Camden New Journal - Letters: Extensions can lead to failures

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Camden New Journal - LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Published:9 August 2007

Extensions can lead to power failures

• I AGREE with the Heath and Hampstead Society’s urging Camden to set guidelines for basement or sub-basement expansions (Will underground fad cost the earth? July 26). But there is another aspect that needs to be highlighted – the effect on power supplies.
Earlier this year, the Hampstead Village area was plagued with power failures. A cable blew up in Carlingford Road and the sub-station in Gayton Road caught fire. During March I was unable to collect foreign currency from the NatWest in Hampstead High Street because on the three occasions I tried to do so, the bank was closed because of a power failure. I spoke to electricians and they were convinced that the problem is overloading because of the many extensions being built, most of them designed to house equipment that requires a lot of power. Anyone who can afford to undertake this very expensive building work is likely to have a great deal of electronic equipment.
It must be a serious cause for concern that elderly and vulnerable people living alone, and their friends and relatives, are really anxious about what will happen next winter.
EDF Energy had many calls from such people, afraid of falling when they found themselves without power.
Planning officers should consider this aspect when they study new applications.
VIVIENNE IVRY
Carlingford Road, NW3

Send your letters to: The Letters Editor, Camden New Journal, 40 Camden Road, London, NW1 9DR or email to letters@camdennewjournal.co.uk. The deadline for letters is midday Tuesday. The editor regrets that anonymous letters cannot be published, although names and addresses can be withheld. Please include a full name, postal address and telephone number. Letters may be edited for reasons of space.

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