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Original Text (Annotation: EPW055285 / 464543)
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The second of Roehampton's innovative housing schemes was the Alton Estate built in two parts East in 1958 and West in 1959. Here the influence was from Scandinavian design in addition to five slab blocks following the ideas of Le Corbusier. The estate fills much of the area in the picture to the west and south of Roehampton Lane, including the very fine looking walled vegetable garden seen here. It was more than fifty years after the estate was built that direct access to the open spaces of Richmond Park to the west (left) has been established. Did the planners not try to make this in the 1950 or did the the Park authorities reject the idea as it would provide access for the wrong sort of people? People living in high density housing would seem to have a need for plenty of open space! '