Teather urges Labour Council to stop demolition of Dollis Hill House

12.00.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Sat 13th Dec 2003

Sarah Teather MP campaigning against the Labour Council's plans to demolish Dollis Hill House

Local Liberal Democrat MP Sarah Teather has today urged local residents to back the campaign to save Dollis Hill House. The Brent East MP today met with trustees of the house and expressed her support for their attempt to save the house from the Labour council's bulldozers.

There are just three weeks to go until a vital scrutiny meeting that could vote to force the Council's executive to reconsider its decision. Liberal Democrat councillors called for the decision to be re-examined after the Labour executive voted to demolish the house.

Sarah Teather MP is now urging local residents to contact her so that she can lobby Brent Council on their behalf to demand that the house be saved. Local residents can join the campaign by writing to 'Save Dollis Hill House Campaign', Sarah Teather MP, 1 High Road, Willesden Green, LONDON, NW10 2TE or e-mailing teathers@parliament.uk. The Lib Dem MP has also today launched a petition on her website which people can sign by visiting, http://www.brentlibdems.org.uk/petitions.php

The Brent East MP has written to Brent Council's Chief Executive, Gareth Daniel urging the Council to justify their decision to the trustees. The MP has also written to English Heritage urging them not to delist the building which would allow demolition as she and the trustees believe that the Labour Council has not done everything in its power to save the house.

Dollis Hill House Trust is currently working on a bid to sustain the House through the Heritage Lottery Fund which is now in jeopardy now the Labour Council has withdrawn its support for the project. Sarah Teather MP has written to the Heritage Lottery Fund asking that they keep working with the Trust despite the Labour's Council's determination to demolish the house.

Sarah Teather MP said:

"I would urge local residents to join me in saying 'No' to the Labour council's bulldozers. Dollis Hill House has a great historical significance for local people, if we lost Dollis Hill House we would be losing part of Brent's Heritage.

"Too much of our heritage has already been lost down the years. The Labour Council must be made to see that local people believe in Dollis Hill House as a viable heritage site. I will be fighting alongside local residents to force the Labour Council to give the house a chance."