Professor Paul Watt has urged caution over demolition and rebuild

• YOU report in last week’s issue that “Camden is currently planning to demolish the West Kentish Town estate… after securing a ‘yes’ vote in a referendum”, (Town Hall told wrecking ball strategy for estates will create areas where only affluent feel at home, March 3).

Let us get this straight. Camden did not ask if we, the residents, wanted the estate demolished. What they asked us was “What do you think is wrong with the current estate?”

Apparently nearly every respondent said flats were too small. Camden took this as us saying we wanted it demolished and rebuilt.

Most people I have spoken to say this is going too far. The flats are acceptable as they are. It would just be nice if they were larger.

Also it turns out that the extra space Camden is going to give us is about two square yards per flat – about the size of one large radiator.

So far they have been very quiet about the costs. [I have seen an (uncon­firmed) indication that implies there is going to be a shortfall of some £8million].

Whatever these turn out to be, they are being increased by continual exhibitions, architects plans, hand-outs, and scale models which show us what the new estate might be like. I questioned one of these and was told, “noth­ing has been fixed yet”.

KEIRAN PROFFER
Allcroft Road, NW5