|
|
 |
| |
Suzi Malin with daughter Angelica |
Brushed aside by a school extension`
Leading portrait painter pledges to fight development that ‘will wreck her light’
A PORTRAIT artist whose subjects have included Elton John, David Hockney and the Queen of Greece fears her studio is under threat from plans to expand the school next to her work space.
Suzi Malin, whose work hangs in the National Portrait Gallery, said plans to enlarge Emmanuel Primary School in Mill Lane, West Hampstead, will wreck the natural light currently streaming into her studio.
She has spent two decades placing famous visages on to canvas at a former Quakers Meeting House next door to the school.
The Town Hall agreed – subject to planning permission – to expand the school at a meeting of senior councillors last Wednesday.
The £8million scheme will see the school’s intake grow from classes of 15 pupils to 30 with a new extension.
It will take up a site that was bought up and earmarked for a new school 40 years ago. A gardening project and a nursery will make way.
Mrs Malin said: “I am trying not to feel sorry for myself and to remain optimistic and in fighting spirit, but I am absolutely shattered and heartbroken that the council can ride roughshod over my rights and my life. They are bullying me out of my own property and the living that I have built up from there over 23 years.”
The artist described the studio as her “spiritual home” and also said the decision would hit the cultural life of London.
Mrs Malin added: “There are precious few portrait painters, few working artists in the capital and fewer good artists’ studios. I will be overlooked by 200 schoolchildren as I work and the school’s games court will be within 12 feet of where I work.”
Her stance has been backed by the National Portrait Gallery’s chief curator Jacob Simon. He said: “Suzi has nine portraits in the National Portrait Gallery. Her works in the collection extend over 30 years of creativity. She is continuing to produce highly important work and her contribution as an artist is as greatly valued as ever.”
The scheme has also been severely criticised by the Mill Lane Action Group, a residents body based in the area.
But the school’s chairman of governors, John Ward, who spoke at Wednesday night’s cabinet meeting in support of the plans, reminded councillors of the positive effect he thought a bigger school would have on families living in the area.
He said: “We strongly believe an enlarged school would better meet the needs of the community and its pupils. To continue to provide an outstanding education, the school needs more modern and extensive facilities than we can offer at the moment.”
Conservative education chief, Councillor Andrew Mennear, said: “It is an outstanding school and extremely popular.
“Many families will welcome this decision. The biggest benefit is it will tackle the problems many families living in West Hampstead and Fortune Green have in finding primary school places.”
The scheme cannot begin until planning permission is granted – a decision which will be taken on design grounds by councillors sitting on the cross-party planning committee. |
 |
|
|
|
Your comments:
|
| |
|
|
|
