Welcome to the story of the dozen families who live in one of Londons' oldest streets.

The stuff of picture books of Georgian England, built before America won its independence, the street survived Nazi bombing and generations of children with no front yard to play in. However, in 2008, the residents, users and friends of the street apparently lost an eight year battle to prevent it being used as a truck route to develop a small patch of land theoretically only accessible down this seven foot wide cobbled lane.

You can read the ups and downs of the story at this site, but look at the pictures and video (or even better, visit) and see for yourself.

Everyone knows that to risk these houses is daft, but the irony is it is the very greed that moticated the purchase of one of London's iffier bits of derelict land that will probably ensure the street's continuing peaceful quietness. Making money from the old railway club can't be done.

Thanks for visiting. If nothing else, its keeping architecture and planning law students in essay material.

 

To begin at the beginning...

A moral (or at least a sound bit of buying advice) "Don't buy anything at auctions unless you're really sure you are getting a good price for something that you not only want, but can also use".

Don't pay over the odds for an unremarkable bit of land you can only cheaply get to down a tiny cobbled lane, for example.

As of the end of February 2008 (and after a huge public outcry), the developers' THIRD attempt at a construction methodology statement was rejected. They appealed and the Planning Inspectorate decided in August 2008 that it was in the public interest to turn this little green street into a truck route. Since then, relative silence, other than an expensive mortgage on a very poorly thought out idea.

To read the history, click around... 

Oh, and yes, it is a very little street. It's a bit wider than most mattresses are long.