Slaney Devlin

• I WOULD like publicly to thank the hundreds of people and organisations in Somers Town and the wider Camden community who donated money towards my unsuccessful efforts to stop the council from building a 25-storey tower on Purchese Street Open Space.

Together we raised enough money to cover Camden’s £5,000 adverse costs as well as the court’s own fees. These bills have now been paid.

It has been incredibly moving to be on the receiving end of so many cards, letters, emails and phone calls voicing support. I know that many of the donations have come out of already stretched budgets. So thank you.

I’d also like to thank my barrister, Daniel Stedman Jones of 39 Essex Chambers, and solicitor, Paul Thompson of Temple Bright. They have decided not to charge for their many hours of work, feeling unable to take from a disadvantaged community such as Somers Town.

The Environmental Law Foundation, who put together this team, believe that everyone has the right to participate in decisions affecting their environment. Their support has meant that Camden are now aware of just how unhappy residents are about the Central Somers Town CIP.

Over 1,050 people from our area signed a petition against the development; hundreds have now put their money where their mouth is.

They are concerned about the loss of open space. The council’s own figures say 1,390 square metres will be lost – that’s the equivalent of more than five tennis courts. They are concerned about the loss of trees – 45 individual trees plus five groups (another 46 trees) are to go. They are concerned that replacing trees with buildings is likely to worsen the already poor air quality.

In the next few months St James Gardens and Euston Square Gardens will be turned into HS2 construction sites. Lancing Street playground is also likely to close.

The council’s decision to build on Polygon Road and Purchese Street open spaces at such a time shows just how little importance they place on environmental issues in the Euston area.

SLANEY DEVLIN
Phoenix Road, NW1