Beaux Arts Building - Foyer flats a sacrilege

Published: 2 April 2010

I THINK I can speak for most residents of the Beaux Arts Building in Holloway when I say I was shocked to hear about the planning applications for more flats to be built, some inside the building in the glorious foyer, and two outside, in parking spaces (Flats ‘would ruin ornate masterpiece’, March 19).

One of the beauties of the building (which should be listed, if it is not already) is the spaciousness of the foyer. The wonderful feeling of space, used for meetings and informal gatherings, is integral to the architectural cohesiveness of the building. The idea of taking away space from this beautiful foyer and building more flats is a sacrilege.

Equally, the idea of building two flats on existing parking spaces will exacerbate parking problems by pushing more cars into the road to park. I hope these proposals do not go through. I know that most residents are against them.

Barbara Bash, Beaux Arts Building, N7

I HAVE lived in the Beaux Arts Building for more than 12 years and  am utterly opposed to the freeholder’s plans to destroy the magnificent and unique foyer. 

I congratulate the Beaux Arts Building committee for their diligence and commitment to this cause and they have my total support.

Carole Caplin.Beaux Arts Building, N7 

THANK you very much for your front-page article about the planning application for the Beaux Arts Building. I was gratified to see that your newspaper took Islington’s architectural heritage so seriously.  

As a resident of the the Beaux Arts, I read the development plans with dismay. They will destroy half of the features which made it such a success in the first place. I can only hope that Islington Council’s planning department will also see that this proposal flies in the face of everything its residential policies stand for. 

Ben Lewis, Beaux Arts Building, N7