Save Bloomsbury

02/05/2022

The problems themselves are clear to all - but what ties them all together, and why does it seem so inevitable and impossible for those problems to be fixed?

http://savebloomsbury.co.uk/2022/05/02/may-5-elections-will-anything-change/

The problems themselves are clear to all – but what ties them all together, and why does it seem so inevitable and impossible for those problems to be fixed?

30/10/2021

Round-the-clock work by planners and conservationists is becoming increasingly farcical as recent enforcement surveys indicate the majority of buildings in Bloomsbury have been illegally altered over the past ten years.

http://savebloomsbury.co.uk/2021/10/30/planning-lawlessness-as-camden-fails-to-investigate-hundreds-of-illegal-alterations-to-historic-buildings/

Round-the-clock work by planners and conservationists in Bloomsbury is at risk of becoming a farce as the BCAAC’s recent enforcement surveys indicate the majority of buildings in Bloomsbury h…

23/08/2021

Camden has breached its constitution for the third time in three months. But nobody in Camden seems to care or even know.

http://savebloomsbury.co.uk/2021/08/23/camden-breaches-its-constitution-for-third-time-in-three-months/

Over the course of three months Camden’s planning department has breached the local authority’s constitution three times, illegally approving planning applications without the mandatory…

09/08/2021

For the first time since the extinction of the dinosaurs the national public body charged with protecting our historic environment has objected to a planning application in Camden.

http://savebloomsbury.co.uk/2021/08/09/historic-england-pull-their-finger-out-for-selkirk-house/

For the first time since the extinction of the dinosaurs the national public body charged with protecting our historic environment has objected to a planning application in Camden.

27/07/2021

The enormous redevelopment scheme at 330 Gray's Inn Road is the latest inappropriate planning application to have been rubber stamped by Camden's Rubber Stamp Committee, sometimes also known as the 'Planning' Committee. As usual, multiple objections were received from significant and insignificant consultees alike, all of which were completely ignored by Camden's planners in recommending the scheme for approval. Camden invited the Bloomsbury CAAC for a 'walkabout and workshop' with the architect, with a Camden conservation officer and a planning consultant also in attendance....

http://savebloomsbury.co.uk/2021/07/27/330-grays-inn-road-tower-rubber-stamped/

The enormous redevelopment scheme at 330 Gray’s Inn Road is the latest inappropriate planning application to have been rubber stamped by Camden’s Rubber Stamp Committee.

11/07/2021

Camden's 'public engagement' is a total farce. What can be done to take back control?

http://savebloomsbury.co.uk/2021/07/11/camdens-public-engagement-is-a-total-farce/

Camden’s public engagement is a total farce. What can be done to take back control?

24/05/2021

Love them or hate them, it is looking increasingly likely that the Conservatives will be the only party to mount a convincing challenge to the Labour ignorocracy at the local elections in 2022. Over more than a year I and others have been in frequent contact with the opposition parties in Camden on controversial matters in Bloomsbury, and to discuss longer term issues that could be resolved with political or legal action....

http://savebloomsbury.co.uk/2021/05/24/the-conservatives-are-likely-bloomsburys-only-hope-in-2022/

Love them or hate them, it is looking increasingly likely that the Conservatives will be the only party to mount a convincing challenge to the Labour ignorocracy in 2022.

23/05/2021

Concerns have been raised by a number of officers and councillors that Camden has been approving the majority of planning applications without even reading them fully, due to unprecedented planning demand. A number of planning officers have reported having such high caseloads during the COVID pandemic that they are unable to look at the detail of an application before approving it....

http://savebloomsbury.co.uk/2021/05/23/camden-blindly-approving-the-majority-of-planning-applications-with-delays-of-months-and-years/

Camden has been approving the majority of planning applications without even reading them fully, due to unprecedented planning demand.

