A MUSWELL Hill architect has caused an environmental storm by threatening to knock down an Edwardian house and replace it with an eco-friendly, glass and metal home

Charlotte Newton

A MUSWELL Hill architect has caused an environmental storm by threatening to knock down an Edwardian house and replace it with an eco-friendly, glass and metal home.

Architect Margaret Lloyd and her husband Dr Ben Lloyd want to demolish 1 Connaught Gardens and build a new home complete with solar panels, metal roof, glass cladding and timber shutters.

The couple, who have one daughter and live at Woodland Rise in Muswell Hill, say the Connaught Gardens house was their dream home but it suffers from subsidence.

Dr Lloyd, 59, explained: "We spotted the house about five years ago and realised we wanted to live in it. It's absolutely our dream home.

"We think that people are upset by the disruption the building work will cause which we are sorry about but it means a lot to us. We doubt the disruption would be much less if we refurbished the house and while we think the existing house is quite nice, we think our house will be even nicer and a long-term asset to the neighbourhood."

In the design statement submitted to Haringey Council the couple said: "This would give us an opportunity to have a house which not only meets our current needs in terms of function but also provides for future changes; eg wheelchair lift and disabled toilets and shower. We intend to retire in this house."

But the ambitious plans have upset neighbours. Geoff Hunt from the Connaught Gardens Residents' Association said: "The proposed house is totally out of character with an intact and unspoilt row of attractive early Edwardian houses, each with a bay window.

"The proposal is far larger and taller than any of the other houses in Connaught Gardens and would totally spoil an extremely attractive streetscape.

"It will be a huge carbuncle from every direction and an absolute eyesore at the entrance to Queen's Wood, which is used by many people for recreation and as a shortcut to Highgate tube.

"My real concern is that this will set a precedent for knocking down Edwardian homes by property developers. Once you start to demolish a perfectly good house in a cohesive row and a replace it with a new house, the whole character of the area will be lost."

Anyone wishing to see the plans in full should go to www.planningservices.haringey.gov.uk. The closing date for objections is Tuesday February 19.

broadway@hamhigh.co.uk