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Telegraph
14-05-2025
- Politics
- Telegraph
The nimby row engulfing the ‘two-faced' Milibands
If you were going into battle with developers wanting to build a five-storey block of flats on your street, you'd imagine it might be helpful to have one or two celebrities living in the neighbourhood willing to throw their names behind the campaign. Better still if one of them is in the Government. It might become awkward, though, if that particular neighbour happens to be the Secretary of State with oversight of green energy development, whose party is theoretically on a mission to build 300,000 new homes a year. A row has broken out in Dartmouth Park, an affluent north London enclave which is home to Benedict Cumberbatch and Ed Miliband, about plans to build a block of flats. A developer has filed plans for a block containing a small number of apartments, claiming the project would bring new homes to a brownfield site. But the proposed structure would stand taller than existing, surrounding properties and, as a result, residents have deemed it an eyesore. Many consider it to be too big, too intrusive, and not keeping with the style of properties in the area. Among those objecting is Dame Justine Thornton, Mr Miliband's wife, who voiced her concerns in a letter to Camden Council. She described the proposal as 'too tall, too bulky and too dense for its plot given the context of the surrounding houses and the wider conservation area'. On a sunny Tuesday morning, it's hard to imagine the residents of Dartmouth Park can have too many complaints about where they live. This is something of a middle-class utopia. There is a yoga studio, a deli, an organic wine shop, and an independent butchers on the Milibands's and the Cumberbatches's doorsteps, plus a pub that'll do you a £25 ox cheek and a contemporary rug shop with a sign on the door that urges you to 'use colour to change space'. The housing stock mostly consists of well-maintained, period, privately-owned homes. Many of the houses on the street where the development has been proposed boast four floors and large gardens. There appears to be more wisteria plants than there is social housing. Though the planning row might be a local issue, it's sure to be of interest to Sir Keir Starmer – firstly because it falls in the Prime Minister's constituency, but also because it rather goes against the Labour leader's assertion that Britain needs to be less Nimby, more, as he would put it, 'yimby'. Sir Keir's plan for growth has long centred on his push for new homes. In 2023, he told the BBC his policy was very much 'yes in my backyard', saying he would 'bulldoze' restrictive planning rules, overrule local MPs to build more homes, and restrict councils from stopping developments on under-used urban land. Labour would, he said, get the 'balance right' between the need to build housing and local concerns about developments. Georgian-style town house blocks were to be the thing. 'Gentle urban development' of four to five stories. To give the developers of the Dartmouth Park site their due, the design doesn't look a million miles from that description. A futuristic interpretation of a Georgian town house, perhaps. Earlier this year, the Prime Minister doubled down on his pledge, writing in The Times that he planned to put 'the country's future prosperity ahead of the whims of Nimbys who have been holding us back for too long'. Angela Rayner is now spearheading the Prime Minister's promise to build 1.5 million homes. The developers in Dartmouth Park argue their block would 'deliver new housing on a brownfield site in an accessible location in line with national and local planning policy objectives'. They have said their plans are 'in line with the priorities' of Labour's updated planning guidance. The Government has said brownfield schemes 'should be approved unless substantial harm would be caused'. You can see, then, why Ms Thornton's intervention does seem to contradict Labour's grand plans. Mr Miliband himself has pledged to 'take on the blockers, the delayers, the obstructionists' who he deems to be standing in the way of his green energy development drive. But do the same rules apply when it comes to his own street? The average house price in the borough is £810,000, while the council says there are currently more than 7,600 households on the social housing register. In the street where the development has been proposed, a property sold in January for £3.7m. Mr Cumberbatch, who declined to comment, and his wife Sophie Hunter, an opera director, said in a joint letter to the council that the development would 'disrupt the aesthetic' of the neighbourhood. 'The approval of this planning would set a precedent for the area,' they wrote. When you speak to people on the street itself, it's the height and heft of the planned block that seems to be at the centre of the issue. A little further afield and it's the building's purpose which is the more pertinent problem. 