It was mostly minor variations between the houses, which would often go unnoticed by the ordinary eye. 14 Section showing fences, footpaths & pavings, 1931.Īs mentioned, there were 91 different house types on the Becontree Estate. opens IMAGE file A London County Council plan of the Barking No. Those living on the estate were aware of this difference, often speaking positively of this shared space. The cul-de-sacs were also to create for a more intimate, closer community, in comparison to the busy main roads and traffic flow separating houses on opposite sides. This design is obvious if you were to look at an aerial view of the Becontree Estate. This was to create some variety, whilst also allowing for traffic to slow once off the main roads. However, the estate was also designed to have many cul-de-sacs, often referred to as ‘banjos’, and curved or circular roads. The estate was designed to incorporate existing country lanes, relying on wide roads running throughout. This was reflective of the Garden City movement – an attempt to improve the quality of urban life.
It was to consist of cottage estates designed for the factory working man, whose family could experience the fresh air under semi-rural conditions while the husband worked, even including a garden to occupy their time outside. The idea was to create a township complete in itself, with schools, transport, shops and parks. The Becontree Estate was designed by the Department of the London County Council Chief Architect, George Topham Forest. There were also 4000 private houses projected to be built for the middle classes. The LCC built a further 600 houses after 1945 (the Heath Park extension), and later Dagenham Borough Council built 4000 houses, mostly for the children of London County Council estate tenants. The Becontree Estate was officially completed in 1935, but a further 800 houses were built in 1937. This was to allow an appropriate amount of daylight into each living space. This included ensuring each house were to have a fixed bath, and that the density should not exceed 12 to the acre. A subsidy of £9 per house per year was to be provided for 40 years (as well as local government contributions), with assurance that certain provisions were met. The 1923 Act gave provisions for 2000 more houses, followed by the 1924 Housing (Financial Provisions) Act. The first tenants moved in on Chittys Lane towards the end of 1921, as soon as their houses were ready. This was cut back in 1921 by the incoming government, however the Ministry of Health allowed the London County Council to build a further 1000 houses.
Here is a look at how the estate came to be.Īs mentioned previously, the 1919 Addison Act allowed for 3000 cottages to be built at Becontree. If you have read the introductory article to our Building Becontree project, you will know we have been using architectural and building plans to look at the layout of the estate and the type of housing built.
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