Morning:
13°c
Street divided over MTV chief's plan for 30-metre spire
Ruth Bloomfield and Peter Dominiczak24.04.09
A millionaire music television boss has angered residents in north London after announcing that he intends to build a 30-metre high church steeple on his house.
Bill Roedy, one of music channel MTV's top executives and an international humanitarian campaigner, lives in a £4million former Presbyterian chapel in St John's Wood.
He said the church once had a steeple on top of the existing tower and he now wants to restore it to its former glory. His plans to add the copper and zinc spire, which will raise the tower to 30 metres, have split the neighbourhood.
The St John's Wood Society opposes the scheme, and claims an early photograph of the house with its steeple - produced by Mr Roedy's architects as evidence that his plans are historically accurate - is not "authentic". The society lodged a complaint about the plan with Westminster council. But the council last night ruled in favour of the proposal as long as no bell is installed.
A society spokesman said there was "insufficient historical information to support the authenticity of the proposed design". He added: "The building has a history in its present state and this design appears to be based on whim and conjecture."
Six neighbours also objected, saying the steeple is inappropriate in the historic area, and would cast a shadow over their homes. But five other neighbours have written to the council in support of the plan. One who opposed, who did not wish to be named, said: "It would have fit in 100 years ago but will look ridiculous now. I thought the days of building this kind of folly were over. It's going to dominate the street. It is absurd. We are all going to have to look at it every day."
English Heritage also raised concerns about the "authenticity of the photograph" of the building with its spire, claimed to have been taken in 1895. Councillors were told to disregard the photograph during last night's planning meeting.
The house dates back to 1851 and was turned into a family home in the Seventies. Mr Roedy, chairman and chief executive officer of MTV Networks International, lives there with his wife Alex and their four children. He works closely with UN secretary general Kofi Annan in the fight against HIV/Aids and has won a string of awards for his humanitarian work.
Robert Davis, Westminster council's deputy leader and chairman of the planning applications sub-committee, said: "This is a very exciting design and as it is in keeping with the building formerly existing as a church I have no hesitation in granting it."
Mr Roedy declined to comment.
