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Camden News - by DAN CARRIER
Published: 2 October 2008

The 1970s bungalow located in Frognal Way

Bungalow plan is flawed, insist its neighbours

Anger at proposals for high-tech homes

IT’S a favoured haunt of architects and students of modern design. But plans to build two high-tech homes in a Hampstead cul-de-sac renowned for its quirky contemporary homes is facing massive opposition from neighbours.
The government’s planning appeal inspectors will this week decide whether to overturn a Town Hall decision to stop developers demolishing a 1970s bungalow in Frognal Way and replacing it with two modern family houses.
Camden Council threw out the application last summer, saying the five-bedroom houses were too big. Planning officers said they would ruin views from nearby St John’s Hampstead parish churchyard and affect the look of neighbouring Church Row.
The bungalow earmarked for the wrecker’s ball is next door to 1940s singing legend Gracie Fields’ 1930s villa. It was designed by renowned architect Philip Pank and includes a swimming pool.
Neighbouring homes were built in a piecemeal fashion throughout the 20th century, and alongside Ms Fields’ house is a studio owned by arts and crafts designer CHB Quennell.
English Heritage refused to list the brown-brick bungalow last year but said it was “of local importance”. They added: “It makes a positive contribution to the character of the conservation area as a good example of an architect-designed house, which complements the remarkable houses of earlier decades in the street.”
The plans attracted fierce criticism when they were first made public and now residents in Church Row are calling for the appeal to be thrown out. Church Row Residents Association chairman Gillian McAndrew said it would ruin a haven for wildlife.
“The area is heavily built-up,” she said. “It has a spacious garden and beautiful trees, enhances the vicinity and provides a glorious view of the back of the Georgian terrace in Church Row. This would be grossly intruded on.”
Ms McAndrew added that a planned underground car park could lead to flooding because of underground water courses.
Colin Power, the architect behind the new homes, said in a statement that the new homes would improve the look of Frognal Way and were not out of character.
“The street is quirky and esoteric,” he said. “The mix of styles, the generally spacious layout and the road surface make this informal and extremely interesting.
“It is intended to greatly improve the accommodation on the site, both qualitatively and quantitatively.”

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