15/05/2021

Camden refuses application for a disabled couple's lift as causing 'too much harm' to a Grade II terrace. But weeks later a glass conservatory at the Grade I Bedford Square is recommended for approval.

http://savebloomsbury.co.uk/2021/05/15/outrage-as-camden-recommends-bedford-square-glass-extension-for-approval/

Camden refuses application for a disabled couple’s lift as causing ‘too much harm’ to a Grade II terrace. But weeks later a glass conservatory at the Grade I Bedford Square is rec…

10/05/2021

'The Door Wars': Residents Prevail over Camden Council in Lengthy Battle over Pointless Door Replacements

http://savebloomsbury.co.uk/2021/05/10/the-door-wars-residents-prevail-over-council-in-battle-over-pointless-door-replacements/

Residents of a housing block in Red Lion Square have prevailed over the council in a battle over ‘mandatory’ door replacements to their homes.

08/05/2021

A coalition of community associations and politicians led by a Bloomsbury resident has made a £425,000 bid to install CCTV and create a ‘digital neighbourhood watch’ across Camden’s Central London area.

http://savebloomsbury.co.uk/2021/05/08/425k-funding-bid-for-safer-streets-in-central-london/

A coalition of community associations and politicians led by a Bloomsbury resident has made a £425,000 bid to install CCTV and create a ‘digital neighbourhood watch’ across Camden’s Central London …

03/05/2021

Bloomsbury skyscraper developers reject negotiation and instead offer large opposition group a 'chance to have a say on street level gardening'.

http://savebloomsbury.co.uk/2021/05/03/bloomsbury-skyscraper-developer-taking-council-and-residents-for-fools/

Bloomsbury skyscraper developers reject negotiation and instead offer large opposition group a ‘chance to have a say on street level gardening’.

23/04/2021

Veolia Caught Fly Tipping

Veolia's operatives have this afternoon been implicated in a fly-tipping incident on Judd Street in King's Cross.

http://savebloomsbury.co.uk/2021/04/23/veolia-caught-fly-tipping/

Veolia’s operatives have this afternoon been implicated in a fly-tipping incident on Judd Street in King’s Cross.

23/04/2021

A family in King’s Cross fear they will be forced out of their historic home after planners rejected an application for a lift at the rear of their property, claiming it would cause too much ‘harm’ to the heritage of the building. Lucy, 62, and Andrew, 71, bought the listed Georgian terrace on Regent Square for their extended family after retiring in 2014....

http://savebloomsbury.co.uk/2021/04/23/the-georgians-didnt-have-lifts-disabled-man-could-be-forced-out-of-home-following-rejection-of-planning-application/

A family in King’s Cross fear they will be forced out of their historic home after planners rejected an application for a lift at the rear of their property.

14/04/2021

'Business as usual' as Camden's Veolia sweepers are spotted 'sweeping aisles' for new TVs during working hours.

http://savebloomsbury.co.uk/2021/04/14/veolia-sweepers-found-shopping-for-tvs/

With the lifting of lockdown, customers have returned to London’s commercial centres in surprising numbers, with Oxford Street looking just as packed as usual on the very first Monday of rest…

01/04/2021

Camden Council have today announced that they will be cutting a number of heads of staff in response to significant funding pressures.

http://savebloomsbury.co.uk/2021/04/01/camden-to-cut-heads-of-staff/

Camden Council have today announced that they will be cutting a number of heads of staff in response to significant funding pressures.

28/03/2021

South Camden News Site in the Pipeline

In response to popular demand I have this week been working on a news site for the three South Camden Wards.

http://savebloomsbury.co.uk/2021/03/28/south-camden-news-site-in-the-pipeline/

In response to popular demand I have this week been working on a news site for the three South Camden Wards.

17/03/2021

In an horrific act of urban vandalism, the former Royal Free Hospital on Gray's Inn Road has been almost entirely demolished, as part of an application granted by Camden Council last year. The approval for the demolition of the hospital was granted in the face of huge opposition from local groups and Historic England, who usually reserve objections for the most severe of cases....

http://savebloomsbury.co.uk/2021/03/17/beautiful-victorian-hospital-destroyed/

In an horrific act of urban vandalism, the former Royal Free Hospital on Gray’s Inn Road has been almost entirely demolished, as part of an application granted by Camden Council last year.

16/03/2021

Camden were taking years to act on environmental health, listed building breaches, and street cleanliness problems on Calthorpe Street in Bloomsbury.

