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Camden New Journal - LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Published: 30 August 2007

Talks with culture department are continuing

• I WROTE to the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport a few weeks ago, seeking a meeting with him on the land at the rear of the British Library which is owned by the department.
I had a meeting with senior officials on August 23 at DCMS premises at Cockspur Street and invited representatives of local tenants and residents and estates to
join me.
Monica Shaw Court and Levita estate (Ossulston TRA) plus a planning officer from Camden and a representative from Somers Town Festival of Culture joined me.
The meeting was very useful. We made it clear that local residents wanted nothing on the site that would cause stress, noise and pollution and that the overall view was that the land should be used for council housing and some leisure facilities including possible housing for key workers.
The DCMS have told us that although the land will be offered for sale the final number of bidders would be kept to a minimum; and that council housing was felt to be one of the better of the uses for the site.
We asked that the final list of bidders present their case to a development control consultation forum prior to any planning application going to the council so that everyone in the area adjacent to the site can be invited to meet the bidders, to hear what they wanted the site for in terms of development.And the potential developers can then hear the definite views and concerns of the local people and whether there would be opposition to the applications.
DCMS have agreed to meet us again over the next few weeks and consultation therefore continues. More details soon. I hope this helps to clarify the situation and what the local ward councillors for St Pancras and Somers Town are doing in this matter to ensure the best possible result for Somers Town residents.
CLLR ROGER ROBINSON
Labour, St Pancras and
Somers Town Ward

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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