Local need

Published: 15 July, 2010

• COUNCILLOR Peter Brayshaw is right to talk about potential benefits of UKCMRI for local employment and the community (Forum, July 8).

But I’m appalled that he seems to be encouraging Camden Council to break its normal requirements for a proportion of housing as part of any new development.

He knows there is a massive housing waiting list, and I hope he hasn’t forgotten that Camden residents made housing their top priority when developing the 2006 community strategy.

Does he suggest that democratically-agreed council rules are just bent to suit this case?

If, as he says, the centre will create 1,500 new jobs, will this not mean more pressure on local housing not less?



He implies the King’s Cross site has ample room for extra housing projects but he must know that the planning permissions for this site were, under Labour, parcelled up long ago.

And he says “land is not the constraint on housing in our area.” This is just untrue.

Does he want a Camden even more built up than now?

We are very lucky to have Wellcome in the borough, an international resource, which already does a great deal for the community.

But as the world’s top funder of medical research shouldn’t they have to do their bit for local housing needs just like anyone else and accept that the support staff and the scientists at the new centre will be looking for somewhere to live locally too?

CLLR CHRIS NAYLOR
Lib Dem, Camden Town & Primrose Hill ward