Islington residents unite to object to ‘smaller but still greedy’ development of 100-year-old Beaux Arts Building in Manor Gardens

RESIDENTS, including lifestyle guru Carole Caplin, are expected to make a last-ditch stand against plans to build inside the ornate lobby area of a block of flats in Holloway created in the style of New York’s Grand Central station.

Ms Caplin, the former health adviser to Cherie Blair, described scaled-down plans to develop the 100-year-old eight- storey Beaux Arts Building in Manor Gardens as “smaller than the original but still greedy”.

Along with another resident, theatre director Max Stafford Clark, Ms Caplin is supporting an action committee to stop the plan to “squeeze” an extra two-bedroom warehouse-style flat and new offices inside the large lobby area.

The scheme, which is being recommended by development officers, goes for approval to Planning committee at Islington Town Hall on Tuesday at 7.30pm. 

The flat would replace a mail room and reception area, which would be moved elsewhere within the lobby and corridors.

Residents’ committee member Delia Lindsay said she hoped as many residents as possible will turn up at Tuesday’s meeting to object to the scheme. “We hope the councillors on the planning committee will support our view that this development will destroy the nature of the lobby area and ruin the inside of a beautiful building.”

The original scheme, submitted last year, which wanted three flats inside the lobby, was thrown out at a planning appeal. 

Now the freeholder for the former Royal Mail building is back with the new single-flat proposal.

The lobby hall is an architectural gem that was praised by English Heritage in a report last year. Ms Caplin has a top-floor penthouse apartment with a roof garden, which she purchased 14 years ago. She said: “This is such a wonderful building and has so much history. To want to build inside a grand lobby is just plain greed. On behalf of all residents I say to the developers: ‘Don’t do it’.”

She has described how she discovered the building and “fell in love with it” when visiting the Blairs during the period before Labour came to power when they lived in Richmond Crescent at the Angel. “After I moved in, Cherie used to visit me at the flat and really loved it,” she said.

She believes Beaux Arts is one of Islington’s grandest buildings, and added: “It should be protected both internally and externally. The foyer retains many of the original features of the building, including the original plasterwork, stained glass medallions and mahogany entrance.”

Mr Stafford-Clarke, 71, said: “This is corporate greed. They’ve already been refused one scheme and they want to try again. It’s totally out of keeping with the building.”

The residents have the support of Mayor of Islington Cllr Phil Kelly, who is ward councillor. He said: “Given that the planning inspector turned down the last application, I support the residents. ”

The former Royal Mail administrative building was built in 1910 and converted into 190 upmarket flats in the early 1990s.

A spokesman for developer Bloomfold said: “In addition to the works associated with the application, we intend to refurbish the entrance foyer in a sympathetic way that will respect the history and splendour of the existing interior.”

Published: 8th July, 2011
by PETER GRUNER