KHOODEELAAR! told you so! NETWORK RAIL behaves as ‘NOTWORK RAIL’- as viewed from Farringdon against TESCO CRASS look!

New bid to block 'awful' plan for Farringdon Tube

Campaigner Ian Harrabin (right) – holding an artist’s impression of the proposed modern design for the historic Farringdon station – and supporters demonstrate their resolve to preserve the character of the station this week. Some critics have described

CAMPAIGNERS battling to save one of the world's oldest Tube stations from being turned into a "Tesco lookalike" are claiming a victory for people power. 

Outraged residents and workers have accused owners Network Rail of forcing through controversial plans to redevelop 150-year-old Farringdon Station, in Cowcross Street, Farringdon.

The plans - narrowly approved in February - will see a listed 19th Century brick wall in Turnmill Street demolished and replaced with a new 70metre glass and steel entrance to the rear of the station. 

But this week campaigners are celebrating "a huge win for the community" after the "awful" new design was recalled to be looked at again by an Islington Council planning committee next Tuesday.

Campaign organiser Ian Harrabin, of Turnmill Street, said: "Farringdon is suffering massive change in the near future due to the redevelopment of the station and a huge increase in visitors. We need to ensure that new buildings reflect the special character of Clerkenwell and that the 'anything goes' modern design that has done so much damage in the past does not continue. 

"To grant consent for this Tesco lookalike would be an awful statement of what will be allowed on bigger schemes in the future."

Over 130 people signed a petition against the plans earlier this year. But when the scheme was passed campaigners employed their own planning lawyers while one local resident, an architect, drew up alternative designs - keeping most of the historic wall. 

Mr Harrabin said: "Everyone overlooking the building signed the petition. We felt the decision was invalid as all of the facts were not available. Islington Council agreed that the committee had to sit again - this alone is a huge win for the community."

The project is part of a massive £10.3million redevelopment of Farringdon Station, linking Underground and Overground train services with the new £16billion Crossrail and £5.5billion Thameslink schemes.

Campaigner Jean Grundy, of Farringdon Road, added: "I'm not against new architecture providing it's good. Farringdon Station is so important - it was the original Tube station and it's got an amazing history. It's going to be such a big development and will have such a huge influence over the area it's important to get this right."

Jose Fernandez-Gomez, 38, a charity worker, of Turnmill Street, added: "It's awful. It looks like an airport terminal. It's breaking the whole feeling of the area. The most frustrating thing is they haven't consulted anyone."

On Tuesday Islington Council confirmed the scheme would be reheard "in its entirety" because of late objections and wrangling over Network Rail's Section 106 planning agreement - but the plans are still recommended for approval by council planners.

A spokesman for Network Rail said: "We believe our proposals for the new station entrance on Turnmill Street, together with the Section 106 contributions we have discussed with Islington Council, provide valuable new amenity not just for station users but for the surrounding area too.

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