A house representing the final remnants of an 18th to 19th century Islington station is up for demolition.
A planning application to knock down the Junction Road property, which is believed to have been the former station master’s house, has been submitted to Islington Council and prompted outcry from some residents.
Chair of the Better Archway Forum, Kate Calvert, said research indicates the house was built before the 1890s and has also housed Dr Richard Beeching’s chauffeur.
“The people who live in cities are not benefited by development, it’s not for the people who live there, it’s for developers,” Kate told the Gazette. “What cities need is a fine grain of different buildings and styles.
READ MORE: ISHA won’t demolish any buildings on St Mary’s Path Estate after neighbours reject bulldozers in consultation“It would be an enormous shame if it were demolished because if you knock everything down and rebuild it, we will have lost something of that fine grain, that quality of place.”
The applicant, property investment firm Cubitt Greystock, says the house has “serious structural issues that make it unmortgageable”, and a new property would pay respect to the history.
David Gibson, who chairs the Islington Society, said: “We like the environment we live in, people live here because the surroundings are very nice and this is the last reference to the fact that the station used to be here.
“It’s an important fight because it recognises our history.”
A nearby resident, Francis Ware, said the previous owner was an art teacher who had “preserved the interior with character and detail” over 50 years before he passed away.
Amit Green of Cubitt Greystock said: “I care deeply about our urban heritage and my aim is to create new heritage for future generations.
“I know it is rarely done, but it is possible and all of our developments have been award winners.
“Everyone accepts that we need to build more houses in the UK, and in London. The existing land is inefficient –housing a single (wealthy) family.
“We believe that with great design and some thought and architectural sensitivity, it is possible to build more housing for a greater number of families and individuals on the same plot.”
Islington Council does not comment on active applications. A consultation is open until August 9.
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