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Architect Robert Adam has defended controversial proposals to demolish Athlone House in Highgate and replace it with a new mega-mansion, after plans for the site were thwarted for a second time
Robert Adam's practice Adam Architecture submitted a new application to flatten the Victorian villa and build a new, classically inspired eight-bedroom mansion complete with indoor swimming pool late last year.
Earlier proposals for a much-larger scheme were rejected by the planning inspectorate three years ago.
But the reworked designs have suffered a similar fate and were effectively thrown out by Camden Council earlier this month.
Both proposals were vociferously opposed by residents, local politicians, David Chipperfield and Monty Python star Terry Gilliam. The scheme also attracted 5,470 official objections.
In response Adam, who has already launched a second appeal, said: 'A lot of the fuss over Athlone House is because the previous owner of the site signed a section 106 agreement and then sold the site on.
'The local community were not happy the local authority was slack in not enforcing the section 106 when the new owner came on board.
He added: '[Yet] essentially the outcome of the first appeal was that it was OK to demolish the house. That pulled the rug out from under the feet of people who...