Inquiry over Athlone House’s future begins
Inspector hears opposing sides arguing for restoration or demolition of historic property
Published: 24th February, 2011
by DAN CARRIER
THE future of Athlone House hangs in the balance after a planning inspector heard opposing evidence from architects arguing whether it should be restored or demolished.
The 1871 red-brick pile, which overlooks Hampstead Heath and Kenwood, was bought by a mysterious billionaire, rumoured to be a member of the Kuwaiti royal family, in 2005 and leading neo-classical designer Robert Adam has drawn up plans to knock the property down and build a giant new mansion on the site.
But the plans were thrown out by Camden Council last year, leading to this week’s appeal hearing, scheduled to run for 12 days and due to finish after a break on March 18.
Inspector Paul Jackson has heard presentations from legal teams representing both the Town Hall, defending its original decision, and the owners of Athlone House.
The Athlone House Working Group (AHWG), made up of members of the Highgate Society, the Heath and Hampstead Society and other civic groups, have also made submissions. They outlined why they want developers to be made to bring the house back to its former glory.
Opposing them is Mr Adam and a host of other experts who say it is in such a poor condition that it is beyond saving. They argue their £80million scheme would give Highgate a world-class mansion.
Both sides have lined up leading lights in architecture and planning law to argue their cases. Cambridge professor Joseph Rykwert, who is an expert in historic buildings and the President of the International Council of Architectural Critics, told the inquiry that he felt Athlone House must be restored.
He said: “I don’t know why the owner bought it in the first place if he had no intention of abiding by the planning rules in place, or why he has left it for five years without looking after it.”
The Athlone House Working Group’s Jeremy Wright said: “Standing behind the AHWG are hundreds of ordinary people who have written to object to these proposals.”
He said the main thrust of the objection was the “loss of a familiar and well-loved building, exchanged for one of questionable merit.”
Mr Wright added that permission granted in 2005 to build flats in the gardens was on the condition that the house was restored, and for the owners to go back on this was a gross betrayal.
But Mr Adam told the inspector that his designs would be no bigger nor more intrusive that the current building, and that Athlone House could no longer meet the demands of its owner. He claimed the amount of money needed to bring it back to former glories was simply uneconomical.
Athlone House was originally called Caen Wood Towers and built for industrialist Edward Brooke. Mr Adam said: “Essentially, Athlone expressed the typical Victorian gentleman’s chivalric ideas as to what an English house should be.”
After being requisitioned during the Second World War for RAF officer training and secret espionage projects, the house was used as a hospital from 1951.
Other witnesses so far have included Kentish Town architect Selwyn Lowe. Mr Lowe put forward plans for an alternative scheme in a bid to show that Athlone could be rebuilt to make it desirable to wealthy home-hunters wanting a London base. He said: “There is no evidence that it is beyond restoration. The building is a worthy example of the period.”