|
|
 |
| |
Kenwood is not a venue for concerts
• INCREASING commercialisation is threatening the Kenwood
landscape. Concerts have taken place at Kenwood for many years
because people like to hear good music in a beautiful setting.
However, the infrastructure to support and stage these concerts
has long been taking over from any sensitivities towards the
landscape – increasingly amplified music, fireworks, more
people, vehicles and structures.
The latest plans include increasing the noise levels, and
the construction of a new stage floating on top of the historic
Thousand Pound Pond.
If this goes ahead the balance between the needs for revenue
and the stewardship of the Iveagh Bequest to maintain the landscape
becomes one-sided. Rather than Kenwood being a setting for music,
the concerts seem to be becoming the raison d’etre for
Kenwood.
And there is little meaningful consultation over this and other
issues at Kenwood. There is a licence application with Camden
Council only for the concerts but no planning application put
forward yet for the proposed new structure.
As the structure is going to be there for more than 28 days
and is in the grounds of a listed historic landscape, it must
be subject to a planning application.
There are as yet no details about the stage from either English
Heritage or International Management Group (IMG) – which
organises the lucrative dates for English Heritage – other
than it will not be bigger than the current structure hidden
on the bank at the back of the Pond and that it will be floating
on the water.
We feel it is imperative that proper consultation should take
place. The new stage would dominate the Thousand Pound Pond
for the entire season of ten weeks, plus however long it would
take to erect and dismantle it – maybe twelve weeks –
in the height of the summer when the majority of visitors come
to Kenwood. No one at English Heritage seems to be interested
in protecting the landscape from such a visual intrusion.
The structure will be visible from all angles and will be in
full view of the House. This view is one of the historic views
of the landscape which will therefore be marred for the most
popular quarter of the year at least.
Considering that views at Kenwood have been one of English Heritage’s
major preoccupations over the years, it seems bizarre –
or just financially convenient – that they want to ruin
one. The impression is that English Heritage is now only interested
in maximising revenue and is allowing IMG to have full rein
with their demands, to the detriment of the Kenwood Estate.
The priorities at Kenwood are upside-down. The paying public
get priority over the quiet majority who value Kenwood for its
less attention-grabbing qualities: a peaceful, green refuge
in the heart of London where one can walk and commune a little
with nature.
Juliet Purssell
Chairwoman
Kenwood Trees
Falkland Road
NW5
|
|
|
|
