West End Letters: Old Middlesex hospital | Stanhope plc | Max Neufeld

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West End Extra - LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Published:3 April 2009

Don’t repeat hospital site mistake

• YOU reported (It’s no to Noho, March 27) the interest in the old Middlesex Hospital site of developers Stanhope plc.
Elsewhere it has been reported that a new owner might intend to change the mix of uses and phase the development over a longer period; this they would be entitled to do provided that any new scheme met the requirements of Westminster City Council’s comprehensive planning brief; the salient features of which are that at least 50 per cent of total floor space shall be residential, 30 per cent of which required to be affordable.
The brief requires the provision of public open space and other community benefits; it also stipulates that any development should respect the character of the surroundings and not exceed five storeys in height.
Regrettably Westminster did not enforce this requirement on the Candys’ scheme on the specious grounds that its quality warranted a departure in from the brief – a grave mistake which must not be repeated.
Alastair Moss, Westminster cabinet member for environment, recently said: “Sustainable economic development demands long term planning not short term panic”.
So Westminster no short-term panic, please, reflecting a temporary credit crisis against the long term sustainable future of this important site and the needs of the local community.
Max Neufeld
Chairman, Charlotte Street Association, W1

Send your letters to: The Letters Editor, West End Extra, 40 Camden Road, London, NW1 9DR or email to letters@westendextra.co.uk. The deadline for letters is midday Wednesday. The editor regrets that anonymous letters cannot be published, although names and addresses can be withheld.
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Letters may be edited for reasons of space.

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