Tonight's "last chance" formal public meeting & "consultation" at St Mary & St Pancras Primary School hosted by the UKCMRI saw Camden fuming & asking the UKCMRI not to patronise residents. Bizarrely a photo of Peter Pan was displayed while the speakers on stage studiously ignored "difficult" questions & residents. Safety, animal rights and community questions were dismissed & people ignored.
There are plans to build a high level [3 plus] virus containment facility, research and animal testing lab in Camden alongside St Pancras International, behind the British Library on a Camden Council house estate.
Tonight a formal meeting was held as part of acommunity "consultation".
Speakers on stage were :
*John Cooper [he desribed himself as the "leader" of UKCMRI. He is CEO.
*Frances Wheat from Camden council.
*Neil McDonald a planning advisor.
*The head of the MRC who said he was called "Boris".
Safety around the lab and the transport of dangerous pathogens were discussed [ ie bird flu, swine flu] and when asked why did the consortium not use the Mill Hill site already used by the NIMR [who have spoken out against the lab plans] the UKCMRI spokersperson John Cooper replied "It won't be at Mill Hill because it's a half hour tube and bus ride away from central London".
When asked about safety they were dismissive. They stated that "top security" would be used. On their own website they have included a Times article that says "In the evnt of flames or expolsion the germs would be dispersed and while this sounds dangerous is actually quite reassuring.
When a local resident from Agar Grove asked which animals would be tested on a speaker on stage Frances Wheat replied "this isn't a relevant question and doesn't come under any question headings". Candy Udwin [a resident] spoke out and said that this is in fact relevant as people have right to know which work will be carried out and this might affect everything. She said this is extremely relevant. Again the question was ignored.
A resident asked if anything could be reversed regarding the lab. He was told by John Cooper : "We have invested a lot of money so nothing can be reversed."
John cooper also said : "We are a non profit organisation." he went on to say with regard to research : "We have to have the lab in Kings Cross becuase we have to be competetive. We have to keep up with North America and we have to be competetive with Asia who are catching up".
We were treated with what many saw as sneering contempt. Some walked out and described the meeting as a "waste of time". Residents became heated and asked the speakers not to patronise us.
When asked why the "consultations" were so badly publicised the UKCMR claimed that they had deliverd between 600 -1200 letters "...across Camden". Candy Udwin asked residents if anyone received such a letter and the answer was a resounding "NO!". Not one single person had recieved one.
The photo of Peter Pan displayed on stage behind the speakers says it all....Peter Pan was a boy who lived in Neverland. He could fly, was the leader of lost boys interacting with mermaids, fairies and pirates, which is quite possibly how the UKCMRI see the residents of Camden.
The consortium plan to submit their plannimng application in May. It will be considered in the summer and the decision made in the Autumn. They are hoping the lab will be completed in 2015/16. They hope to start building in early 2011.
The Councils planning brief / decision can be overturned by the Mayor of London Boris Johnson [who can also decide the other way and save Camden from this lab and possible annihilation of the world in a "Doomsday" scenario]...next up is the Secretary of State.
...and Peter Pan.
Gordon Brown the current PM [New Labour] has given the lab his personal backing.
Tonight a formal meeting was held as part of acommunity "consultation".
Speakers on stage were :
*John Cooper [he desribed himself as the "leader" of UKCMRI. He is CEO.
*Frances Wheat from Camden council.
*Neil McDonald a planning advisor.
*The head of the MRC who said he was called "Boris".
Safety around the lab and the transport of dangerous pathogens were discussed [ ie bird flu, swine flu] and when asked why did the consortium not use the Mill Hill site already used by the NIMR [who have spoken out against the lab plans] the UKCMRI spokersperson John Cooper replied "It won't be at Mill Hill because it's a half hour tube and bus ride away from central London".
When asked about safety they were dismissive. They stated that "top security" would be used. On their own website they have included a Times article that says "In the evnt of flames or expolsion the germs would be dispersed and while this sounds dangerous is actually quite reassuring.
When a local resident from Agar Grove asked which animals would be tested on a speaker on stage Frances Wheat replied "this isn't a relevant question and doesn't come under any question headings". Candy Udwin [a resident] spoke out and said that this is in fact relevant as people have right to know which work will be carried out and this might affect everything. She said this is extremely relevant. Again the question was ignored.
A resident asked if anything could be reversed regarding the lab. He was told by John Cooper : "We have invested a lot of money so nothing can be reversed."
John cooper also said : "We are a non profit organisation." he went on to say with regard to research : "We have to have the lab in Kings Cross becuase we have to be competetive. We have to keep up with North America and we have to be competetive with Asia who are catching up".
We were treated with what many saw as sneering contempt. Some walked out and described the meeting as a "waste of time". Residents became heated and asked the speakers not to patronise us.
When asked why the "consultations" were so badly publicised the UKCMR claimed that they had deliverd between 600 -1200 letters "...across Camden". Candy Udwin asked residents if anyone received such a letter and the answer was a resounding "NO!". Not one single person had recieved one.
The photo of Peter Pan displayed on stage behind the speakers says it all....Peter Pan was a boy who lived in Neverland. He could fly, was the leader of lost boys interacting with mermaids, fairies and pirates, which is quite possibly how the UKCMRI see the residents of Camden.
The consortium plan to submit their plannimng application in May. It will be considered in the summer and the decision made in the Autumn. They are hoping the lab will be completed in 2015/16. They hope to start building in early 2011.
The Councils planning brief / decision can be overturned by the Mayor of London Boris Johnson [who can also decide the other way and save Camden from this lab and possible annihilation of the world in a "Doomsday" scenario]...next up is the Secretary of State.
...and Peter Pan.
Gordon Brown the current PM [New Labour] has given the lab his personal backing.
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