| Topic: | St Helena's Home 51 Drayton Green - likely to be demolished | Forum Home |
| Posted by: | Graham Weeks | |
| Date/Time: | 25/06/10 09:50:00 |
| From our news section. '110 year old site in West Ealing to be redeveloped From the WEN website Preparation work has begun to demolish a historic building in Drayton Green. However objections have been raised about the plans by Notting Hill Housing Trust (NHHT) to build 30 flats and 6 town houses on the site which occupies almost an acre. St Helena's Home was built in 1896-7 and was run as a women's reformatory by nuns until 1940. It then became a girls' remand centre until 1965. The Chinese Government took over the place until NHHT bought the site for some £3.5 milliion a few years ago. West Ealing Neighbours (WEN) Ealing Civic Society and a number of residents have written to the council objecting to the building being bulldozed. The Council's web site is now showing the words 'Objection Raised' alongside the word 'Decision' in the Planning Application details (PP/2010/1733). WEN and Ealing Civic Society had tried to get English Heritage to list the building and protect it but weren't successful. However the original St Helena's Chapel Chapel now at 53 Drayton Green and owned by the International Presbyterian Church was listed earlier this year. The Chapel was designed by John Ninian Comper and was built in 1912-3' 65-79 it was a convent until IPC bought it. NHHT was offered the big block which IPC could not afford to keep but they did not proceed with alacrity and the Chinese communists bought it. AFAIK it was then unique, a communist embassy with a cross in the front. EH have indeed listed IPC's chapel, something I as a trustee wished the church to contest as I do not believe we were given statutory notice of intent by EH which gives one the time one need s to........ So folks please object IPC will be submitting its own proposals for its share of the site but we are hindered by a listed building now. |