East London estate moves step closer to demolition.
The latest bid to grant listing status to the Brutalist Robin Hood Gardens estate in east London has failed and the local MP has called for it to be “brought down ASAP”.
Public body Historic England – which administers and maintains the register of England’s listed buildings – has announced that the UK government will not list the historic 1970s complex designed by architects Alison and Peter Smithson.
Robin Hood Gardens was granted a five-year immunity from heritage listing in 2009 meaning that the council was free to demolish the complex. Although demolition was scheduled it did not take place, so at the end of the five-year period the Twentieth Century Society revived its original campaign, which had gained support from architects including Robert Venturi, Zaha Hadid and Toyo Ito.
Historic England has now said that the estate “does not make the grade” for listed status and has made a recommendation for a new certificate of immunity.
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