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Saved for Britain: the old concrete house of Dulwich
Ellen Widdup and David Trayner5 Feb 2009
London's oldest concrete house is to be “saved for the nation”.
The Grade-II listed building in Lordship Lane, East Dulwich, is the only surviving example of a 19th-century concrete house in Britain. It has been empty for more than 20 years, is infested with rats, and has become a target for vandals and graffiti artists.
Today, Southwark council and the Heritage for London Trust issued a compulsory purchase order to force owner Birballa Chandra to relinquish the property. Paul Noblet, Southwark's executive member for regeneration, claimed Mr Chandra had neglected the house, refused to discuss plans for its future and ignored attempts to contact him.
“Officers have had difficulty in accessing the site and the absentee owner has rode roughshod over planning rules — so we've taken the action we know will save this historic building for future generations,” he said.
The property, built in 1873, has carved wooden gables and a gothic pitched roof. It was designed by Charles Barry Junior (1823-1900), whose father, Sir Charles Barry, was responsible for rebuilding the Houses of Parliament in the 1840s.
Charles Barry Jnr also designed Dulwich College's red-brick New College.
Mr Chandra has tried on five occasions to get permission to demolish the Concrete House, without success.
Last year his agent Rajeev Laxman, who shares his business address in Leicester Road, Croydon, allegedly ignored council warnings and built a replica of the house behind it without planning permission. Southwark is investigating. The Victorian Society's conservation adviser Heloise Brown said everything should be done to protect the original house. “The only justification the owner gave for knocking this property down was its poor state of repair, a situation largely down to him. It's time he was brought to account,” she added.
The compulsory purchase order must be approved by Communities Secretary Hazel Blears. Southwark is confident it can get funding from the Greater London Authority for restoration and has earmarked £73,000 for temporary works.
The Evening Standard's architecture correspondent Rowan Moore said: “This building should be kept. It is part of London's history and if it were looked after would not be an eyesore.”
Neither Mr Chandra nor Mr Laxman could be reached for comment.
Reader views (18)
Any update on this? I drove past it every day in the 90s and was surprised at its derelict state even then. It has only got worse.
Today I was flicking through a new book in Waterstones in Greenwich called "Derelict London" and discovered its history.
- Andy, Rushey Green SE13, 12/08/2011 20:01
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My great grandfather, Charles Drake, built The Concrete House, and I am very keen to see it restored. Am very interested also to see Fay Jones's comments on 8/04/09 and would love to see photos of the house before it became derelict. Does anyone know what the name of the house was? Charles Drake apparently lived at The Ferns, Lordship Lane, once, but I don't know which house that it.
- Jo Thom, Wittersham, Kent, UK, 18/07/2010 19:36
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fantastic news ,i lived there in 1985 in care. moved across london and had no idea of significance. Remember it like it was yesterday. Have got photos of the house before it became direlict. Lena who lived there last was an inspiration and like a grandmother to me when i left. so glad my memories can continue.
- Fay Jones, london england, 08/04/2009 02:13
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This ugly house has been in a dangerous state of collapse for at least the 25 years that I've known it. Why not simply demolish it along with the adjacent unsightly replica and start afresh with something a little more inspiring?
- Celiad, London,UK, 05/03/2009 12:34
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Why should the council be allowed to ride over the thoughts and feelings of the owner. Yes, he has a responsibility to look after the house, but a compulsory purchase order...? Please..!? Are Southwark Council going to do something constructive with the property or the land - like housing many of the homeless people it has on its books? Probably, no, most definetely not.
- Jenny, London, 06/02/2009 14:45
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iwas freinds with many of the children who lived in this former childrens home and have fond memories of the kind woman who worked there for many years,it was an insult to their memory what this greedy landlord let happen to the property,avictory for common sense for a change.hooray
- Joe, london england, 06/02/2009 14:38
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It has always made me sad passing that house. Southwark Council should pat themselves on the back and be very proud of themselves for acheiving what has probably taken thousands of man hours to achieve. Job well done!
- Jo, London, 06/02/2009 12:25
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Well done Southwark! I've passed this house many-a time and know a bit of its history and have thought it was a shame to let it slowly collapse.
- Zab, London, 06/02/2009 09:01
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Congratulations to the officers for all their hard work and dogged persistence and the Councillors at Southwark who supported them.
- Thomas, London, 05/02/2009 22:46
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Great news. Well done Southwark Council.
- Barry L Smith, London, 05/02/2009 17:43
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Brilliant news!
There has been such support for the rehabilitation of this building on the East Dulwich Forum website. It is a very special listed building and deserves to be respectfully repaired and brought back into good use.
Congratulations to everyone involved in making this happen!
- Genevieve Smith, Dulwich, 05/02/2009 17:17
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blimey southwark council is good for something after all
- Sean, London, 05/02/2009 16:54
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Your report on this house is not quite right. you state that LAST YEAR Rajeev Laxman built a replica of the house behind the original, but infact this was many years ago and was left unfinished. In fact I think you will find that this property has been empty and decaying for a lot longer than twenty years. But nice to see someone cares.
- Roy, london, 05/02/2009 16:33
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Unless legislation makes owners of listed buildings responsible for 100% fire insurance, or liable for the loss of the building in its absence, this house is doomed.
- Mdj E10, london, uk, 05/02/2009 16:09
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Brilliant news, I live in Dulwich and see this building every day, it's tragic that it's been allowed to rot and many people in the local area will be delighted to see it saved. It's also obvious that the owner has been hoping that it will fall down on it's own thus enabling him to redevelop the land. The 'copy' he has built is disgusting, having only a passing resemblance to the original with no style, character or purpose. Well done Southwark.
- Mike Usiskin, london, 05/02/2009 14:49
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About time! And I hope Southwark will take appropriate action to remove the 'replica' and then sue for the costs involved.
- Peter C-H, London, UK, 05/02/2009 14:00
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Great
- David, Madrid, 05/02/2009 13:16
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Hoorah!
- John Frum, Bracknell, 05/02/2009 12:14
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