Change of Heart

The UK government has relented over plans to de-list the Commonwealth Institute in Kensington, which would have allowed the destruction of this interesting post-war building, listed Grade II*. Its fine landscape, where Sylvia Crowe used water and trees in a design that was at once bold and serene, would have been built over. (see HGR 14)  
Culture Minister Tessa Jowell told Parliament in February that,“We have no plans to introduce a bill that will give powers to demolish all or part of the buildings on the Commonwealth Institute site.” Instead, the Trustees of the Commonwealth Institute will be encouraged to work with English Heritage on a listed building consent application to be submitted to the local authority later this year.

The Trustees have sold the remains of the 999-year lease back to the head landlord, Ilchester Estates, who in turn have sold to another property company, Chelsfield. The idea is to revert to a 1989 plan under which two new wings, containing flats, will be built to either side of the main pavilion. Profits from their sale can be used in part to finance the restoration of the pavilion and the garden, a project which has been entrusted to the distinguished architect, Norman Foster.
Provided that a use can be found for the pavilion (a museum of Islamic art has been suggested) and that not too much of its surroundings are lost under the new wings, this seems a fair solution.
The government’s U-turn on de-listing is particularly welcome. It is not just that this one site will be saved, but that there has been no breach of the important principle that listed buildings are protected from development.

Gillian Mawrey