Dollis Hill House Demolition

The Secretary of State has finally given permission for Dollis Hill House to be demolished.  I know this still upsets many who have campaigned long and hard for the House to be restored.  But I really do believe that everything that could have been tried has.

This is a short timeline of all the different attempts that have been made (taken from the Planning report last year):


1994 June Declared surplus to needs by Council.

1994 October Proposal by Whitbread PLC for reuse as a public House restaurant was resisted

by a significant lobby of local residents.

1995 June First arson attack.

1996 June Application submitted for Whitbread proposal (withdrawn August 1995).

1996 April Second arson attack.

1999 June Torkilsden & Barclay Leisure Management report concludes that reuse is

unlikely to succeed without substantial subsidy from Council.

2000 March Property marketed on open market for nine months.

2000 November Council agreed a four-month delay to allow setting up of Dollis Hill House Trust

(DHHT).

2001 November Council agrees £30,000 from insurance fund for DHHT to develop business

plan and funding applications.

2002 September Council agrees £28,350 from insurance fund to further develop DHHT business

plan.

2003 June Third arson attack.

2003 December Council Executive considers future of Dollis Hill House. Decision to demolish.

2004 Spring Brent Primary Care Trust (PCT) expresses interest in site as a community

health centre.

2004 June Gladstone Park Heritage Lottery Funded restoration scheme completed.

2005 May Brent PCT decides not to progress their proposal.

2005 September DHHT agrees to submit revised business case for consideration.

2006 October Council agrees to second marketing exercise.

2007 June Marketing exercise completed and no viable proposal obtained. One of the

bidders, Training for Life (TFL), given three months to submit a feasibility study for the future of the House.


2007 September Council officers instructed to prepare application for Listed Building consent to

demolish subject to outcome of TFL study

2008 February Council Executive gave TFL twelve months to develop full business plan,

secure capital funding and obtain planning permission.

2008 December TFL not able to progress their proposal due to funding constraints.

2009 March Council instruct DPP Heritage to submit application for Listed Building consent

for demolition of House.