'There is vastly insufficient social housing in this area,' says one resident who has lived in the area for over 30 years. For her, it isn't the style of the building that troubles her so much as the likely make-up of any future residents. 'Camden needs far more social housing than it's got. I would be very unhappy about any development that isn't affordable. I want proper social housing. 'Now, people in this area won't like that because they're all rich, but tough – we need it.' Outside Truffles delicatessen, two long-time local residents, a retired librarian and retired charity executive who asked not to be named, are enjoying a coffee. Their concern, too, is the need to combat the borough's housing problems. 'Most people around here are Labour Left orientated, but come something like this happening…' she shrugs. Her friend chimes in: 'Well, they're champagne socialists,' he says. 'We've got such a level of homelessness and yet renting and buying is still unachievable for people and no social housing is being built.' A source close to Ms Thornton, a High Court judge, has said that in her submission she 'made clear she had no objection to the principle of new housing on the site. She was referring to a specific design.' But critics of the Milibands have been quick to accuse the family of standing in the way of boosting Britain's housing stock. (Mr Miliband himself did not add his name to the objection submitted by his wife and has made no public comment on the proposed development). 'Red Ed joins the not-at-all exclusive club of 14 other serving Cabinet ministers who have objected to housing developments in their areas,' Kevin Hollinrake, the shadow Housing Secretary, said. 'Incredibly, the Energy Secretary has pledged to 'smash the Nimbys' but, as ever with Labour, this is just another case of do as I say, not do as I do.' Speak to people on the street itself and the feeling is unanimous – the proposed building isn't right for this neighbourhood. 'We're hugely against it,' says one resident. 'It's massively overdeveloped. It's a very small site and it's a bigger building than any of the others. It's going to be taller than any of the other buildings. The developers must be some of the greediest developers ever with no sense of community at all and the surrounding area.' Another resident, Portia Holmes, 64, a doctor who has lived on the street for 33 years, says it is purely the height she objects to. 'I don't even mind if they produce something that's exciting and modern, but just not too tall.' And if it were social housing? 'I'm happy for them to build social housing if they want. [...] This is a money spinning exercise – there's nothing noble about it at all.' Some eyebrows on the street have been raised at the more famous names throwing their hats in the ring. 'I get it,' says one resident, chuckling at the idea of the Energy Secretary's wife blocking the build. 'I understand. The irony is not lost on me.' Still, he says, 'it's not right to build something that is going to completely impinge on other people's homes'. A resident in the street behind, whose house stands to be overlooked by the new property, admitted to seeing the irony. 'It's the best joke going around.' Nevertheless, he agrees with her and has made his own submission to the council. 'All the privacy would go. It's really got a very serious impact on us.' At 83, he has lived here for 45 years. He doesn't approve of the way the developers, HGG London, who declined to comment, have referred to the site as brownfield land, invoking Labour's own language around the need to use urban spaces. They argue it will deliver 'much needed two bedroom and family housing provision' in the borough. But it certainly isn't an industrial wasteland – there is a two-storey, 1930s red-brick house already on the site. 'This nonsense with using the terminology brownfield which would normally suggest there has been some industry here, which there certainly hasn't.' While much of the community is in agreement, some tension has arisen around the house currently on the site, which is rented out to a young family. The family didn't want to be named or to comment on the proposed development, but said one local resident objecting to the build had made things difficult for them, assuming they own the property and trying to urge them to get involved in the campaign to block the planned new building when they are in no position to do so. Recently, their nanny was stopped in the street by a man who was 'shouting at her in an accusatory manner, expressing his objection towards the proposed development'. A few streets away, Kyle Donaldson, who has lived in the area for eight years, ponders the design for the block of flats. Does he consider Ms Thornton's intervention to be somewhat ironic? 'Kind of. It's a bit two faced.' He pauses. 'But if I lived on that road I would probably agree with her.'
