By Megan Morgan
Plans to redevelop Murphy’s Yard have been met with opposition by Kentish Town City Farm following plans for new residential builds around the facility that could be under construction for up to nine years.
The Gospel Oak-based farm fears the £1bn development will have a detrimental impact on people’s enjoyment of their space, as well as creating a further class divide between tenants of the new-build and the current residents of Gospel Oak.
The application for Murphy’s Yard outlines plans for up to 825 homes with an additional 95,000 sqm to be used for other uses including employment. The proposal also includes building footprints which highlights plans for residential buildings up to 19 storeys and industrial buildings of up to 8 storeys. eighty-eight percent of the homes will only be one-bed and two-bed flats.
Despite being marketed as affordable by developers, a viability assessment shows that a two-bed flat in one of these buildings could cost between £950,000 to £1,000,000 at the current market prices.
The initial consultation began in July 2019 and has seen an ‘unprecedented number of rejections’. Dan Carrier from the Camden New Journal revealed that 1,500 people have objected to the development plan, with only 12 people backing the idea.
The proximity to the farm and views of the farm would be used as selling points for the newbuilds but the farm, which became an invaluable support network during the pandemic for many within the local community, believes the high-rises will “change so much of what makes the farm so special” once erected.
In a document detailing the farm’s objection to the proposed developments at Murphy’s Yard, Eira Gibson, director of Kentish Town City Farm raised concerns about potential long-term impact such a project would have on people’s enjoyment of the farm.
“The size and bulk of the development is not in keeping with the neighbourhood,” she said. “Beyond the impact to our human friends the building work is likely to affect the wellbeing of our animal residents and the proposed towers will fundamentally change the environment around the farm, impacting on the wind and therefore wildlife we are currently home to.”
The farm doesn’t believe the development is in-line with the rest of the neighbourhood and believes accelerated winds caused by new high-rises would affect the animal wellbeing and human enjoyment within the space.
These concerns are widely shared with other residents and buisnesses who have been pleading with developers to ditch plans “to prevent ruining a genuinely special community”. They believe this development would also effect the open-air swimming facilities at Parliament Hill Lido.
In a statement made to Camden Council, consultee Olivia mentions the proposed development’s effect on the “beautiful and rare” Parliament Hill Lido. “The location of this redevelopment would destroy the view and atmosphere of the lido, which is a place of sanctuary for many, many people,” she said.
“It’s beauty and near-rural location is what makes it so special. I am extremely passionate about my objection to this, and I know that every single [person] swimming at the lido and those who frequent Parliament Hill will be against this proposition.”
John Langan, who was a stockman at Kentish Town City Farm for 35 years, said: “I don’t agree with the intrusive nature of these tower blocks, blocking light to the farm and other local estates and streets, creating windy vortexes affecting the wildlife locally and especially to the farm.” He commemorated farm staff who “have worked hard over the years to manage this unique local environmental experience for our community”.
Langan raises concerns on the proximity of the new-builds to Parliament Hill and believes the heritage view would be disturbed by the blocks. Langan also advocates for more affordable housing in the area. “There’s not enough low rent housing in the scheme, and that seems to be the case for many schemes nationwide,” he said. “It doesn’t seem to be addressing the social need for housing.”
Historic England have also objected the Murphy’s Yard development plans, calling the application harmful and insisting it would potentially have an impact on the setting of a number of nearby listed buildings and conservation areas. Historic England also reiterated others’ concerns about the development having a huge impact on the views from Parliament Hill.
Monty Python’s Michael Palin is among some of the famous faces who have objected the plans. Palin said: “Camden Council’s Cherry Court development was an example of how low-rise blocks work better than towers.” Palin believes the Mayor of London and Camden Council should acknowledge the extra pollution on nearby Gordon House Road caused by the development.
Dartmouth Park Neighbourhood Forum highlights that the proposal provides limited services for young people and lacks environmental credentials. “The development has a very high level of embodied carbon and is expected to have high energy use due to lack of ambitious insulation requirements.” the forum said.
“The developers have not followed good practice for environmental building design, including for natural ventilation and cooling, and will contribute to the heat island effect.”
The forum also mentions a lack of affordable family housing. “There are better ways to provide housing, jobs and facilities; using low-rise, high-density models.”
Claire Proberts-Evans, an employee at Kentish Town City Farm, believes that the plans go ahead regardless despite only 15 people backing the plans for redevelopment of Murphy’s Yard.
This year, Kentish Town City Farm celebrates their 50th birthday, having been first established in 1972 where it became the UK’s first city farm. As a local charity, it provides local residents the chance to interact with farm animals not usually seen in major cities.
The farm has community gardens, a wildlife pond and numerous year-round free activities which provides extensive educational programmes to schools and offers work experience opportunities. The facility also has an approved Riding for The Disabled centre.
A conclusion is expected to be made in the Summer of 2022 about the future of Murphy’s Yard.
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