Camden New Journal

Publications by New Journal Enterprises

Home

Archive

Competition

Camden New Journal - COMMENT
Published: 6 December 2007

Brown’s British Library site decision is a scandal

NOW you see it, now you don’t!
In the summer Gordon Brown pledged a great housing programme for the nation, promising to build on every brownfield site.
While cynics wondered whether there would be enough sites to meet his programme, Brown’s acolytes smugly dismissed any such fears.
But what happens when a golden opportunity of a brownfield site in Camden pops up?
Gordon Brown does – as they used to say – a runner.
The large site, on which could have been built a substantial number of homes, can be found behind the British Library.
When this newspaper first got wind that it was being put out to tender to the highest bidder by the government, we were puzzled.
When we discovered any developer could tender for it – office speculator, housing consortium or anyone with a pile of cash – we pointed out the land had passed into public hands in the late 1940s and as such should be used for what must be the greatest public need today, housing.
In a planning brief of the former Labour rulers at the Town Hall, a mixed development was proposed.
Today’s coalition administration appeared to agree.
We argued the site should be set aside for housing only. The Labour minority swung round to our point of view.
Now, Gordon Brown announced yesterday the site would be handed over to the Medical Research Council. All his promises of yesterday have been swept away.
Making all this even more of a scandal the government cloaked the whole operation in secrecy.
Who tendered for the site? We don’t know. How much did each tenderer offer? Again, we cannot be told. But what we do know is that – extraordinarily enough – the MRC’s bid wasn’t even the biggest in the pot.
This says a lot about Gordon Brown. He has put political gain – the kudos of being able to boast of building a world class research centre on cancer – before desperate public need.
There is one glimmer of hope left. That the Medical Research Council who have been promised the site – assuming the council believe the original planning brief is being honoured – sell their newly acquired National Temperance Hospital in Hampstead Road for a giant housing project.
A super medical research laboratory behind the British Library – rising to seven or eight storeys – could prove an awkward neighbour for the people of Somers Town.
But a land swap involving the National Temperance Hospital would at least make some sense of this scandal.

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.

Comment on this article.
(You must supply your full name and email address for your comment to be published)

Name:

Email:

Comment: