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We have found English Heritage a poor champion
• I SUPPORT Peter Richardson commenting on Paddy Pugh’s Forum article about Smithfield (Question mark over Heritage, November 29).
We in Camden have recently found English Heritage a poor champion of our historic buildings. In particular great difficulties have been created for conservation area advisory committee and others, including the council itself, when EH has produced advice appearing to support developers at the expense of those buildings. Recent cases where the Camden Civic Society has found itself in opposition to EH include the latest “improvements” at the British Museum and the York and Albany Tavern in Parkway. The latter is part of John Nash’s Regent’s Park scheme and was designed by him. If the scheme originally approved by EH has been implemented we would have been left with a historically empty shell with glass-fronted infilling on both sides. Fortunately Camden Council had higher standards and encouraged the owners to withdraw their application.
A new owner has carefully restored the building, using a scheme commissioned by the society. If Mr Pugh’s Smithfield article marks a move by EH’s London Division to become more actively involved in saving “good” buildings we are glad. But we fear that local confidence in them has become so low as to be “at risk”, and itself in need of urgent restoration.
MARTIN MORTON
Chairman
Camden Civic Society, N6
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