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 Kendall O’Neill, Divya Ahluwalia, Emma Violet, Stuart Cox, Ollie Grove, Gilliam Roy and Malcolm Salomon with the petition calling for the Middlesex Hospital site plan to be scaled down
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Little people take on the mighty in hospital saga
A “CANARY Wharf-style fortress” set to replace the redundant Middlesex Hospital will plunge neighbouring buildings into darkness, residents have claimed.
Candy & Candy, the luxury developers behind the £175-million deal to buy the UCLH-owned Fitzrovia hospital, have upset residents with their plans for a replacement complex of shops, offices and 273 homes.
More than 200 residents and businesses in surrounding streets have signed a petition pleading with developers to reduce the scale of their plans which they say will almost double the height of the existing building in places.
Teacher Malcolm Salomon, who organised the petition, said: “The shock was with Westminster planning department giving us an expectation that the building would fit in with the area rather than being a Canary Wharf-like fortress.
“It creates an oppressive atmosphere over the surrounding streets and blocks out our light. This is a fight of the little people against the mighty.”
He added: “We do want the building to be redeveloped – there’s going to be affordable housing and they are protecting the chapel on the site.
“We’re only objecting to the height and the bulk.”
When the sale of the building was announced last year a New Journal investigation traced the buyers – investment consortium PAGL Ltd (Project Abbey (Guernsey) Ltd) – to an address in tax haven Guernsey, where it was registered in May this year.
Leading the consortium is CPC Group, fronted by Christian Candy, co-founder of luxury residential developers and interior designers Candy & Candy, who specialise in exclusive projects in London and Monaco.
Max Neufeld, chairman of the Charlotte Street Residents Association, is calling for a public meeting.
The plans include provision for a medical centre, but residents are also hoping developers will invest in classrooms and a better play area for All Souls school as well as a library or community centre swimming pool.
Stephen Smith, director of CPC, said: “I didn’t know residents had asked for a public meeting.
“Residents generally object to height as a matter of principle. It’s usually in their interests to do so as they generally get compensated for rights of light.
“We’ll take all complaints seriously. I don’t think it’s in our interests to ignore that (Westminster’s planning brief). We’re respectful of everyone involved.
“We’re a very considerate owner and we know rights of light is always an emotive and key issue for residents.”
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