Special area measures

Published: 9 September, 2010

• IT’S good news that special conservation measures (known as Article Four Directions) are moving ahead in Swiss Cottage, Hampstead and Belsize (Planning rules to ‘protect’ heritage, September 2).

But it’s just a little ungracious of the cabinet member for environment Sue Vincent not publicly to recognise this was an initiative put in train by the previous Conservative/ Liberal Democrat administration, with former councillor Mike Greene giving it the kick-start. 

In fact, residents and conservation groups in NW3 and NW6 have urged Camden to introduce Article Four Directions in the area for well over 20 years, as many boroughs across London and beyond have done.

But under Camden Labour, we got a single Article Four Direction for Primrose Hill Conservation Area in the early 1980s and then nothing at all to deal with loss of historic features in NW3 and NW6. For whatever reason, throughout the 1990s and early 2000s the Labour council ignored the pleas for these to be introduced.

Cllr Vincent says rather portentously that “The borough’s conservation areas will now be preserved for future generations”. 

As she well knows, Article Fours do not deal with all of the threats to conservation areas as residents see things. 

Precisely four of the borough’s 37 conservation areas have now got Article Four Directions, albeit those where the directions will be most appropriate.

It’s good news but it’s late in the day and enforcement will be vital.

CLLR ANDREW MARSHALL
Conservative, Swiss Cottage ward