31 July 1998 National Lottery bids totalling £17 million have been lodged to transform the Roundhouse in Camden Town into a vast performing and visual arts centre for young people. The charitable trust of Torquil Norman, the millionaire philanthropist, b

31 July 1998

National Lottery bids totalling £17 million have been lodged to transform the Roundhouse in Camden Town into a vast performing and visual arts centre for young people. The charitable trust of Torquil Norman, the millionaire philanthropist, bought the Roundhouse two years ago and hopes to open the centre in 2002. Mr Norman believes the nearby defunct Primrose Hill railway station should be reopened to take pressure off the massively overcrowded Camden Town tube station.

Organisers are awaiting the go-ahead from the Heritage Lottery Board to begin construction work on the Grade II-listed Hampstead Town Hall building in Haverstock Hill, to be turned into an arts and community centre run by InterChange, the Kentish Town charity.

Tolls for drivers using Camden's overcrowded streets are likely to be a reality within seven years. Camden has a target of a 35 per cent reduction in traffic by 2005, agreed with the London Planning Advisory Committee, an alliance of all London boroughs.

A hard core of middle-aged homeless people - the vast majority suffering from problems with drugs and alcohol - are still living on the streets of Camden, a new report reveals. While young homeless people are being successfully rehoused via the Government's Rough Sleepers Initiative, the older generation is still floundering.