Lot of two wartime publications concerning the reconstruction of the city and county of London.
1] County of London Plan 1943, published in 1944 by Macmillan and Co, third printing. pp. xii + 188 + text illustrations, maps, b&w and colour plates.
From the Preamble: “This plan for the County of London has been prepared during a pause in the development of our ancient capital; a pause, the like of which has perhaps only occurred before, when she suffered from the twin disasters of the Plague and Fire. But though there has been a pause in her growth, London has not remained unaltered during these years of war; she has undergone change of an altogether unprecedented kind. A large part of her population has been evacuated; some of her industry and business, and a number of her Government Departments have temporarily left her, although not enough to affect substantially the daily hum of metropolitan activity; her docks are less active and the roads in certain parts little used; large areas of building, though small in comparison to London, have been destroyed by air attack, and still more buildings have been damaged more or less irrevocably. Slight as is the extent of the damage in relation to the vast mass of London, it is fortunately a fact that much of it has either removed property that cried aloud for redevelopment or has opened up beauties which we hope will not be needlessly obliterated. There is thus presented to London, a unique stimulus to better planning”.
2] Greater London Plan 1944, published in 1945 by Her Majesty's Stationary Office. pp. x + 230, illustrated with drawings and maps.
From the Preamble: "A Plan for London and the whole Region, which might be considered to fall under the metropolitan influence, had long been overdue when the Royal Commission on the Location of the Industrial Population reported in 1939. London was therein singled out for immediate action.
The war, in addition to the complete cessation of normal life and growth, brought three new factors on to the scene - the destruction of large areas, particularly in the centre; the evacuation of a large proportion of the population; and the industrial upheaval due to almost universal war production. Not only the necessity for some plan of action became obvious; the opportunity presented itself to locate population and industry more logically, to improve transport radically, and to determine a proper use of the land. Finally, the ultimate size of London was inescapably involved.
This plan is an attempt to make use of the opportunity. It continues without break the plan prepared for the London County Council and should be studied and read together with it.
Wear to boards, esp. spine of the 1944 Plan, text pages clean.
- Binding Condition: Good
- Overall Condition: Good
- Size: 24.5 x 31 cm
