Pioneering "Modernist" steel homes saved from demolition - Radio presenter Richard Bacon celebrates with objectors
Published: 24 March 2011
by DAN CARRIER
TWO pioneering homes have been saved from demolition after the Town Hall’s planning committee voted unanimously against plans to replace them with much larger houses.
The single-storey steel and glass “Modernist” homes, in Belsize Park Gardens, were seen as groundbreaking when they were first built in 1980 and have won praise by architecture experts. They were designed by architects Robin Spence and Robin Webster.
BBC Radio 5live presenter Richard Bacon and his wife Rebecca, who live nearby, lent their voices to opposition campaigners, which included civic groups Save Belsize, the Belsize Residents Association, the 20th Century Society, English Heritage and the Belsize Conservation Area Advisory Committee.
Camden Council also received letters opposing the demolition from architect Lord Richard Rogers.
Owners of the homes former Economist editor Bill Emmott and neighbours Stephen Hall had wanted to replace the houses with much larger Victorian-style semi-detached homes
Former Blue Peter presenter Mr Bacon criticised heritage minister John Penrose’s decision not to award the building listed status last year – despite English Heritage recommending protection.
Speaking to the New Journal after the planning meeting last Thursday, he said: “If English Heritage make a recommendation to a minister he should then follow the experts’ advice.
“It is like when the Prime Minister goes to the Queen and asks to form a government – the Queen can of course say no, but she never would.”
Mr Bacon praised councillors on the planning committee for ignoring officers’ advice that the plans should be approved. He said: “English Heritage said it should be listed and that was backed by the unanimous verdict from the councillors. It is an enormously exhilarating decision. These plans would have destroyed part of the local area. One-hundred-and-twenty-six people opposed it and the committee have recognised that.”
Planning expert Nick Spall, representing the owners, said: “These buildings are effectively invisible from the street. They are at odds already with other houses in the street. They were not built for longevity and they need continuous maintenance.”
He also praised the designs submitted, speaking of them as high quality as those they would replace.
He said: “These replacement buildings are not a pastiche copy of town houses but are of good design and sit comfortably within the area.”
He added the new buildings would be compliant with all government standards for green buildings.
He added: “The general view is these buildings would enhance this street.”
Swiss Cottage Conservative councillor Johnny Bucknell questioned how green the new designs could be. He said that over 3,000 tons of London clay would have to be dug up and lugged to a landfill and would mean a serious increase in use of water and electricity. Belsize Conservative councillor Tom Simon told the meeting that 126 objections had been sent in. He added a similar application had been made in 1974 and was rejected for being too bulky.
He said that the argument, put forward by the applicants, that the bigger homes would help Camden’s desperate housing shortage was “nonsense”. He said: “We know there is a housing shortage in Camden but this would be replacing two four bedroom houses with two seven bedroom houses with a swimming pool and cinema. What we need is affordable homes in Camden, not these types of houses.”