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Camden New Journal - LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Published: 25 October 2007

Library site sale does not come with ‘conditions’

In August the New Journal wrote to the Prime Minister’s office concerning the proposals for the Brill Place site. Here is the reply.

•AS minister responsible for the British Library and the sale of the land to the north of the library I would like to clarify some of the misconceptions about the sale.
I understand that the Department for Communities and Local Government has answered your questions about planning, so I will not address these points in this letter.
The government announced in 1988 when finalising the scope of the new British Library, that once the project had been completed, any land to the north of the site which was surplus to requirements would be sold.
The majority of this remaining Department for Culture, Media and Sport land is currently occupied by construction managers for the Channel Tunnel Rail Link (CTRL) and Thameslink 2000 who will vacate the site next year, which will allow us to meet the government’s stated commitment to sell the land.
The decision on which bidder to sell the land to will be based on which secures best public value for the taxpayer.
The bids from prospective purchasers will be fully assessed by the department before any decision is made on the sale. The assessment will include, for example, price, any conditions on the sale and track record.
That means, of course, that “price” is just one of a number of factors that will be considered in determining best public value.
As we have repeatedly said, the decision on what is built on the site is not for DCMS to decide, but for Camden Council as the local planning authority. The site is the subject of a planning brief issued by Camden Council, originally dated 2003 but recently incorporated into the adopted Unitary Development Plan.
The planning brief is comprehensive and seeks a mixed use development (a maximum of 50 per cent commercial space) with provision for affordable housing, public open space and community facilities.
This has been actively promoted to all the prospective purchasers in the sales brochure for the site.
I need to be clear that the department cannot sell the land with conditions.
Our sale does not in anyway pre-empt or determine what should be built on the site. What is finally built on the land will be determined by the democratically elected local authority.
This department will have no say in the matter.
The bidders are fully aware that they will need to obtain planning permission for their development through the planning authority.
Local councillors and residents should therefore present their views and concerns to the Camden planning committee.
An initial review of the bids has been held and a number of parties have been invited for interview with a view to announcing a formal shortlist as soon as possible.
MARGARET HODGE
Minister for Culture, Creative Industries and Tourism,
Department for Culture, Media and Sport

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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