HL Deb 07 June 1995 vol 564 cc1354-6

3.1 p.m.

Lord Peyton of Yeovil asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they have made any estimate of the cost of restoring the St. Pancras Chambers to a state of repair appropriate to a Grade I listed building, when they expect to conclude their search for a proper long-term use, and what measures they have in mind to prevent further degradation of the building.

Viscount Goschen

My Lords, the cost of restoring the St. Pancras Chambers will depend upon the future use of the building and the timing and scale of any refurbishment scheme. These will be matters for the nominated undertaker of the Channel Tunnel Rail Link, acting within a framework comprising: the normal legislative provisions; agreements with English Heritage and the local planning authority; and special requirements for St. Pancras imposed by the Government.

Lord Peyton of Yeovil

My Lords, will my noble friend seek an invitation to visit the chambers from the present custodians of this unique building; namely, the British Rail Property Board, which does not have the taste, inclination or the resources to put that building into the state of repair which would be proper? While he is there perhaps he would take the opportunity to visit the higher floors where he will find that pigeons have made a home. He can say "Hello" to them and satisfy himself that the building is in fact not suffering that degradation to which he referred last time I raised this matter.

Viscount Goschen

My Lords, my honourable friend the Minister with responsibility for railways has recently visited the chambers. I shall certainly find it interesting to visit them myself.

Lord Allen of Abbeydale

My Lords, is the Minister aware that the plans used by Gilbert Scott for this magnificent Grade I listed building, which must be preserved at all costs, were originally prepared for the Foreign Office building in Whitehall? Is the Minister further aware that that he used them for St. Pancras only because the government of the day did not accept those plans, their taste being for the neo-Palladian? Incidentally, I do not suppose that it would appeal to the Government to use the building for its original purpose and move part of the Foreign Office there—perhaps that part dealing with Europe—given that when the new line is built it will be necessary only to go downstairs to catch the train to Brussels. On a slightly more serious note, would not a private owner be likely to be landed in considerable trouble if he failed properly to maintain a building of this quality?

Viscount Goschen

My Lords, indeed he would. That is part of the consideration that the bidders will be taking into account in putting forward their bids, which will have to include their plans for the proper use of St. Pancras Chambers.

Lord Pearson of Rannoch

My Lords, will my noble friend at least join with me in congratulating my noble friend Lord Peyton on his stalwart efforts in helping to restore the fabric of St. Pancras? Will he go further and agree with me that those efforts have been much more successful this afternoon than his earlier ones at restoring the decaying fabric of the European Union?

Viscount Goschen

My Lords, I hate to intervene in a private argument, but I believe that it has been considerably to the advantage of the House for this Question to be aired this afternoon.

Lord Donoughue

My Lords, does the Minister agree that Gilbert Scott's Grand Midland Hotel was, and still is, under the dust and the scaffolding, a masterpiece of Gothic Romanticism and that it is quite inappropriate to pass this building to a private company, even within the constraints that he has announced? Do the Government agree with English Heritage that this treasure should be restored to its former glory and use as a great hotel at the gateway to the Continent?

Viscount Goschen

My Lords, it is entirely proper that a private undertaker should be involved in this matter. Of course, the fabric of the chambers will be needed to a certain extent to provide the terminus. The parts of the building which are not required will be subject to the normal planning legislation. We believe that a proper long-term future needs to be established for this building. That will be achieved through a proper commercial environment.

Lord Peyton of Yeovil

My Lords, I was interested to hear from my noble friend that his honourable friend the Minister for road and rail, I think he said, had visited the building. Will he let me know whether his honourable friend reached any useful conclusions or made any judgments about the state of the building; or did he keep his eyes tight shut?

Viscount Goschen

My Lords, I believe that my honourable friend, as a result of his visit, determined that the Government's policy and proposals were entirely appropriate for the building.

Lord Marlesford

My Lords, while I obviously have no prejudice against such a building going into the private sector, nonetheless will my noble friend remember the tragic fate which Battersea Power Station suffered when it went into the hands of a wholly unsuitable private developer?

Lord Graham of Edmonton

My Lords, and County Hall!

Viscount Goschen

My Lords, we have put considerable safeguards in place. There is a special heritage agreement as regards this site.