio realises that the air lie is inhaling is not tho air of London. 110 lakes in groat, draughts of it, for it seems as good as that which blows over the northern heaths or southern downs. Thus revived, lie steps briskly along the gently undulating roads of the Garden Suburb, past the nmv, old-fashioned homely houses, to tho great green square which is tlio centre and summit o£ tho estate* Hero lie critically admires the two churches (St. .Tude's with its lofty spiro still encased in scaffolding, and the Free Church. with its dome), notes the young trees that in years to come will infinitely enhance the beautv of the place, accepts the assurance that, if tho day were clear, he would,\m able to see the Chilterns to the west and St. Paul's to the south, and finally crosses the square to the Institute, where in lc office of the Hampstead Garden Subuib Trust, Limited, he will obtain''toe » to all the questions which arc ctoudin,, so thickly into his mind.

To Solve the Housina Problem. The Hampstead Garden Suburb is one ot the most interesting and successful P r ™"= s of the movement which, '*ginn»ig W• Ebenezer Howards book, The Garde Cities of To-morrow," gained force and method from Continental experience in town-planning, and has ah-oadv pr°djiccd Letchworth, Bournville, and Tort Sunlight, besides many less ambitions endeavours to solve local presentments of the great English housing problem. Tho Hampstead Garden Suburb lrust, Limited, was formed in 1005,_ arid purchased its estate of 213 acrcs m 1907. A further 112 acrcs wcro obtained on lease from the Ecclesiastical Commissioners m 1011, and the Co-onrtncrshin Tenants, Limited, in co-oneration with tho trust, took im another 300 acres on lease. There is, therefore, a total area of (155 acres on tho north side of London which is being developed on those modern . lines whiplr" make for the health cf the inhabitants and the 'beauty of their surroundings. Nor is this all. " The Urban Council of the neighbouring. district of Pitichley has welconied tho co-operrjtion of the .Trust and Co-partnership Tenants, Limited, in the preparation of a town-planning scheme for an area of over 1000 acres, and on another sijle the influcnco of the garden suburb is'seen in the decision of 1:1,0 Hendon Urban District Council 'to institute a public competition for the town-planning of about 0000 acres Moreover, the ideas involved have such a tendency to snread beyond 'tho boundaries qf the actual schemes that it may lie confidently anticipated that in the near futuro there will bo on 'that side of London a group of garden suburbs covering somo 8000 acres. ' ■ Narrow Roads.

The objects of the Hampstead Trust were: (1) To do something to meet tho housing problem 'by putting within tho reach of "working people 'the opportunity, of taking n cottage and garden within a 2d. riSe of central London, and at a moderalo' rent; (2) to lay out the new suburb on an orderly plan with a view to tho health, comfort, and pleasure of the community rather than the intorests of private speculators; (3) to promote a lietiter understanding between the members of the different classes which form tho nation by encouraging wealthy people, ns well as wage-earners, to make their homes in the-suburb.; W) to preserve tho natural beauties of tho si'te in such a way that as many people as possible might enjoy them. Much progress has already been mailo in tho realisation of these aims. The estate was planned as a whole by the trust's architect, Jlr. Raymond Unwin,, IMv.I.B.Ain consultation with Mr. Edwin Lutyciis, F.R.1.8.A. A privato Act of Parliament enabled them to lay out roads on more convenient and beautiful, liiyes 'than would otherwise have been possible. In particular, whefi planning the squares, closes, and groups of houses, which are the basis of so much of I he picturesque charm of the suburb, they were enabled to make narrow roads. The houses, of course, are far enough apart, but the intervening space is covered partly with lawns and gardens instead of macadam. The main thoroughfares are wide and direct.

The Tenants' Companies. Mr. Unwin's plan shows tbe sites allotted for houses, but to build the houses is not part of tho object of the trust - . That is left to other companies, societies, and individuals, but,all plans must' be submitted for the approval of the trust's architect. The ouly miildings erected by the' trust aro the institute; cottages of the staff, a block of motor garages with drivers' Hats, and a group of houses partly occupied by ..the Salvation Army as homes for. young women, children, and old people. The buildings of the, trust are valued at X3f,000. On plots which have been let to private individuals and builders, villas and ' cottages valued at ,£63,01)0 have been erected. A "Development. Company" has taken in hand tho construction of houses to the value of J182.000, while, the Improved Industrial Dwellings Company,' Limited, has 65 cottages let to weekly tenants, and AVaterlow Court, consisting of lit flats, for singlo women, these properties being valued at .£40,000. ]3ut;lho largest owners of house property in the suburb are the three allied .societies known as tho Hampstead Tenants. Limited, and the Second and Third Hampstead Tenants, Limited. These'societies arc registered under the Industrial and Provident Societies Act, 1803. Their rules provide that non-tenants, as well as tenants, may become investors, that tho interest shall not exceed 5 per cent., and that the shareholders shall elect tho board of management. The Act prevents any individual, whether tenant or not. from holding more than .£2OO worth of shares, and the rules are also framed to prevent any perversion of the co-part-nership .principle. Each tenant investor must ultimately obtain loan stock to the amount of .£SO, or two'years' rent of his house, whichever is the greater. Tin's may be acquired cither on joining or by instalments. The rents are moderate,, and from the surplus profits nf tho society tho tenant has set \( o his credit annually a sum propmitionate to the. vent he pays. The cost value of the estates of these three societies was estimated a few months ago at ,CIBB,OOO. The societies have built rapidly, and are si ill building, but havo been unable to keen pice with the demand. Besides the dwellings, these societies have built ami fitted up a. lir.e clubhouse, which as'a centre for meetings, lectures, classes, social gatherings, library and reading room, is in friendly rivair'v with the institute. They have also built, for riged and solitary people, a "Haven of Rest," consisting of separate apartments and common domestic plant grouped around a pleasant square.

A Mission to Australasia, Tho Tenants' Societies make it a rule not to build more than twelve houses to the acre, and to reserve ample spaces for sports and games. The private gardens are divided by lines of plants or shrubs, instead of the heavy brick walls' whose disfigurement of other suburban garden spaces is so high a prico to pay for a very imperfect privacy, linfenced gardens ami plantations, bath public and private, are indeed a 'feature of the whole of tho ITampsicad Garden Suburb, and residents and visitors alike have, so far, refrained from injuring what was planted for their pleasure. About a score of societies like tho Humpstead Tenants, Limited, are affiliated with ' the Co-partnership Tenants, Limited, a central lioily which assists them with expert advice and in the raising of capital. Theso societies are scattered all over England, for in one locality after another this form of voluntary cooperation in housing is being found preferable to individual effort, private speculation, or action by. tho governing authorities.

One riv-idcnt of the Mampsload Garden Suburb is Sir. Charles C. Jieade. wellknown in New Zealand as a journalist

and as a lecturer on town-planning. He !s \ now acting-secretary of tho Garden Cities and Town-Planning Association, !) Gray's | Inn Place, Gray's . Inn, W.C., and is organising a, schcnio for sending a towplanning expert to Australia und " Zealand some li mo next year. If that tlio Humpstead Garden Sn' ■ tho other enterprises fostered ■ •• ciation and by tho ' • MMi-hip Tenants, Limited, comrvl ■ ' -lessons that should 1» useful ' uland.