Camden New Journal - News: Campaign to save tunnel fails

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Camden New Journal - by DAN CARRIER
Published: 23 August 2007

Campaign to save tunnel fails

A VICTORIAN brick vaulted tunnel that runs through the heart of Camden Lock is going to be lost to the public forever, a leading heritage body has warned following a controversial decision by the Town Hall’s planning committee.
On Thursday, the council gave permission for revised plans to turn the former Jim Henson Muppet factory in Oval Road into a homes and office complex.
Last year, permission had been withdrawn after it emerged that building works would mean a set of stairs leading to the sub-terranean vaults would be sealed forever – but a revised scheme has now been waved through.
The Horse Tunnels snake from Oval Road underneath a swathe of Victorian industrial buildings. They were used to move goods and horses from quays along the canal to railway depots in Chalk Farm.
Camden Railway Heritage Trust’s Peter Darley, who spoke at the meeting, said the altered plans – which made the tunnels part of an entrance to the developments social housing block – would not secure the future of the tunnels for the public. He said: “You have to question the agenda of planning officers. In July 2006 they gave approval to something they should never have given the nod to, and this new design is still not satisfactory. This is a listed building and needs to be maintained.”
He added that he hoped to meet with developers and try once more to persuade them to change the plans to ensure the public will be able, one day, to go into the horse tunnels via Oval Road.
But developer Chris Shaw said the outcome preserved the steps in to the tunnels and was the best outcome.
He said: “One of the problems is you cannot safely walk through the tunnels anyway. They are semi-derelict and owned by around five different businesses who sit above them.”
He added work would start as soon possible and should take between a year and 18 months to complete.

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