So we went out and fixed it in a day.

http://savebloomsbury.co.uk/2021/03/16/how-to-get-stuff-done-in-camden/

Camden were taking years to act on environmental health, listed building breaches, and street cleanliness problems on Calthorpe Street in Bloomsbury. So we went out and fixed it in a day.

15/03/2021

High Court found Camden is illegally discriminating against the elderly and disabled in Bloomsbury.

But Camden have ignored the ruling, and now further legal action is being pursued against them.

http://savebloomsbury.co.uk/2021/03/15/utag-in-court-case-against-camden-council/

High Court found Camden is illegally discriminating against the elderly and disabled in Bloomsbury. But Camden have ignored the ruling, and now further legal action is being pursued against them. U…

14/03/2021

Belgrove: Write to your MP and Secretary of State

We need your help to secure a call-in for the Belgrove House Monstrosity at King's Cross St Pancras

http://savebloomsbury.co.uk/2021/03/14/belgrove-write-to-your-mp-and-secretary-of-state/

Write to the MP and Secretary of State!

06/03/2021

The Future of Save Bloomsbury: A 'Camden Voice'?

Conservation, community, news, tech... how can all these things be made into something useful and influential? I argue that a grassroots 'Camden Voice' could be the way forward.

http://savebloomsbury.co.uk/2021/03/06/the-future-of-save-bloomsbury-a-camden-voice/

Conservation, community, news, tech… how can all these things be made into something useful and influential? I argue that a grassroots ‘Camden Voice’ could be the way forward.

04/03/2021

Fast New Camden Planning Search

Camden's servers have been down for days. So I made a planning search that's 100 times faster and lets you know if you can access documents.

http://savebloomsbury.co.uk/2021/03/04/fast-new-camden-planning-search/

Camden’s servers have been down for days. So I made a planning search that’s 100 times faster and lets you know if you can access documents.

28/02/2021

To all of the 4 current likers of this page.

You know what SB is about, and why people need to read its articles.

Please help me by sharing my posts and getting people to like this page. I don't usually use Facebook so I have no friends to get this started!

https://savebloomsbury.co.uk/2021/02/28/the-future-of-save-bloomsbury/

28/02/2021

The Future of Save Bloomsbury

I want to know what you think I should write about.

http://savebloomsbury.co.uk/2021/02/28/the-future-of-save-bloomsbury/

Where to go with Save Bloomsbury? I want to know what you think I should write about.

26/02/2021

The Belgrove House Monstrosity has been minded for approval by Camden Council, in a fiery meeting which saw outbursts against the 'disgraceful' and 'arrogant' design of the development.

A call-in request to the Secretary of State has been made.

http://savebloomsbury.co.uk/2021/02/26/belgrove-minded-for-approval-in-fiery-meeting/

Belgrove House has now been minded for approval in a fiery meeting which saw outbursts against the ‘disgraceful’ and ‘arrogant’ design of the building. Camden will now rush …

25/02/2021

Belgrove Hearing online Now

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NbvlKEe46Ms

Belgrove will be heard by the Council in a few minutes online here. Tune in to watch if you are interested. We have two deputees attending the meeting.

http://savebloomsbury.co.uk/2021/02/25/belgrove-hearing-in-a-few-minutes/

Belgrove will be heard by the Council in a few minutes online here. Tune in to watch if you are interested. We have two deputees attending the meeting.

24/02/2021

Hooded man threatened to stab me outside my home.

Police say it's because I offended him and because of sensitivity around Black Lives Matter.

They then release him without charge.

http://savebloomsbury.co.uk/2021/02/24/man-threatened-to-stab-me-outside-my-home-police-release-him-without-charge/

Man repeatedly threatened to stab me and my partner in the head outside our homes. After police catch him, he’s released without charge.

24/02/2021

Camden Demand £8.6M for Belgrove House Fake Labs

In an incredible series of statements, Camden's planners both commend the design of Belgrove House and demand an £8.6M payment in return for approval of the application.

http://savebloomsbury.co.uk/2021/02/24/camden-demand-8-6m-for-belgrove-house-fake-labs/

Now that the planning application can be scrutinised, Merck’s ‘world-leading research centre’ contains no labs whatsoever. And in an incredible series of statements, Camden’…