A photographic print of Housing, Post War, Houses - Flats, Maisonettes and Estates, etc, including Mews

"TOPPING OUT" FOR ENGLAND'S TALLEST FLATS 26.2.1959. TOMORROW, FRIDAY, THE TRADITIONAL "TOPPING-OUT" CEREMONY WILL BE HELD ON A BLOCK OF THE TALLEST FLATS YET DEVELOPED IN ENGLAND, ON THE L.C.C. BRANDON ESTATE AT KENNINGTON PARK. THE CEREMONY IS THE TRADITIONAL ONE OBSERVED WHEN THE FRAME OF A BUILDING HAS BEEN COMPLETED, AND THE BLOCK ON THE BRANDON ESTATE IS THE FIRST OF SIX 18-STOREY BLOCKS EACH CONTAINING 64 TWO-BEDROOM FLATS AND FOUR PENTHOUSES. THESE SIX MAMMOTH TOWER BLOCKS SCHEDULED FOR COMPLETION BY 1960 WILL EVENTUALLY DOMINATE THE CHANGING LONDON SKYLINE. THEY WILL COST £1,138,343, WILL HAVE BALCONIES, CENTRAL HEATING, AND HIGH SPEED LIFTS. THE BRANDON ESTATE WAS THE FIRST LARGE SCHEME OF REHABILITATION AND REDEVELOPMENT APPROVED BY THE LONDON COUNTY COUNCIL; IT COMPRISES ABOUT 36 ACRES, OF WHICH 26 ARE BEING REDEVELOPED ON THE LINES ILLUSTRATED HERE; AND THE REMAINING TEN REHABILITATED BY THE CONVERSION OF 182 HOUSES INTO SELF-CONTAINED FLATS. IT MARKS A GREAT STEP FORWARD IN THE WORK OF SLUM CLEARANCE. THE PICTURE SHOWS ONE OF THE TYPE OF OLD HOUSES WHICH HAVE BEEN DEMOLISHED, TO MAKE WAY FOR THE TALL MODERN BLOCKS ONE OF WHICH IS SEEN IN THE BACKGROUND. Housing - Flats