The Housing of the Working Classes Act of 1890 allowed local authorities in London to build their own housing. It rationalised housing and slum clearance legislation, making it much easier for local authorities to carry out clearance schemes. Under certain circumstances, the councils could also build dwellings with the dual purpose of rehousing and to increase the supply of working-class housing.

Following the Act, the London County Council almost immediately began to build new tenement blocks in Poplar and erected as a result of the construction of the Blackwall Tunnel. The tunnel caused the need for people to be rehoused but also meant the purchase of a considerable area of land for the tunnel, much of which was subsequently available for housing development.

The Council Buildings in Yabsley Street dated from 1893, Toronto Buildings and Montreal Buildings in Cotton Street dated from 1899–1901 and blocks in Prestons Road included Baffin, Hudson, Ontario, Ottawa, Quebec, and Winnipeg Buildings (1902– 4). These were all five-storey tenement blocks. The new flats were self-contained, equipped and had notable sanitary arrangements.

After a change of mood in building tenement blocks, the LCC built no housing whatsoever in Poplar between 1904 and 1926.