Daily Mail
14-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Net Zero tsar Ed Miliband's wife joins 'nimby' campaigners against new housing development they claim has too many 'noisy' heat pumps
Prime Minister Keir Starmer has accused 'nimbys' of holding Britain back – but the wife of Energy Minister Ed Miliband seems not to have got the memo. For it has emerged she has joined a neighbourhood campaign against a small block of flats being built near their £3m Victorian home. Even more embarrassingly for Mr Miliband, one of the biggest bugbears of his wife Justine Thornton's fellow campaigners is the multiple 'noisy' air source heat pumps due to be attached to the outside of the controversial development. And the Energy Secretary is leading calls for such heat pumps to be installed on ALL new buildings, even though critics point out they cost several times as much as gas boilers, which face being banned. The dispute has hit the conservation area of Dartmouth Park in liberal north London, where Turkish property developer Dicle Guntas Girman, 36, four years ago bought a 1930s detached house for £1.7m. It lies close to the elegant villa occupied by former Labour leader Mr Miliband, wife Dame Justine, 54, a high court judge, and their two sons – which previously found them accused of living a life beyond the dreams of their electorate when they were revealed to have two kitchens. Ms Girman and her company HGG London Limited have now applied to demolish the £1.7m house, and replace it with a block of flats containing six flats over as many storeys, collectively worth more than £6m. Well-heeled neighbours including actor Benedict Cumberbatch are up in arms – and so is Mr Miliband's wife. Perhaps mindful of her husband's governmental commitment to building 1.5m homes by 2030, however, her formal letter of objection to the plan insists she is not against ALL developments. It's just this one to which she is saying 'Not In My Back Yard'. Dame Justine wrote to the council: 'No objection to the principle of redevelopment into flats particularly in the context of the need for more housing. 'However, the proposed design appears to be too tall, too bulky and too dense for its plot given the context of the surrounding houses and the wider conservation area. 'The nearby Highgate Newtown residential development is a brilliant example of thoughtful design in harmony with neighbouring properties. 'This application presents another opportunity for the Council to demonstrate its commitment to the provision of sympathetically designed housing by acknowledging the benefit of redevelopment whilst rejecting this particular design.' Earlier this year Mr Starmer declared he would put 'the country's future prosperity ahead of the whims of nimbys who have been holding us back for too long', and said he himself was a 'Yimby' – Yes In My Back Yard. The developers of the flats say they could 'deliver new housing on a brownfield site in line with national and local planning policy objectives'. And Labour, in its drive to enable the building of those 1.5m houses, says it its new Planning Policy Framework redevelopment of brownfield sites 'should be approved unless substantial harm would be caused'. Mr Miliband's wife certainly has dozens of fellow opponents however, with arguments demolishing a decent house to replace it does not constitute a brownfield site, and that the block of flats would tower over the Victorian conservation area 'like a Mediterranean hotel complex'. But many are particularly vexed by the six external air source heat pumps planned for the block – just a fraction of the millions Mr Miliband, 55, wants across Britain. Neighbour Karla de Montbel objects to the development's 'increased noise as the heat pumps (6!!) are inadequate for the size and also located too close to neighbours'. And Ruth Liebling says: 'The positioning of 6 heat pumps in an enclosure at ground level would cause constant noise pollution to nearby properties as they are so near to them.' Speaking in his Government role – but perhaps not over the table in either of his kitchens - Mr Miliband has vowed to 'take on the blockers, the delayers, the obstructionists' impeding his 'Net Zero' drive to stop Britons using fossil fuels. Shadow housing secretary Kevin Hollinrake told the Times: 'Red Ed joins the not-at-all exclusive club of 14 other serving cabinet ministers who have objected to housing developments in their areas.'
Daily Mail
13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Sherlock and Homes: Benedict Cumberbatch and Ed Miliband's wife battle plans for £5.6million six storey block of flats near their north London properties
Sherlock star Benedict Cumberbatch has joined a neighbourhood bid to block plans for a new £5.6million six-storey block of flats in north London. The Oscar-nominated actor is among residents in Dartmouth Park urging Camden Council to reject current proposals to transform an existing property called Lamorna - also including former Labour leader Ed Miliband's wife Dame Justine Thornton. Cumberbatch, 48, raised concerns about the planned replacement of the two-storey, redbrick 1930s property currently standing in the district not far from Hampstead Heath. The actor, whose films include The Imitation Game and The Power Of The Dog, has a home in the area with his theatre director wife Sophie Turner. The scheme suggesting the current building be knocked down and replaced with a new six-storey block has been put forward by developers HGG London, the Camden New Journal reported. Responses both in opposition and support have been sent to and shared online by the Labour-run Camden authority which is yet to make a decision on the proposals. A report by BPS Chartered Surveyors for the council estimated the planned six new flats would be worth a total £5.6milion, ranging from £700,000 to £1.4million each. Cumberbatch's submission states: 'Approval would set a precedent. For example, could I now demolish my property and replace it with flats and not require the same extensive planning approval? 