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Canal-side refurbs are for the best
• DEL Brenner was one of many people who turned up at the consultation meetings on the City Road Basin regeneration scheme and, as architect for the project, I am familiar with his opposition to virtually any kind of development on the canal network (Seize chance to rid canal basin of ‘monstrous’ towers, December 21).
England’s canal system was of course originally built for industry and, as such, it was often lined with large scale buildings, many of which have now been converted into flats, galleries or offices, mainly on account of the waterways’ rediscovered amenity value. The canals in Manchester, Birmingham and London are all now being regenerated with both new and converted buildings so that neglected but potentially wonderful open spaces can be brought into public use. The City Road Basin development fits into that pattern and in 2006 won the premier category of the UK Waterways Renaissance awards, which considered designs from all over the country.
Mr Brenner says that the consultation exercise was flawed, but this is simply because his own view did not prevail.
There were several public meetings, two rounds of leaflets to 7,000 addresses and two exhibitions. The consultation indicated that a significant majority was in favour of the proposals. The final decision on the redevelopment’s masterplan – which included the overall shape and form of all the buildings including the towers – was not taken by two councillors as he alleges but by the whole Islington council executive.
Mr Brenner attended that meeting with other members of the public. Subsequently, three planning applications for individual buildings have been considered by the planning committee and several more are to follow, but the principle is that each building or open space should conform to the general principles that were approved by the council executive.
RAB BENNETTS
Bennetts Associates
Rawstorne Place
EC1
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