HL Deb 15 June 1972 vol 331 cc1116-8

3.28 p.m.

LORD BEAUMONT OF WHITLEY

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will arrange to have a special survey made of Queen Alexandra Hospital, Millbank, to establish whether it is capable of being adapted as a Tate Gallery extension before having this attractive building destroyed.

LORD MOWBRAY AND STOURTON

My Lords, we have considered this possibility, but I am advised that even if the hospital buildings were extensively modified they could not satisfy the future requirements of the Tate Gallery as regards size or layout, and so we shall not be having a special survey for this purpose.

LORD BEAUMONT OF WHITLEY

My Lords, is it not a very great pity that, one by one, we are knocking down some of the more interesting buildings in London? Is not the Minister aware that although this building is not of very great architectural merit, it is nevertheless part of a set-up of great attraction on the riverside, which is gradually losing all its salient attractive features? Cannot the Government turn their minds to finding a more suitable solution than knocking this one down?

LORD MOWBRAY AND STOURTON

My Lords, I am sure that the Royal Engineers, both upstairs and downstairs, who built this hospital in 1905 will take great pleasure in the noble Lord's observation on their work. But he must appreciate that we all realise the importance of the site, and I hope that when the decision on the new building which will adjoin the Tate is taken, there will be a building fully worthy of what is needed. Also, may I say in passing that the Tate extension will require large galleries with top lighting of the rooms, and I am told that in the hospital the rooms are generally narrow on several floors? The noble Lord can be happy that there will be a distinguished building emerging at the end of the day.

LORD STRABOLGI

My Lords, may I ask the Government whether they are aware that most people agree that the hospital would be quite unsuitable for the Tate Gallery? Arising out of that, may I ask the noble Lord whether he can give us a date when it is proposed to publish the plans for the new building?

LORD MOWBRAY AND STOURTON

My Lords, I thank the noble Lord, Lord Strabolgi, for his observation. I agree with him that the hospital is wrong in shape, nature and size for the new Tate extension. The answer to his question is that my right honourable friend in another place will shortly be announcing his plans in this matter.

LORD O'NEILL OF THE MAINE

My Lords, may I ask the Government whether they are aware how Central London is being ruined by the introduction of high-rise buildings, so that visitors from the ancient Commonwealth—if they are able to trace their luggage at Heathrow and can get into the centre of London—find, instead of a nice European capital, such as Paris, a cheap edition of Toronto? This is a most regrettable tendency started in the day of the previous Government, and I hope that this Government will give further consideration to this matter.

LORD MOWBRAY AND STOURTON

My Lords, this will be an extension of an art gallery, and I think my noble friend can rest quite assured that the Ministers in another place, and the Committee which will consider the buildings proposed, will look into the problem which he has raised.

LORD BEAUMONT OF WHITLEY

My Lords, contrary to what he suggested, is the Minister aware that there are not several floors but two floors in the main building, and that some experts are of the opinion that this could be very well changed into an extension for the Tate Gallery, though I admit that it would not give as much room as the Tate would want? May I take this opportunity of asking the noble Lord whether he is aware that I am most grateful to the Department of the Environment and the Ministry of Defence, for the enormous help and sympathy which they have given me in pursuing this matter?

LORD MOWBRAY AND STOURTON

My Lords, I thank the noble Lord for his kind remarks. I think he rather answered his own question, when he referred to the restricted space available if we kept the building.