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| NEWS | BY JANE WRIGHT |
 Concerned neighbours: From left, Joe Jacobs, Sophie Silocchi with Maia and Julie Jacobs |
They hope neighbours, who include pop star Boy George and broadcaster Esther Rantzen, will back their opposition to proposals for a home in the garden of grade II-listed Klippan House on the corner of Well Walk and East Heath Road in the Hampstead Conservation Area. Neighbours also fear work could threaten a 100-foot high cedar tree in the garden. After the elderly and eccentric former owner, a Mrs Brockman, and her professional companion both died, the house, valued at £2 million, failed to sell. So executors, whom the New Journal understands are acting for several charities named in Mrs Brockman’s will, have applied to Camden Council to build the two-storey home just yards from the house and tree. Joe Jacobs, who lives in a flat in the attic of the house, said: “They want to dig out the ground to build the lower floor ten yards from the tree, yet it wasn’t even shown in some of the plans. “So I’m worried about the roots and subsidence and I don’t trust them. “This scheme is just to make money. But Mrs Brockman was very protective of the house and would turn in her grave if she knew.” The proposed new house would cause parking problems, he said. Drivers would have to back out onto an accident blackspot in East Heath Road opposite The Priors apartments, where a motorist died two years ago. He said: “It will be incredibly dangerous.” Joe’s wife Julie added that her 19-year-old son Sam had been hit by a motorbike there last year. They hope to enlist support for their opposition to the redevelopment from other, high-profile neighbours, including Well Road resident Boy George and East Heath Road neighbours Esther Rantzen and Nick Mason, rock group Pink Floyd’s drummer. The deadline for comments on the proposals to be made to the council is January 22. Another neighbour, Ann Thomas, added: “They shouldn’t build anything new here. The house has a great history and is well-known in the area. “According to the guidebook Victorian and Edwardian Hampstead, by Alistair Service, it’s ‘one of the best Victorian houses in Hampstead’.” Klippan House was built in 1881 by architect and first owner Ewan Christian, who designed the National Portrait Gallery and 40 churches. Sophie Silocchi, who lives in an upper flat at the house with her husband and daughter Maia, aged 11 months, said: “The plans don’t take into account amenities for the rest of the residents.” The neighbours say a new drive would swallow up the front lawn of the house, which they claim architects’ plans mislabel as gravel, while some of their common space would become a private garden for the new house. Conservationists are backing their campaign. Heath and Hampstead Society vice-president Martin Humphery said: “We have objected. The proposed new building is too close and would block out light. It will also use a large part of the back garden for car parking. “We don’t want Klippan House to be disturbed.” The solicitor acting for the executors, Jeremy Curtis, said: “We’ve employed architects and taken some care. “If we’ve got it wrong, I’m sure Camden Council will point this out to us.” |
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