Statement from Camden Civic Society on British Museum Extension approval

Release from Camden Civic Society 18th December 2009

Last night (17.12.09) Camden Council's Development Control Committee approved the British Museum's revised extension scheme application by 9 votes to 3.

The Camden Civic Society object strongly to this scheme because of the great harm it will do to the Museum's existing magnificent Grade I listed buildings. We also object to the damage it will do to the setting of other listed buildings and the character of the Bloomsbury Conservation Area.

We are very disappointed by the decision but would like to thank the organisations and individuals who fought alongside us. The organisations are first and foremost the Bloomsbury Conservation Area Advisory Committee but also include three "statutory amenity societies" - the Georgian Group, the Twentieth Century Society and the Ancient Monuments Society - and an independent nationwide group, SAVE Britain's Heritage.

Although we accept that the discussion last night was fair, we are very unhappy about the advice that Camden has received, in particular from English Heritage. Together with Bloomsbury Conservation Area Advisory Committee we have made a second formal complaint to English Heritage about the Advice to about on both the original and revised British Museum applications.

Together with the Bloomsbury CAAC, we shall also now be asking the Secretary of State, Department of Communities and Local Government, to "call-in" the revised application, that is, to refer it to an Inquiry.

One good result of yesterday's meeting was an agreement that Camden's Scrutiny Committee would look at Camden's relationship with English Heritage and the service EH has been providing to Camden.

Camden turned down the Museum's original extension scheme in July. In our opinion, none of Camden's Reasons for Refusal have been met by the revised application.

Following the refusal in July, the Museum made one substantive alteration to its scheme but otherwise did not rethink it. Instead, it appears to have opted to fight a Public Relations battle. Since we have no funds, and on principle are objective and accurate in our campaigning, this was a battle we were not equipped to fight.

hero@granger-taylor.com
020 7387 1731

Martin Morton, chairman,
Camden Civic Society,
32 Hillway,
London N6 6HJ,
Tel 020 83405972
ml.morton@btopenworld.com