Is the Maiden Lane Estate Listed?
September 25th, 2011
Somebody typed the heading into Google today and I thought I’d answer the question. Last year some estates in Camden were listed following a recommendation by the C20th Society. Branch Hill and Dunboyne Road but Maiden Lane was left out. I don’t know why, perhaps it’s because it’s the least attractive for want of maintenance, perhaps it’s because it’s the most isolated, perhaps it was considered the least architecturally significant.
The cynic in me thinks that because it’s less than a mile from the Eurostar terminal it would make a good location for a hotel but why on earth would a Tory coalition be supporting property developers? That’s unheard of isn’t it?
There was an article at the time https://www.culture.gov.uk/news/news_stories/7359.aspx
If you want to know more the best place for news is their own estate website maidenlaneestate[dot]org or my own visit to Maiden Lane.
I am sitting in a beautiful dual aspect flat on Maiden Lane enjoying the evening sun reflect on the roofs of St Pancras. It is easily the most beautiful of Camden’s modernist estates designed by Benson and Forsyth and Daniel Usiskin at the tutelage of Neave Brown, Sydney Cook et al in two distinct phases that represent the movement from Corbusian to humanist thinking in 20th century housing, phase 3 is imminent, ask the council about that. The residents committee balloted the entire estate a couple of years back when EH were considering the listing and the overwhelming consensus was that the estate should be made into a conservation area such is its size and status. EH have the power to do this in London but declined to do either that or recommend any of the estate for listing. EH wrote two reports, one of which was withdrawn and neither of which represent the views of many estate residents, the C20th society and the architectural community at large who love it as a beautiful and unique moment in 20th century social housing and a great place to live. If Camden’s estates were a fleet, we would be the flagship, albeit in need of some tlc to address the lack of sufficient cyclical maintenance over the years. Dylan
Dylan, Many thanks for your comment from Maiden Lane. I am always pleased to hear from residents of estates in which I have taken an interest. I look forward to seeing the estate for a second time when it has had a coat of paint which is long overdue, if not already applied. Thank you for taking the trouble to write in. SA