` VISTA VIEW ' PLAN GOES TO L.C.C.
Catholic Herald Reporter
THE London County Council has begun a top-level review of a multimillion pound rebuilding scheme which will alter the whole setting of Westminster Cathedral and take away the premises of several long established Catholic shops and offices nearby.
Westminster City Council have unanimously recommended the mammoth rebuilding scheme and have pointed out to the LCC that the view of Westminster Cathedral will be opened up if the scheme is implemented.
At present. they add. the view to the Cathedral is regrettably blocked by a line of buildings straggling in front of its main entrance. It is these buildings which will be pulled down and rearranged with eight acres of other property if the vast rebuilding scheme is passed by the I.C.C..
A spokesman for the L.C.C. told me this week that the current review of the scheme by the L.C.C. will "take a long time" and will he followed by discussions with the Ministry of Local Government and Housing and the Ministry of Works. He confirmed that under the scheme Ashley Place and Howick Place will be done away with. The elimination of these two streets means that much Catholic property will he demolished. including the offices of "The Tablet". the C.W.L. Relief and Refugee Committee, the Catholic Association, B.O.W. Holdings. Bows and Bartlett (Church furnishers) and the shops of the C.T.S., Burns Oates, the Ashley Gallery and the Art and Book Shop.