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Mystery tunnels undermine offices
Fitzrovia labyrinth bolsters campaign to halt controversial six-storey development
A LABYRINTH of 19th-century tunnels has been unearthed on the site of a controversial six-storey office development in Fitzrovia.
Bulldozers have grazed the tops of a series of 10ft wide red-brick arches in Evelyn’s Yard, off Gresse Street.
The arches are believed to be part of a hidden warren of tunnels linking pub cellars beneath Tottenham Court Road and Soho.
Archaeologists were investigating Evelyn’s Yard site this week and the conservation lobby groups English Heritage and the Victorian Society are expected to visit today (Friday).
But the site continues to be worked upon and Camden’s Bloomsbury ward councillor Penny Abraham said: “We urgently need help with documenting and inspecting these tunnels, which are almost being demolished as we speak.”
Chris Howard, the chair of the Gresse Street residents’ association, said: “A neighbour of mine spotted the arches when he was having a cigarette by the development. They look Victorian, but we will not know until English Heritage have come to the site. The main problem is that works are continuing despite the discovery.”
The find mirrored a discovery made earlier this year across Oxford Street in Phoenix Gardens, Soho.
The pavement outside the green space “collapsed” leaving a giant hole in New Compton Street. When the dust had settled amazed residents could see a series of red-brick arches, identical to the ones in Evelyn’s Yard, that were later found to be cellars from a former pub that once stood on the site.
Alex Bray, chairman of the Phoenix Garden Association, said: “They were of great historical interest because no one knew they were there.
“It may be that the cellars are linked and were used for transporting barrels of beer.”
The mystery tunnels have boosted campaigners battling to put the brakes on the development in Evelyn’s Yard.
Despite residents winning a successful judicial review case last year, the application was resubmitted by the developers Derwent Valley with minor changes and approved by planning chiefs in the spring.
Nicholas O’Dwyer, who runs the Roxy nightclub in Rathbone Place and opposed the development, is preparing for a second battle with Westminster Council in the High Court.
He said: “Under planning rules an application of this size must have space for residential accommodation on site.
“The developers have got around this by saying they will build a number of flats on a separate site in Rathbone Place. These flats will be right next to a 24-hour sorting office, a busy main road and my nightclub.”
But a Westminster Council spokeswoman last night (Thursday) said: “The council carefully considered the planning application for the development on Rathbone Place for residential flats and offices.
“We are confident that the ongoing judicial review will find that we took into account the local environment when granting this application and acted in accordance with the council’s policies on new developments.” |
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