Camden News: Hampstead Heath | Fitzroy Farm | Millfield Lane | Fitzroy Park | Mary Cane

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Camden News - by SIMON WROE
Published: 22 May 2008

Protesters at the Town Hall last Thursday

Planned route to farm site rejected

Town Hall tells developers to ‘go back to the drawing board’ following protests

PLANNING chiefs have thrown out plans to turn a quiet path on the fringes of Hampstead Heath into a construction highway.
The owners of the proposed multi-million pound development at Fitzroy Farm in Highgate were told to go back to the drawing board and find another route for the 24-tonne trucks used to transport debris and building materials to and from the site.
It is estimated by protesters that around 16,000 lorry trips would have rattled along Millfield Lane and Fitzroy Park, the tree-lined mews opposite the Ladies’ Swimming Pond mainly used by dog-walkers and Heath goers rather than heavy duty vehicles.
Objectors lined the public gallery at Town Hall on Thursday night as councillors reviewed the proposals.
Mary Cane, chair of the Ladies’ Swimming Ponds, said: “It is a danger to life and limb and will damage the whole ethos of the environment.”
Highgate Green councillor Alex Goodman said it was clear the noise and pollution caused by the plan would “harm the character” of the area.
He added: “This is an exceptionally sensitive area enjoyed by many thousands of people – it is them you must think of when you make this decision.”
The campaign against the application has attracted the support of hundreds of angry residents and celebrity supporters including actors Tom Conti and Terry Jones, the Monty Python star.
Millamant Ltd, the applicants, reminded councillors the planning application for Fitzroy Farm – a blueprint for a house nearly three times as large as the existing building, complete with double storey basements – had already been approved.
Mark Hartnett, speaking on behalf of the developers, said: “I’m not going to sit here and pretend the circumstances are ideal but we have to deal with the circumstances that exist. The construction must be approved, whether it is this one or another.
“You have to be satisfied that there is a better alternative than that proposed.”
The developers had previously stated the increased plans would lead to improvements to the road as they would pay for widening and resurfacing.
But Liberal Democrat councillor Flick Rea dismissed the claim as “absolute rubbish”, adding that the committee did not have to accept a management plan if it did not pass muster.
Campaigner Harley Atkinson warned the owners they would have to start listening to residents if they hoped to win their application in the future.
He said: “There are certainly things they could do to make it better.
“They have never consulted with us. It is a very difficult site but they have not yet done their best.”

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