FN Newsletter 20-04-2025

Mid-April 2025 round up of news, features, comment, public consultations, and local democracy reports from The Fitzrovia News

A recently planted cherry tree blossoms for the first time in Crabtree Fields. Photo: The Fitzrovia News.

I hope our readers are having an enjoyable and peaceful long weekend.

I was sorry to hear of the death of Dick Muskett who worked in Fitzrovia for a number of years. He started at the Fitzrovia Neighbourhood Association, during the autumn of 2001 in the now empty building on the corner of Goodge Place and Tottenham Street, where he developed a number of projects and carried on the essential work of previous workers.

A short FN Newsletter this fortnight as I’ve been busy doing our year end accounts. Once again, I’d like to thank everyone who has very generously supported The Fitzrovia News with a donation.

I will also send out a special FN Newsletter between now and the end of this month about the Mayor of London’s plans for Oxford Street, with a guide to how to respond to the public consultation which closes on 2 May 2025.

As always, look after your and others’ health: Covid cases are continuing to rise again. Wear a face mask if you are indoors in public spaces.

If you want to get in touch with us to tell us what you think of our reporting, have a question, or would like to contribute to The Fitzrovia News please email us at news@fitzrovianews.com — and you can keep up with the latest by following us on Bluesky.

— Linus Rees, editor

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News

Camden Council approves plan for next 15 years of land development in borough

Camden councillors have waved through the borough’s development plans for the coming 15 years, including proposals to build thousands of new homes.

Westminster primary schools in merger proposals

Westminster Council is to hold public consultations on whether five Westminster primary schools should be amalgamated in two separate merger proposals, as they battle falling pupil rolls and growing financial deficits.

Features

Exhibition: Caricature cats at the Cartoon Museum

The Cartoon Museum has a new exhibition showing the greatest cats to feature in comics, newspapers and magazines.

Public consultations

Licensing application: fourth floor, 35 Gresse Street

Gresse Property Ltd has applied to Camden Council for a new premises licence to serve alcohol and late night refreshment at the fourth floor of Tudor House, 35 Gresse Street in Fitzrovia.

Licensing application: 21 Tottenham Court Road

Sainsbury’s Supermarkets Ltd has applied to Camden Council for a new premises licence at 21 Tottenham Court Road.

Planning applications in Bloomsbury and Fitzrovia East, April 2025

Camden Council registered planning applications in Bloomsbury ward, which includes Fitzrovia East, so far during April 2025.

Planning applications in Fitzrovia West, April 2025

Westminster Council has validated a number of planning applications in Fitzrovia West so far during April 2025. There is also an appeal lodged against a previous decision.

Oxford Street Mayoral Development Corporation and pedestrianisation consultation

A public consultation on plans to create a Mayoral Development Corporation (MDC) to regenerate and pedestrianise Oxford Street.

Westminster Council plans late-night entertainment zones

Late-night entertainment zones in Oxford Street, the Strand, and Victoria Street could be created under plans by Westminster Council to allow new live music and hospitality venues to operate away from residential areas.

Local democracy reports

Care home fires up 62 per cent in London Borough of Camden

Camden’s care homes have seen a spike in fires in the past year, according to the London Fire Brigade.

Camden earns top Ofsted rating for children’s services

Ofsted has awarded Camden’s children’s services the highest possible rating, after inspectors judged its social care system to have grown “even stronger”.

Camden Travellers say plans for long-awaited sites don’t meet housing need

Members of Camden’s Irish Traveller community who have spent years waiting for culturally suitable accommodation have said they are troubled by the Town Hall’s new development strategy.

Printed newspapers

Our next printed news-sheet is due out in early June and will be available from outside Fitzrovia Community Centre, 2 Foley Street. See the newspaper archive for back issues of The Fitzrovia News. We aim to produce a two-page, printed issue at least four times a year. Local weeklies the Camden New Journal and the Westminster Extra are also available outside the Community Centre and they also have an archive where you can view the full Camden and Westminster printed editions.

News from elsewhere

Dick Muskett obituary

Former community worker at Fitzrovia Neighbourhood Association, Dick Muskett, who has died aged 82.

Georgian Fitzrovia... Now in Colour

Behold, Fitzrovia before it was Fitzrovia. Fields, fields and more fields, yet soon to succumb to the encroaching pili of London.

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