The Willesden Survey 1949/50 - recent housing development
Like nearly all local authorities in the post-war period, amidst the 'new world' of town planning and additional legal requirements and powers, the Corporation of Willesden produced a lavish survey of the Borough in 1949/50.
This plate of images amply illustrates the relatively modern nature of much of the borough's housing - much was formed of development that had occurred during the 1930s when the outer areas that were typical of still rural Middlesex had been rapidly covered by suburbia. This was famously noted by Sir John Betjeman in his paean to London's suburbs "Metroland". Indeed, one of the places he visited is here, Neasden, showing the North Circular Road that is now an effective urban motorway slicing through the suburb. As well as permanent 'council' post-war housing in Kilburn a pre-fab estate is shown, this one being in Harlesden Road. Otherwise the stock of private developers who had created so much of the borough is shown.
The Willesden Survey 1949/50 - recent housing development
Like nearly all local authorities in the post-war period, amidst the 'new world' of town planning and additional legal requirements and powers, the Corporation of Willesden produced a lavish survey of the Borough in 1949/50.
This plate of images amply illustrates the relatively modern nature of much of the borough's housing - much was formed of development that had occurred during the 1930s when the outer areas that were typical of still rural Middlesex had been rapidly covered by suburbia. This was famously noted by Sir John Betjeman in his paean to London's suburbs "Metroland". Indeed, one of the places he visited is here, Neasden, showing the North Circular Road that is now an effective urban motorway slicing through the suburb. As well as permanent 'council' post-war housing in Kilburn a pre-fab estate is shown, this one being in Harlesden Road. Otherwise the stock of private developers who had created so much of the borough is shown.