Somers Town needs housing, not a medical centre December 5, 2007
Posted by CamdenKiwi in : Camden , trackbackVacant land behind the British Library will become a medical research centre, despite Government pledges to build social housing on government land, and the wishes of people in Somers Town. There’s a report from the BBC here (Site Found for Medical Centre), and you can see this blogger at the end.
Somers Town has lost about 30% of its social housing over the last 20 years, and has some of the worst health of any area in London. Over-crowding, and a lack of housing for those who need it are serious problems here.
This centre has been approved despite local needs, and despite the planning brief for the area stipulating that at least half of the site must be used for housing. The medical research centre project has already gone awry once, when they bought the site of the National Temperance Hospital on Hampsted Rd and then realised it wasn’t big enough. I’ve little faith in the planning process, but this will be fought.
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How exciting to see you on BBCTV!!! I haven’t managed to get the sound on yet, but I will. I imagine this kind of issue will help to bring the community together, and wish you best of luck with your fight for local housing.
I saw you too.
Overcrowding and poor living conditions are the major contributing factor in TB.
I find it very alarming to say the least that the lab should be placed here, so close to estates and St Pancras International “because of the high incidence of TB”…
I understand that TB, which is highly infectious, is made far worse by overcrowding as you say. But if we can’t persuade the council to build council housing here, research into TB is surely not a bad thing. I believe it’s already happening at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, just down the road.
“Can’t persuade”…..I have little faith in you ever being an effective councillor.
This must be fought with everything we’ve got.
Huh? Why do you think I want to be a councillor?
It seems that builders are starting work without planning permission in defiance of the council’s own planning brief. Gordon Brown has given his blessing on this project and it looks like the government will over rule any decision made by Camden Council.
I think that we should confront Gordon Brown on this.
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