After years of controversy a planning application for the huge UKCMRI bioresearch laboratory proposed for central London has now been registered with Camden Council. Anyone living anywhere can email or write to the council with objections/comments - there is a limited amount of time for people to put in objections, officially until 14th October 2010. More details below......

It is a very controversial issue - the laboratory is planned to handle "Biosafety Level 3" extremely dangerous pathogens in 79,000 square metres of building on 3.6 acres of land behind the British Library, alongside a huge international Station, 6 underground lines and near King's Cross and Euston stations. It would be estimated to cost £600 million and a further £100 million per year to operate. It would involve massive amounts of Government money at a time of major cutbacks. Also housing, facilities for the public and open areas are badly needed in that area.
Anyone from any part of London or anywhere else can register objections or comments.
There are certain reasons for objections that are taken into account eg. size/style of the building, congestion, inappropriateness for area, overcrowding, loss of land use for housing, public facilities/open land, loss of daylight/sunlight/privacy, noise nuisance, parking issues etc. Other possible issues could be: potential disruption to area with policing/security, possible cost for extra policing. Certain reasons are not taken into account eg. loss of value of property, noise and disruption from building work. Objections or comments can be made directly through the planning application on the Camden Council website:  http://planningrecords.camden.gov.uk/Northgate/PlanningExplorer17/PLComments.aspx?pk=246856 - or sent by letter to c/o N. McDonald, Customer Support Team, Planning and Public Protection, 5th Floor, Camden Council Town Hall Extension, Argyle Street, London, WC1H 8EQ. Emails and letters need the sender's postal address, planning application reference number (2010/4721/P) and site address (Site to the rear of the British Library, Brill Place, London, NW1 2DB).