heritagematters

Hi Tim do you have any old photos from those days?

general discussion over blame for the state of the property is getting confused and drifting into complex legal areas. here is a fact: "Demolition attempt: Horizontal slots have been cut in the walls from the bay windows running around the walls for considerable distances. Being cut from the inside, these slots are perhaps 300mm high at the internal wall face and 50mm on the external face. These will have to be made good with a similar type of concrete. Unfortunately, the demolition attempt succeeded in badly damaging the bay windows. In addition the steel/wrought iron beams spanning over the bay window openings have rusted and caused spalling and means this means that the bay windows will need to be completely reconstructed. Some sections of the original piers between the windows can be salvaged and incorporated into the reconstruction.The northwest corner of the kitchen, which has dropped as a result of the demolition attempt, may be salvageable by jacking back to line and level and bonding the cracks. From a report by engineers on Lordship Lane. Any comments on who was to blame for this dwhite? Not vandalism I think. An "inside job" in every sense. Perhaps thats why the pile of blocks were piled inside the gates? Have you "researched" the Wandsworth case yet and found out if it was the same Mr Laxman who was threated will jail in Wandsworth yet?

well im not trying to justify the Council, like any large public body Im sure they are not perfect. But remember, they are public servants acting in our interests, and have done the right thing to secure affordable homes (5 flats for key workers) and save a rather nice building from loss. There are several cases of Council's owning Listed Buildings and selling them off, only to have to CPO them back after they mysteriously seem to fall apart; http://lovingdalston.co.uk/2011/03/new-hope-for-dalston-lane-terrace/ ...oh, one more thing dwhite, this is the same Mr Laxman who was threatened with Jail in Wandsworth? http://ww3.wandsworth.gov.uk/legacy/news/pressreleasedetail.asp?id=6124 I think everyone should read this link before taking any you say too seriously

...all very well to put the record straight but you forgot a couple of points... 1 under Laxmans ownership all the internal floor joists were cut away with a saw to try to get the building to collapse 2 under Laxman's ownership the north west corner was deliberately pulled outwards to try to get the building to collapse no doubt these acts of vandalism to an historic building were by "unknown parties" and Laxman did everything he could to secure the site?? ....well he did. even dropping a huge pile of concrete blocks just inside the gates off Lordship Lane to prevent access. Wonder why he did that? or was that to stop the people who cut away all the floor joists getting? ...oh, and you forgot to mention the two extra flats Laxman built in the White Gothic House without planning consent and that fact he built it lower to try to squeeze them in. Oh maybe those were only minor matters so they are not really important? Come on, were not as stupid as you think.

I can respect your views but personally, I disagree. for me there is a massive added value to social housing when its bringing back to use a part of our history and heritage the story the building tells is the real story of how concrete developed. thats like the value of a sketch by a respected artist - imperfect but perfect for all that. in my opinion, a cracking good building. let it be restored!:))

...i take it your not a fan of concrete then?

..and a technology which was lost when the Romans' left Britain, hence 'new'. you have your opinion but I dont think most people here share your views. ...presumably you would say our Cathedrals are a monumerntal waste of time to upkeep, most of which took a generation to build and using technology which was, in your enlightened view, a monument to british church building incompetance because the way cathedrals were developed was only learned by trial and error after many collapses.

Dear all Southwark Council have taken considerable risk in securing this building enabling its conservation and re-use and deserve congratulations, not least for saving it for the nation and arranging it to be taken on by a Housing Association to provide much needed affordable homes. The building is iconic of Victorian endeavour and technical innovation filling an important place in the history of the development of concrete technology in the World, but also exploring the relationship of architectural style with the 'new' material which would, in the next century, find its own style in the simplicity of the Modern Movement in Architecture. It matters to keep it for future generations to enjoy its picturesque presence alongside St Peters Church, probably by the same architect Charles Barry Junior whose father designed the Palace of Westminster alongside Pugin. Without our heritage we would have no frame of reference or sense of identity as a people, just visit other countries to see how rich our heritage is. Its a cracker in every sense!!:)