down Memory Lane New homes
Sheila Manchester visits a brand new but traditional development in central London.
L
ondon’s housing market continues to defy national and international gloom as house prices, rents and construction all zoom northwards.
The spreading city magnetises buyers with promises of the best jobs, the best lifestyle, the best returns on investment, while the vast choice of housing options ranges from ex-council tower block flats to huge mansions, some ghastly, some gorgeous. New builds crop up on every available
space to meet the ceaseless demand, mostly in contemporary design, often sitting quite well in the environment, occasionally horribly jarring, reflecting Prince Charles’ famous description of a new extension to The National Gallery as, “a monstrous carbuncle”.
36 FEBRUARY 2012 PROPERTYdrum The debate on encouraging modern
architecture rather than trying to match current buildings, with the attendant risk of settling for a poor pastiche, creates planning battles between confused councillors, tetchy traditionalists and defiant developers, but just occasionally, practical factors blend smoothly with aesthetics and a new development instantly becomes a natural neighbour. A perfect example – and a personal
favourite – is Trinity Church Terrace in London SE1. I was lucky enough to grow up there, in the historic Trinity Church Square, one of the finest Georgian squares in this part of London, built between 1824 and 1832 on land owned by the Corporation of Trinity House, whose
Royal Charter was granted by Henry VIII in 1514. It is now a conservation area. The former Holy Trinity Church, which
dominates the square, is now Henry Wood Hall, London’s premier rehearsal and recording venue for orchestras, principally the London Philharmonic. In the garden is a statue of King Alfred, said to be one of the oldest statues in London. My father had lived with his three
brothers and parents in the square since his childhood and our family had the first floor of Number 38, with two sets of aunts, uncles and cousins occupying the second and third floors. In addition to the church gardens in the centre of the square, we had a lovely back garden, with an extra dimension – a door to another world.
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