Kings College ordered to pause Strand demolition plan

An abandoned tube station, the last Thames-side palace, the remains of a Roman Bath ('Down steps, turn right' reads the sign) and a college building by Robert Smirke, architect of the British Museum. It must be one of the most extraordinary city blocks in London. Which is why the slated demolition of a group of houses in its Strand frontage had caused such an outcry.

Westminster City Council had given Kings College, which owns the buildings, permission to demolish them but, in a dramatic twist on Thursday, Greg Clark, the communities secretary, instructed the college to pause its plans while a public inquiry is considered

The five buildings are not particularly special, the kind of eclectic 19th century grouping that characterises so much of London's streetscape. But they are typical. And more than that, standing between the grey bulk of Kings College's lumpy concrete 1974 Strand block and the exquisite mass of Somerset House, designed in 1775 by William Chambers, they are a reminder of the variegated, small-scale fabric of the historic road that was once the processional route between London's twin centres, the City and Westminster.

Kings College had permission from Westminster Council to demolish the existing buildings to make way for a new £50m scheme but bodies including the Victorian Society and Save Britain's Heritage set in motion a vociferous campaign to save the old structures including a petition which has gathered over 8,000 signatures.

Kings College has form on the demolition of historic buildings. It sacrificed a series of structures in Borough High Street in the London borough of Southwark to make way for a student hotel, while its 1974 block on the Strand was made possible by the demolition of a row of historic houses including some rare 17th and 18th century examples.

Although these latest buildings are not listed, they are significant. James Hughes, from the Victorian Society, told the FT "They're each, in their own way, attractive, characterful buildings and they make a nice, coherent group."

Their variegated facades reveal the narrow plots that once characterised the Strand, dating back to Medieval times, at least. Arguably equally important is the context, the Grade I listed buildings, notably St Mary-le-Strand church that stands opposite, designed by James Gibbs and, of course, Somerset House itself. "These buildings contribute positively to the settings of these Grade I listed buildings," says Mr Hughes.

The college argues, understandably, that the buildings are unsuitable for use by a modern educational institution.

A spokesman told the FT "We are aware of the objections concerning our planning application and have been mindful of the issues they raise throughout the development of the project. Ahead of submitting our planning application we held numerous meetings and follow up discussions with neighbouring cultural organisations, local businesses, politicians and heritage organisations, as well as hosting a public exhibition. We took all the feedback we received on our draft plans into consideration before submitting our final application."

The plan as it stands is to demolish 154-158 the Strand and retain only the facade of the Grade II listed 152-153 but the question, arguably, is how meaningful the retention of this one facade would be.

Earlier in the week, when this FT reporter sneaked in, the interiors were in a sorry state with virtually no historic fabric remaining. Hughes suggests it is "through the buildings' external appearance only that they contribute to the setting".

The proposed designs, by young and well-respected practice Hall McKnight (architects of the excellent MAC arts centre in Belfast) are elegant, understated and considered but the objections have been to the loss of historic fabric rather than their replacement.

These fragments of the historic strand may yet survive.

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