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The Kenwood pontoon
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Anger at plan to float ‘ugly’ stage again in Kenwood
CONSERVATION groups have condemned an application by Kenwood concert bosses to repeat last year’s “grotesque, ugly and obtrusive” floating stage. IMG, who run the concerts for Kenwood House guardians English Heritage, submitted an application to Town Hall planning chiefs in December for permission to erect the floating stage in Kenwood’s Thousand Pound Pond from May 30 to August 26 this year.
The floating pontoon was introduced by IMG last year to reduce noise leakage from the concerts.
But it caused outrage amongst conservation groups who called it an eyesore and accused concert bosses of failing to obtain planning permission.
The company was later granted retrospective planning permission just days before the first concert.
This year, concert bosses are taking no chances, submitting a detailed application to planning chiefs six months before the concerts – together with a biodiversity report on the impact of the stage on Kenwood.
But Tony Ghilchik, from the Heath and Hampstead Society, said he was “horrified” by the proposal, which would blight “Camden’s most renowned and beautiful building”.
In a letter to planning chiefs Mr Ghilchik wrote: “It was clear from last year’s experience that Kenwood was compromised by the ugly and obtrusive floating stage. Its grotesque shape, crude materials and industrial-style pylons were grossly at odds with the serene grace and elegance of the landscape.” But Stephen Dee from IMG said that organisers had spent considerable money on the stage and other sound reduction measures to preserve the future of the concerts after a number of complaints from neighbours about noise levels.
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