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31/01/03
Greenside Saved - Courts To Quash
Demolition Order
In December the C20th Society took
the unusually courageous step of issuing Judicial Review
proceedings against Runnymede Council’s decision
to grant listed building consent for the complete demolition
of a major modern movement house - Connell Ward Lucas’s
Greenside, at Wentworth in Surrey. To do this the Society
had to draw on the support of their members whose individual
pledges of financial support for legal costs flooded
into the office as the word was spread by e-mail.
Now, in advance of the proceedings,
Runnymede has decided to concede, and offer no defence
of their position. This means that they accept that
their original decision "erred in law". The
owner still has 21 days to decide if he wishes to challenge
the Society on his own, however the Society has been
advised that his chances of success are extremely slim.
This is a great result not just for
the C20th Society, but also for the whole of the conservation
movement.
The members of Runnymede’s planning
committee had overridden the advice of the C20 Society,
English Heritage, the Ancient Monuments Society, and
even their own planning officer. They had also completely
disregarded the government advice (given in PPG15 "Planning
and the Historic Environment") and granted consent
for the demolition of Greenside without the applicant
making a decent case for demolition in the terms laid
down by government (in exceptional circumstances listed
buildings may be demolished if they are in very poor
condition or there are other specific reasons why alternative
uses of the site may be justifiable—making sure
this is argued with the utmost rigour is absolutely
central to the whole of conservation legislation in
this country).
Once the decision has been quashed,
then the listed building consent application originally
submitted to the council last year, will be once again
up for consideration by the Runnymede Planning Committee.
The Society hopes very much that this time round they
will refuse consent.
This is the only justifiable decision given the architectural
and historic importance of the building and its potential
to continue in use as a very serviceable and attractive
single-family house. If however, Runnymede Council persists
in granting consent again, the Secretary of State can
still call in the application for a public inquiry,
and the C20 Society will press most strongly for this
to happen.
The C20th Society is confidant that
the condition of the building is basically sound and
that refurbishment costs would be modest in comparison
to the end value of the property once it is fully restored.
It is exactly the sort of building for which there is
growing appreciation and demand.
Society Director, Catherine Croft
said of the decision;
"This action was a big step for
us to take, and we are delighted with the result so
far. We couldn’t have done it without the support
of our members and the general public. It goes to show
that there are many people who care about modern buildings,
and don’t consider them to be eyesores."
For more information or to arrange
an interview, please contact;
Catherine Croft on 07808 168 489 or
Cela Selley Co-ordinator C20 Soc on 020 7250 3857
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