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PM Gordon Brown |
Library site in hands of Town Hall
Government hands over responsibility for possible new social housing on controversial land
PRIME Minister Gordon Brown and Housing Minister Yvette Cooper have left the fate of a prime plot of public land at the centre of a campaign for social housing in the hands of Camden Council.
Campaigners protesting against the open market sale by the Department for Culture Media and Sport (DCMS) of 3.2 acres of undeveloped land behind the British Library pinned their hopes on the announcements of the incoming Prime Minister that surplus government-owned brownfield land should be used for social housing.
The New Journal wrote to Mr Brown and Ms Cooper this week, asking whether they would review the sale in the light of their housing promises and local opposition. But last night (Wednesday), a No 10 official referred the New Journal’s questions over the site to Ms Cooper’s office, where a spokeswoman said the Housing Ministry would not step in to stop the sale, but would rely on the council’s planning chiefs to ensure homes were built there.
After acknowledging that the site, known locally as Brill Place, qualified as the sort of land that should be used for housing “in principle,”, the spokeswoman said: “We understand that a mixed-use scheme including housing is proposed for this site. We recognise that every opportunity should be explored to increase the delivery of housing which is why we are pleased to see that the outline planning agreement for this site includes the provision of housing and has set at least a 50 per cent affordable housing target.”
The 2003 planning guidance drawn up by Camden Council for the site is not binding, however, as the spokeswoman also acknowledged: “However, we understand that the site is being sold without planning permission and final decisions for this and other sites will need to comply with the relevant local planning frameworks.”
Somers Town residents have been joined by Frank Dobson MP and ward councillor Roger Robinson in demanding that Brill Place, one of the most desirable locations in London and valued at £28m by the DCMS, be used for housing or community amenities rather than offices or private homes.
They were joined by council housing chief Cllr Chris Naylor, who said yesterday: “We know there is a housing crisis in Camden, and we as a council are keen to build new homes. Top of our list is to look at what opportunities we have and make sure we get as much housing as we can – and we will be insisting on a significant affordable housing element within that at (Brill Place).”
Asked if the Lib Dem-Conservative administration would build council homes on Brill Place if given the opportunity, he said: “Definitely. Yes,” adding that current government subsidies discriminate against council homes in favour of housing associations.
n An international science and research centre focused on bridging the gap between academia and medicine – but involving no new housing – is a front-runner in the possible future of Brill Place. The Medical Research Council (MRC) has joined University College London (UCL), the Wellcome Trust and Cancer Research UK in making a combined bid for the site “to build a world-leading centre for medical research,” an MRC spokeswoman confirmed yesterday.
Although no architects’ plans have been drawn up, the science centre would occupy the entire site, house 1,500 staff, and work with nearby schools, she said.
The spokeswoman added: “We would be the sole occupier, although it is possible that small bio-tech companies could be accommodated. There are no plans for housing.”
n The schedule for selling the British Library site has been delayed as potential purchasers resubmit their bids to take account of a proposed tram route through Somers Town, the New Journal has learned.
Successful bidders have been asked by DCMS to submit alternative plans which take account of the Cross River Tram project, which would see trams run from Waterloo and Brixton to Camden Town and link King’s Cross and Euston, and which would pass through Brill Place under one proposed route.
The tram routes were the subject of a TfL consultation last November but results have not been announced. |
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