07 Feb 2022

Help save our London premises

We need your support to protect our headquarters

As we reported previously, two large trees growing in our neighbour’s garden have caused substantial damage to our London premises. The cracks visible in the walls of our library as well as the buckling of our gutters have caused concern and, without action, will continue to cause damage to our building and our irreplaceable collections.

9A0E-GetImage.jpg

The trees, visible through both windows upstairs in the library, have caused substantial cracking of the rear wall of our property as well as the buckling of our gutters causing water to leak through the cracks putting our collections at risk. 

Over the past year we have engaged independent experts to examine the trees and the roots. Their findings are unequivocal: the trees must now come down. We are, like our neighbours, sad that this is the only solution to our problem though reassured by arborists to hear that these mature trees are no longer providing an ecological benefit in the community, and that new trees would provide a positive environmental impact if the trees are replaced.

84BC-GetImage.jpg

Left: The two trees grow in our neighbour's garden behind our library, the former home of Ricardo A Caminos. The owners support our application for the trees to be removed. 

The Board of Trustees are determined for Society to remain in its Doughty Mews location, providing a safe space for our visitors, staff, and our collections. Therefore, we have now applied to Camden Council seeking permission for the owners of 8 Doughty Street to remove the trees and, if they wish, to replace them. You can read our application and all the evidence on the Council’s website at https://planningrecords.camden.gov.uk/Northgate/PlanningExplorer/GeneralSearch.aspx. You can then search for the Application Number: 2022/0419/T

We strongly believe that the case speaks for itself, but if you would like to express support for our application you are welcome to do so, and you can do that through the Council’s website before the end of this month. As soon as we know the outcome, I will keep all our supporters informed.

In the meantime, we would like to thank our members for their patience and support over the past few years. Without their donations, we would not have succeeded in working with the experts that have provided the evidence necessary to submit this application. Thank you.

Related topics