"TO DEMOLISH SUTTON ESTATE WOULD BE AN ACT OF VANDALISM:" MISARA CO-CHAIR

Lord Grantley is co-chair of MISARA and has written this compelling objection to the destruction of the Sutton Estate.

If you have still not objected please do so: it is vital we halt the barbarians at our gates. 
The link to the council objection page is HERE and Flora Neville's brilliant defence of the estate can be found in the link in Richard Grantley's letter.

To: Greg Blaquiere, Case Officer

Planning Department

Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea

Dear Mr Blaquiere,

Affinity Sutton - PP/15/04878

I write to object to the proposed demolition of the Sutton Estate for which permission is sought in the above planning application.

1. The proposed redevelopment of the Estate involves a net loss of 146 social rented homes, a net loss of 72 sheltered housing units and a net loss of 2,566 square metres of social housing floor space, contrary to policy CH4 of RBK&C's Local Plan and to policy 3.14 of the London Plan.

2. The existing buildings comprising the Estate are a fine example of 1913 architecture, with excellent design details and materials and an appropriate scale, all fitting well into the surrounding context. They are a highly valued feature of the local landscape. The proposed replacement buildings are hideous and mediocre and would be a blemish on the neighbourhood. It would be an act of vandalism to allow the Estate to be demolished.

To anyone involved in making the decision on this application, I commend as essential background reading the following article "Is it right to regenerate down" by Flora Neville, written for Create Streets (click on the title of the article just over half way down):

http://www.createstreets.com/essays/4589645470#

It is clear that the Estate should be refurbished rather than demolished. The Council may not have the power to compel Affinity Sutton to do this, but rejection of the application would give them a strong message as to where their duty lies.

Yours sincerely,

Richard Grantley