A drive by owners of office space to make a speculative killing
by converting offices to residential use threatens to strangle a key element of
local planning before it has a chance to get going. Savills, acting for Norman Linton (holdings)
Ltd, have made a ‘prior approval’ GPDO application (2014/2367/P) to convert the
whole of Linton House (39-51 Highgate Road, NW5 1RT) above the ground floor. Although the almost non-existent formal ‘consultation’
closed a few days ago no decision has yet been made. Linton House falls just outside DPCAAC’s
catchment but is very much within a large area zone for employment currently dominated
by Murphys and the medium to long-term future of the site will undoubtedly be a
key element of both the Dartmouth Park and Kentish Town Neighbourhood Forum Local
Plans and, indeed, of the revised LDF.
Striking the proper balance between our need for additional housing and
employment opportunities is, like striking the balance between additional
housing and open space and heritage protection needs, a key task for local
planning. We must not allow piecemeal
speculative change under provisions intended to speed up the planning process
in relation to obviously surplus to requirements isolated office space to undermine
the planning process. The Council should
protect at least its major employment areas with appropriate ‘Article 4 Directions’,
bringing them back under proper development control, certainly until the
community has had a proper opportunity to plan their medium to long-term future. Sadly, the Council having cut its ‘Article 4
Direction’ programme for Conservation Areas, now has to start this work from
scratch. For an idea of the scale and importance of the 'Murphy's site' go to: http://www.dpnf.org.uk/murphy-site/
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