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Cold comfort fitzrovia.org.uk/news Fitzrovia News Fitzrovia News is produced by residents and volunteers and distributed free to all businesses and residential addresses in Fitzrovia Issue 123 Winter 2011 MASSIVE OPPOSITION TO 11-STOREY DEVELOPMENT ON HOSPITAL SITE By News Reporters says the social and environmen - A huge number of objections tal impacts of the development have been made to the proposed have not been properly consid - new develoment of the former ered. In the 1930’s the school Middlesex Hospital. signed away their right to light Residents expressed concern: to the Middlesex Hospital and, 1. That it will be up to 11 as this new building is a private storeys high, when Westminster concern which does not have the City Council ruled in 2005 it hospital’s charitable function, should be no more than six. the agreement should be 2. The proportion of afford - revoked. able housing is also below coun - Max Neufeld, of the cil guidelines. Charlotte Street Association crit - 3. The quality and size of the icised the plans for their height, open space proposed is inade - bulk and inappropriateness in a quate. conservation area with listed 4. Problems from the large buildings. underground car park proposed. “We believe that the Council More than 100 people con - has solid planning grounds for tacted the Fitzrovia securing some reduction in the Neighbourhood Association height and bulk in the most with enquires about the devel - affected locations, greater open opment and 130 parents of chil - space provision and more dren at All Souls Primary School affordable housing,” he said. How the new development would look from the corner of Nassau Street (left) and Mortimer Street (right) have written in to object to the This could be afforded by the plans. The parents are very con - new developer, he wrote, site is insufficient to cope with Mark Younger, of the devel - Planning Brief issued cerned that the height of the because since the Candy the increased amount of com - opers, a consortium of Exemplar, by Westminster City building will block out daylight. Brothers 2007 plans “there has mercial and residential uses, he Aviva and the former Kaupthing In their letter, they say that been a material change in cir - concluded. Bank, told Fitzrovia News it was Council in 2005 the new building would be cumstances affecting the viabili - Yoram Blumann, of the “a fantastic opportunity to create “All Souls’ School and proper - higher than the Middlesex ty of the scheme: the owners Fitzrovia Neighbourhood something that will have a posi - ties on Cleveland Street are Hospital was and that “the play - paid a third less for the site, Association, criticised the devel - tive impact on Fitzrovia. Our already overshadowed by the ground and most of the class - property values for both office opment because of its height proposals are smaller than the hospital buildings and the rede - rooms on the Riding House and residential have increased and bulk. previously consented scheme velopment of the site will be an Street side of the school will be dramatically since 2007, and Mr Blumann said: “More and we have made significant opportunity to reduce this almost permanently deprived of building costs have fallen.” than 70 people attended our efforts to ensure the architecture impact. sunlight”. The current scheme offers drop-in sessions at the Fitzrovia reflects the local neighbourhood. “On redevelopment the oppor - The parents cite the council’s 17.5 per cent of floor area as Neighbourhood Centre to look The 2005 planning brief set out tunity should be taken to reduce own planning brief for the site affordable housing, whereas the at the plans. We also received some broad guidance and the the height of buildings to create (see panel at end). 2007 provision was for 30 per more than 30 other enquiries by consented scheme, which has a better architectural relation - Mandy Chang, a parent of a cent of units (not floor area), he the end of October. And we con - been implemented, provides a ship to the surrounding town - child who goes to the school, added, and council policy tinue to have people raise con - framework of what is acceptable scape. “requires a provision of at least 22 cerns.” to Westminster City Council. “New buildings should general - percent rising in 2012 to 30 per - The planning application “Current policy looks to ly be no higher than four storeys cent.” was submitted by a consortium maximise the provision of on the street frontages; a reces - Neufeld argues that the led by Exemplar in September to affordable housing subject to sive fifth storey may be accept - Camden residents living along development three, nine to 11 development viability. With the able. Cleveland Street will be blighted storey mixed use buildings on