Friends of Louise House

[Tim Walder]

Friends of Louise House Launch: A Call for Ideas and Expertise

The newly formed Friends of Louise House held their inaugural meeting on Sunday 2nd August. The Friends, whose members come from a range of backgrounds, exist to preserve Louise House for the future by finding a new and publicly beneficial use for the building, which is currently unoccupied.

Louise House, the foundation stone for which was laid in 1890 by Queen Victoria’s daughter Louise, the Marchioness of Lorne (hence the name), is a handsome red brick building sandwiched between Forest Hill Library and the Pools site on Dartmouth Road. The Friends are engaged in a process to find a new use for the building before 2nd November 2009, failing which the Council will pursue a plan to convert the building into flats. The Council may be willing to pass over the building to a new user and the Friends favour uses which involve a publicly beneficial use with public access. The Friends would also like to see the past history of the building, including its former use as a Girls’ Industrial Home and its link with Janusz Korczak, a leading children’s rights campaigner, celebrated in some way as part of the new plans. A range of ideas has already emerged, mainly focussed around themes of culture, heritage, health and learning. These include, so far, an arts centre with theatre, an extension to the library, a health centre, a nursery or children’s centre and a local history (or other) museum with education facilities.

We are open to other ideas, especially where there may be a clear path to funds from an outside body. We would like to hear from anyone who can support us in any way, however small. In particular we are interested in people who can help us in kind with relevant expertise, especially in legal work (trusts and charities), accountancy and fundraising in the Third Sector, project management and quantity surveying or architecture.

You can contact us at friendsoflouisehouse at googlemail.com
We are building a website with further information at http://sites.google.com/site/friendsoflouisehouse/

[Tim Walder]

I spoke briefly at the Forest Hill Society AGM last night to increase public information about where we are in terms of future plans for Louise House. An informal group called Friends of Louise House has been formed in early August. The aim of this grouping is to act as a channel of communication between the Council and interested local people about the uses which the Council might support. A group of us have been working all summer and to date to explore possible options for the future of the buildings. Possible plans have included reuse as a nursery, a library extension, a museum, an arts centre (for visual or musical or theatrical arts or a combination of the three), a health centre, serviced offices, a hotel, and a number of other possibilities.

Since early August we have had informative discussions with Council officers, councillors and other organisations. We have also had wider discussions with people from outside the area, such as national museums. In the current economic climate and atmosphere of contraction in the arts and museums sector not all avenues are likely to be fruitful. We are working actively on at least two possible proposals and will go public with them when they have got beyond the exploratory stage.

It is worth pointing out that the decision about the future of the building is in the hands of the Council. The Friends of Louise House are not gate keepers and anyone can contact the Council direct about any proposal they may have.

I think Roz is wasting people's time seeking to appeal the listing. My understanding is that the building owner (i.e. Lewisham Council) needed to do this within 28 days of the listing. The grounds for appeal are quite limited and difficult, mainly concerning issues of fact which are not contestable. In any case, Lewisham Council decided not to explore this avenue at the time and it is hard to see how it can be reopened now.

If any wishes to contact me about any aspect of Louise House, please email me at friendsoflouisehouse@googlemail.com

[floom]

Louise House? Never met her.

[Tim Walder]

She's a South London girl, so it's actually Louise 'Ahse

[Big Ben]

What do the Friends of Louise House think about the idea of the National Trust getting involved?

[Tim Walder]

The London Borough of Lewisham's deadline for "expressions of interest" for a new community use for this building passed on 2nd November 2009. Three proposals have been submitted to the Council via the Friends of Louise House. These are:
1) for serviced offices and a community nursery
2) for an Arts Centre
3) for ownership of the building by the National Trust.

Between now and 31st March 2010, these proposals will be investigated by the Council and an opportunity given for them to be worked up into full scale proposals, with indications of funding and medium term business plans.

To see outlines of the proposals, follow this link:

http://louisehouse.notlong.com

[Tim Walder]

With many others I went to a meeting about Louise House last night. The council is seeking expressions of interest (within 7 weeks) followed by serious tenders for a future use of Louise House. The new user would need to fund restoration and/or conversion of the building themselves within three years. A successful bid could lead to a 125 lease being granted on the building. Lewisham favour a social, creative or artistic use, although there could be some commercial use as an enabling activity.

Please visit http://www.se23.com/forum/showthread.ph ... last%20ind to find attachments of two PowerPoint presentations. One is a survey of the building and the other is details of the bid process. Please feel free to circulate them as freely as possible to any interested parties.

I do not have strong feelings myself about the nature of the new use, but it clearly needs to be economically sustainable. I am wondering if a Building Preservation Trust might be a useful vehicle to take the lease, with sub-tenants avtually providing the activity. I have some contacts who know about BPTs and would be willing to help set one up and perhaps be involved in running it, if this vehicle was thought to be helpful and if there were others who could devise a sustainable use.

[Tim Walder]

There is further and background information on this site:

http://www.louisehouse.notlong.com

[Tim Walder]

A new local partnership has put in a bid for a redundant Council building in Dartmouth Road, Forest Hill. Under the proposals Louise House, a listed former girls’ home between the library and swimming pool, would be converted into a vibrant multi-use hub for creative, learning and cultural uses. Uses for the building could include training for young people, space for recycling schemes, serviced office space for charities and new businesses, a children’s nursery, a new home for a local theatre and possibly a cinema.

The proposed partnership is between the new Lewisham Building Preservation Trust, a local charity aiming to renew and reuse heritage buildings, Eco Computer Systems, a Lewisham-based social enterprise which already runs a number of former Lewisham Council buildings, SociaCapita Solutions, a Lewisham-based community interest company which aims to create training and employment opportunities through building refurbishment projects and Spontaneous Productions, a Sydenham-based theatre company with links to the Sydenham Arts Festival.

Louise House, which is empty and on the English Heritage’s Buildings At Risk Register, belongs to Lewisham Council, who are currently considering the bid for a 125 year lease. A decision is expected in February 2013. Speaking following the tender submission, Darren Taylor of Eco Computer Systems said, “We are looking forward to working with local people to bring new life back into this community asset. These plans will bring new opportunities for the young, for those seeking employment and training, for those with children and for the arts.” Tim Walder of Lewisham Building Preservation Trust added, “I am delighted with these plans. It will be wonderful to see the building renewed. The training, serviced office, nursery and theatre uses in this central location will all be of enormous benefit to the people of Forest Hill.”