Almost all the facts wrong
Submitted by fitzrovianews on Thu, 2010-07-22 21:24.Jeez, you made a hash of this story. The normally excellent CNJ has erred. You've got nearly all the facts wrong.
For a start, the proposal is to build 142 homes. That's not "nearly 200". The workhouse is more well-known for the reformers associated with it: "Matilda Beeton, a nurse, and Joseph Rogers, who not only served as doctor for 20 years but also helped found the Association for Improvement of Workhouse Infirmaries and became president of the Poor Law Medical Officers’ Association." See http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/full/335/7633/1312
It's not on the site of the former Middlesex Hospital -- you are mixing it up with the Grade II* listed chapel that still remains there and there are no plans to demolish it. The workhouse building stands on a site across the road and about 100m to the north.
Local people are angry for two reasons "The proposed development is controversial not only because the building is seen as of great historic value but the proposed socially-rented housing on the site falls far short of what local campaigners had hoped for. Much of the socially-rented accommodation proposed on the site has come from a previous planning gain agreement made with Camden Council several years ago. Campaigners have accused the hospital trust of “double counting” the social housing units in order to satisfy a section 106 agreement and other policy requirements." See http://news.fitzrovia.org.uk/2010/07/12/persmission-sought-to-demolish-h...
Linus Rees
assistant editor, Fitzrovia News