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John Alderton with his wife, Pauline Collins |
Upstairs Downstairs star has a problem with basements...
‘Hampstead conservation area will soon be concreted over’, warns TV star John Alderton
AS Watkins the chauffeur in the cult TV series Upstairs Downstairs, actor John Alderton played a thoroughly modern Edwardian who was thrilled by the era’s technological progress.
But 40 years on from his success in the smash hit show, the actor has turned conservationist and has warned that Hampstead is in danger of being “concreted over” by a rash
of home improvement schemes.
Mr Alderton and his wife Pauline Collins, also an actor, live in Frognal – and have had to put up with years of building work in their street.
Now neighbour Jessica Sokel plans to build not one but two underground swimming pools in a new, joint basement in two neighbouring homes.
Mr Alderton has written to Camden Council’s planning committee objecting to the scheme.
The couple live nearby in an 1889 Grade-II listed home built by well-known Hampstead architect Arthur Mackmurdo.
Mr Alderton said: “The new building at 14a and 14 already massively enlarges the original footprints for these two houses.
“Soon the conservation area will be concreted over. I oppose this application.”
He added that recent guidelines drawn up by planning officers outlining what home owners can and can’t do when digging out rooms beneath their properties would be enough for councillors to dismiss the application.
He said: “In view of Camden’s new guidance on basement proposals, specifically in a conservation area, I hope this large extension to basement plans already given permission will be turned down.”
A statement from the Redington and Frognal Conservation Area Advisory Committee submitted to the Town Hall said the project should be turned down because of fears it would damage a mature sycamore tree on site, it is not covered by the required amount of soil and needs a construction management plan in place to stop any potential problems with builders traffic and heavy machinery.
Architect Richard Webb, who designed the pools, stated in the application that the work would not infringe on others in the street. He wrote: “The proposed pool house has a negligible impact on the conservation area.
“The building will have no effect on amenity, trees, traffic or cause any overlooking or overshadowing.
“Access for all and energy efficiency has also been taken into account.”
Planning officers say in their report for the committee that although the basement is larger than Town Hall guidelines allow, it would have no impact on neighbouring homes once built.
Officers have recommended councillors pass the plans. |
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