National Spotlight Falls on Tite Street’s Fight for Its Future
The Friends of Tite Street were delighted to see the Sunday Times shine a bright national light on the sheer excess of the scheme proposed by London Square. The piece captured what local residents have been saying for months: that a over-sized block on one of Chelsea’s most historic streets is an act of architectural overreach and vandalism. See it the cutting here or visit online article here (note that The Sunday Times is behind a paywall).
Gyles Brandreth, Stephen Fry and Felicity Kendal all added their voices to the general dismay – underscoring the culture and heritage at risk. Their comments conveyed a shared truth, that this proposal is not merely too big, but tone-deaf to the charm, scale and heritage that define Oscar Wilde’s old neighbourhood.
London Square’s reply, a familiar blend of platitudes and process, failed to address the central issue. That Chelsea deserves better than an oversized, ill-fitting slab on a street renowned for its grace and history. The Friends of Tite Street will continue to press for development that respects, rather than diminishes, this remarkable corner of London.
