Further information: In 1947 the Reconstruction Committee of the Borough of West Ham commissioned West Ham schoolteacher Stanley Reed to make a film on their efforts to develop the area. Reed had recently led a campaign against plans by West Ham Council to compulsory purchase and then build new housing on the open space of Wanstead Flats. Following a rejection of the council's application to purchase the land, they instead pursued the programme of redevelopment outlined in this film. The film was primarily aimed at a local audience and historical evidence indicates that it was shown at meetings of council tenants. The film was bought by the Central Office of Information, however, and was widely distributed abroad. Production company, the Look and Learn Film Unit emerged from the West Ham Schools Film Society. They were based at 5 Woodhouse Grove, E12 and made a small number of films for educational hire. One of these 'New Neighbours' appears to have been a companion piece to 'Neighbourhood 15' and was concerned with people being rehoused in West Ham. In April 1950, Stanley Reed was appointed by the British Film Institute as its first Film Appreciation Officer, eventually rising to the role of Director of the Institute.