The Evening Standard has reported explosive news relating to the previous government's interest in the sale of land leading to the present controversial UKCMRI bioresearch lab proposal. More information below..... 

The London Evening Standard has reported news regarding the previous government's interest in the sale of land behind the British Libary, leading to the present controversial UKCMRI gigantic bioresearch lab proposal for central London. Information has been released under the Freedom of Information Act. Link to Evening Standard Report. 

LEAD-UP TO THE SALE OF LAND: In a document from Nicholas Holgate (then Chief Operating officer, Department for Culture, Media and Sport) to James Purnell, (then Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport) and others, 18/9/07, it is stated "There is a significant financial gap between the top bids and the medical research bid" and "We need to agree an orderly and appropriate process for selling the land, given the public value bidders, other Departments' interest and the likelihood that the Prime Minister might wish to take an interest too." 

In a briefing note from policy advisers 12/11/07 to the Prime Minister (Gordon Brown) it is stated "We are close to being ready to announce Government support" and "We anticipate that the deal will be finalised over the next few days and we should be able to announce the outcome of the process In the next few weeks. On current plans, we would expect the sale to complete during December and preparations for development to begin straight away. The expectation is that the Institute would be up and running by 2012." In a briefing note to the Prime Minister, 27/11/07 "We have now effectively finalised negotiations on the sale" and "We are therefore ready for an announcement next week on the sale of the land - but will not be announcing full details of the project overall, as there remain various Issues to resolve, including reaching agreement on business plans and gaining planning permission. We would therefore announce the Government's support for the vision of the new centre - rather than definitive support for the centre itself." Nicholas Holgate stated, in a document to James Purnell, 4/12/07, "The highest commercial bid was £105 mn". It seems from the document, the offer from the organisations behind UKCMRI bid was £85 m. He later stated "The Prime Minister has taken an interest in this proposal; and is expected to announce the deal tomorrow".

It seems there were 27 bidders, of which at least 12 complied with the Camden planning brief. The proposal with the bid from the organisations behind UKCMRI did not comply with planning guidance. 

The plans were approved by a majority of the councillors on the voting panel at a Camden Council Committee meeting on 16th December, 2010. Link here to more information on  Indymedia London website. 

Now Boris Johnson has recently approved the UKCMRI plans. The application fell into the height category requiring it to be referred to the Mayor.  According to the announcement report in the Greater London Authority website Boris Johnson was "content to sign off approval" and was seemingly extremely supportive.

BACKGROUND: The plan to build this enormous laboratory complex alongside St Pancras International Station has received very little national media attention. The government has offered £220 million of public money towards this centre planned to handle "Biosafety Level 3" extremely dangerous pathogens in 79,000 square metres of building, eight storeys above ground and four storeys below ground, on 3.6 acres of land behind the British Library, at a time of huge cutbacks to important government department budgets and public services. Link here to more information on  Indymedia London website.  

Link to more information re documents released under Freedom of Information Act