Climate Impact Row Over Plan To Rebuild 60s Estate In London

A conflict between saving carbon and building better homes has broken out on a groundbreaking 1960s council estate in London.

- Robert Booth

The London borough of Camden is planning to raze and replace the West Kentish Town estate, which was built almost 60 years ago. It says the homes are too small, the concrete panel buildings are dilapidated, and most residents want new homes.

But a rival plan backed by some residents to retrofit the homes proposes adding insulation, reconfiguring internal walls and adding balconies to produce a climate impact estimated at six times smaller.

The masterplan for the new estate has been drawn up by the architects All ford Hall Monaghan Morris, the firm of Simon All ford, the president of the Royal Institute of British Architects. The rival scheme has been devised by Alice Brown, who was funded to do so by the Riba.