Author: Owen Ward

I have lived on Judd Street in Bloomsbury / King's Cross since 2017. I am chair of the Bloomsbury Conservation Areas Advisory Committee and director of Ward Conservation & Design. I am a full member of the IHBC and hold an MSc in Sustainable Heritage. My articles have been published in the Independent and Planning in London and attract interest locally and worldwide.
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Camden Planners Attempt Power Grab in Latest Planning Reforms

Owen Ward

he central government is mandating that certain types of minor planning applications can no longer reach planning committee, effective from November 2026. But Camden’s planners are using this as a pretext to effectively abolish any councillor oversight or meaningful community involvement on almost all planning decisions, going significantly further than that recommended by central government. Continue reading Camden Planners Attempt Power Grab in Latest Planning Reforms

Camden, Community, Heritage, News, Street Environment4 Comments

‘Planning Lawlessness’ as Camden Fails to Investigate Hundreds of Illegal Alterations to Historic Buildings

Owen Ward

Round-the-clock work by planners and conservationists in Bloomsbury is at risk of becoming a farce as the BCAAC’s recent enforcement surveys indicate the majority of buildings in Bloomsbury have been illegally altered over the past ten years. Continue reading ‘Planning Lawlessness’ as Camden Fails to Investigate Hundreds of Illegal Alterations to Historic Buildings