provision of 54 affordable hous - “Buildings of more than six by the presence of not only the the site. Roughly half the site ing units, the proposal has max - storeys are unlikely to be accept - car park entrance but also the would be residential. imised the amount of affordable able.” service bay. Westminster’s policy There would be the creation housing in the context of viabili - The opportunity should be taken to protect the residential ameni - of new open space, new vehicu - ty.” to reduce the height of buildings ty of residents, says Neufeld, lar and pedestrian accesses, Westminster City Council The site is an opportunity to should also apply to its Camden basement car and cycle parking, will make a decision on the provide new public conven - neighbours. landscaping, and repair of the plans in the new year. iences, including baby changing Open space provision on the existing chapel. facilities. GIGS est. 1964 The home of traditional Fish & Chips Fully licensed Greek restaurant “The secret’s out. Gigs is back” 12 Tottenham Street 020 7636 1424 2 Letters and comment Fitzrovia News Winter 2011 Fitzrovia News Cat amongst the Uncharitable landlords hit hospital workers pigeons? Formerly The Tower Huge rent increases of 50 per them out,” said one tenant. “It is she accumulated enough points established 1973 As a Fitzrovia resident I would cent have been imposed on ten - disgusting that current and to get a flat. This is larger (with like to know your readers stance ants at four blocks in Cleveland retired low-wage hospital work - a kitchen separate from the liv - Street, owned by UCLH Charity ers are being forced out for peo - ing room) and the rental will be fitzrovia.org.uk/news on the local pigeons that live Special Trustees but managed by ple on higher pay.” The UCLH affordable. At Cleveland twitter.com/fitzrovianews amongst us. I ask, because on my way through Whitfield gar - Genesis housing. The rent of one charity said that rents are man - Residences her direct debit was facebook.com/fitzrovianews dens today I put a little bread tenant has been increased from aged by Genisis and they are amended to the higher rent [email protected] down for the small flock that £500 to £790 a month, and others responsible for the rise. Genesis without getting her permission. 020 7580 4576 resides there. from £400 to £600. It could drive said that they only charge the She therefore ended up with an I was approached by a man out the tenants, many of whom rent that is set by the property overdraft for the first time in her still work for NHS or retired owners - the UCLH charity. life, and was “very embar - Issue 123 Winter 2011 telling me that I cannot feed from it. They also complain No one was told that rents rassed’”. There have been many Published 6 December 2011 them and to “not do it again”. How is it, a young woman put - there had been no refurbishment would go up until after people different change of management of flats since at least 1987 despite moved into refurbished flats and and agents over the years. First Fitzrovia News is published ting a little bread down should crumbling conditions. signed leases, said one tenant. there was the Middlesex quarterly by the Fitzrovia even occur on his radar? Originally rents in hospital Her rent went from £500 a Hospital charity, then ‘PCHA’, Community Newspaper I took umbrage, and stub - housing were based on income. month to £790. Fortunately she’d then Pathmeads, now UCLH Group, and supported by the bornly said I would continue to “Now they’re trying to get rid of put her name down for Camden Charity, using Genesis Housing Fitzrovia Neighbourhood do this if I so wished. He said low-paid workers by pricing housing long enough ago that Association as managing Association he would take my photograph agents. These agents managers (registered charity no. 1111649) next time and tell the council have a history of poor manage - 39 Tottenham Street, and I would get an ASBO. He Enrico Fumagalli sorely missed ment errors and bad treatment London, W1T 4RX told me that two people had of tenants. ISSN: 0967-1404 already received these. I spoke to Camden Council Several older tenants have had their contracts terminated Editorial Team who told me clearly, there are no and been kicked out of flats. Mike Pentelow: laws against feeding the birds, Some of these flats have been editor and features editor and I would not receive an refurbished and relet at higher Linus Rees: Asbo. rents. assistant editor I understand feeding large Fitzrovia Neighbourhood Pete Whyatt: quantities of food can increase Association is helping to fight news and production editor their ability to breed and there - the rent increase and get tenants Fiona Green: fore increase their numbers, rehoused after Genesis offered arts and listings editor which can be seen as a nuisance.