RCA Society

Ellipsed...? Plans Halted!

The Council of the Royal College of Art has announced some important developments for new building options on the main Kensington Gore site and at Howie Street, Battersea. They have also decided to withdraw the College’s planning application for the Nicholas Grimshaw ellipse building on the site opposite the Royal Albert Hall. The Council of the Royal College of Art has announced some important developments for new building options on the main Kensington Gore site and at Howie Street, Battersea. They have also decided to withdraw the College’s planning application for the Nicholas Grimshaw ellipse building on the site opposite the Royal Albert Hall. The decision has been made because of the recent and welcome renewal of the College’s lease on the Howie Street premises; the increasing costs of the ellipse, caused by extensive delays; the high costs and uncertainties of the planning process, where the ellipse is concerned; changing circumstances in recent months which have enabled the College to revisit its building options. The planning application for the ellipse building was ‘called in’ by the office of the Deputy Prime Minister in May 2004, although Westminster Council had granted planning permission in principle in February 2004. Rector, Professor Sir Christopher Frayling notes: “We have decided to withdraw our planning application because of the uncertainties and costs of the planning process: our students need certainty where our building plans are concerned, and we could not justify spending huge amounts of public money on legal fees. The Royal College of Art is one of the key crucibles of young art and design talent, and this is in some ways a critical moment for the creative industries in this country. But the College moves on, and our new estates options have in recent months become both exciting and achievable”.