New Normansfield Plans will Create 'Serious Overdevelopment'

11.46.19am BST (GMT +0100) Wed 13th Jun 2007

Proposals are being put forward by the private owners of Normansfield Hospital for a large housing development - reportedly as many as 100 new homes. Repeated attempts have been made to secure a commitment to restore the hospital building, which has features which qualify for a Grade 2 listing, and a proposal for a hotel has been discussed.

Vincent Cable MP said: "Residents will be furious when they discover that another big housing development is being promoted.

"Only a few weeks ago other developers put forward proposals for expanding the agreed level housing development in Sandy Lane causing more pressure on schools, parking and other infrastructure. Now there is another big development proposed only a few hundred yards away.

"There is also an issue of bad faith by the owners. The earlier development on Normansfield site took place on the assumption that the owners of the hospital building would renovate it and, perhaps, use it as a hotel. They have allowed it to go to rack and ruin and now appear to want to knock it down to get more houses on the site. Little account is being taken of the historically important features of the building.

"There will be enormous concern in Hampton Wick that developers are simply taking over."