'Or worse, the properties located behind this proposal could apply to be demolished with an even bigger property that this proposal is being submitted to form a mega development.' He and his wife provided a letter arguing the new-look building would be out of keeping with Dartmouth Park's heritage. They added: 'You only have to look at the adjacent properties to see the difference in style, materials, colours and feel.' Firms behind the planning application describe it on their website as 'an exciting new residential development'. Maddox Planning, which has been working alongside HGG London, said: 'We are thrilled to present this high-quality project that will deliver much-needed new homes in a well-connected and vibrant area. 'Our team is excited to share with you the innovative proposals we've designed to truly enhance the area, making it an even more attractive place to live.' Among the other critics, however, has been lawyer Justine Thornton, who lives nearby with her husband, the Environment Secretary Ed Miliband. She wrote: 'No objection to the principle of redevelopment, particularly in the context of the need for more housing. However, the design appears to be too tall, too bulky and too dense. 'This application presents another opportunity for the council to demonstrate its commitment to the provision of sympathetically designed housing by acknowledging the benefit of redevelopment whilst rejecting this design.' Other responses sent in by fellow residents include comments such as: 'It must be more sustainable to renovate/extend Lamorna using the existing house and materials to upgrade it rather than the whole process of demolition and construction.' Another contributor said: 'The proposal is oversized, bulky, pretentious and does not fit comfortably in the street scene.' The council was also told in a different submission to its consultation process: 'I have no objections to the proposal to demolish Lamorna. It is an ugly modern house with no character. 'However, the new application to build a block of six flats plus basement is too bulky and will destroy the feel of the place. 'Grant permission if you must but restrict the new development to four floors at most to keep some sort of harmony with the neighbouring houses.' Meanwhile, Camden councillor Camron Aref-Adib said: 'I would like to share my support for some of the concerns raised by residents regarding this planning application. 'My primary concerns relate to the potential loss of light and privacy for neighbouring homes and I ask that planners look closely at such risk, seeking the appropriate mitigations. Another resident who has written in objection to the plans for is lawyer Dame Justine Thornton, pictured with her Labour politician husband Ed Miliband in May 2015 'I seek assurances that the developer will commit to the highest possible standards in minimising carbon emissions during demolition, and to high standards of energy efficiency and environmental sustainability in the proposed new building.' Developers HGG London have said in their application to Camden Council: 'The development is an excellent opportunity to improve the economic, social, and environmental conditions of the area and it is in accordance with the development policies on housing. 'Notably, the development will deliver new housing on a brownfield site in an accessible location.' The proposed new building would 'improve the local townscape' and provide 'much needed two bedroom and family housing provision', the company added.
Times
12-05-2025
- Politics
- Times
Bye, LTNs — glad I helped run you off our roads
In February, I wrote about councillors in the Labour-run London borough of Lambeth being offered a day off, fully paid, 'to recover from the inherent trauma of being weepy, dim-witted, car-hating, leftard wusspots', after locals objected quite vociferously to the council's fascistic imposition of one of these 'Low Traffic Neighbourhoods' that are being rolled out across the country in an ideologically motivated pogrom of the middle classes under the cover of bogus ecology. The same thing was being proposed in my own backyard, I protested, hoping that the cleansing effect of light and air being thrown upon the scheme in the world's greatest newspaper might cause a reversal. And, sure enough, within days of its iniquities being laid bare here, the Dartmouth Park LTN was
The Independent
09-05-2025
- General
- The Independent
A trip to London brought the grief of losing my family flooding back
DARTMOUTH PARK Sometimes we hang onto the memory of people, places or objects To anchor ourselves in the familiarity of the space In which we wish to dangle like a stuck bauble, glittering In our barely changing atmosphere of dwindling oxygen. My London drive of many hours delivered me to the point Of unpicking the ties that bound me to Dartmouth Park By closing down a house in one of three streets that had defined The smell of home from home for almost the length of my life: My ten-year-old self scrambling the lino stairs to a top floor flat In Fortess Road; my twenty-five-year-old self sleeping On the boyfriend's mattress in Laurier Road; the two Long-ago houses I'd sometimes lived in with my long-dead aunt, In the same street as this building once owned by my long-dead brother. So much anticipated – and sometimes disappointed – love Accompanied decades of tube trips and drives to a smudge of London That has been empty of living connections for long enough to let go. The neighbour opened the door to my last goodbye
