The Observer from London, Greater London, England • 5

THE OBSERVER. 2 JULY 1972 Plea to Walker over Basil Spence's 'intrusion on park' by PETER WILBY ADVERTISEMENT ONLY ONE HOPE LEFT THE REV. ROYAPPA is a ha-d working, kindly pries! in South India. He is desperately concerned at the plight of some old people in his care. One old man, Gobal, is typical of their need.

Gobal is blind, which makes life hard enough. He is also crippled with leprosy. Yet he has no one to look after him; and nowhere to turn for food or help except Father Royappa Compassion, and an occasional sparse meal, is all that Father Royappa has to share with the old man. and others in like need for there are no funds to spare Help the Aged does all it can, by providing funds for food, medicines, clothing and shelter. But unless we can send more help old people like Gobal must go without.

Your generous gift can literally mean the difference of life and death. It will bring happiness where now there is despair. Please help if you can by sending your donation now to Help the Aged (Overseas), Room OR1, 8-10 Dennian Street, London, W1A 2AP. AT ANY AGE YOU CAN READ The VOCATIONAL GUIDANCE ASSOCIATION Advertisement on page 18. Boris Spassky (left) and Bobby Fischer in an earlier encounter at the World Chess Championships in Slegen, Germany.

Fischer non-move baffles Icelandic chessmen AN APPEAL to the Department of the Environment to halt construction of the new 186-ft Queen Anne's Mansions office block on the edge of St James's Park will be made in the House of Lords this week. Lord Reigate, a former Conservative junior Minister, saiu yesterday I shall be asking the Government on Tuesday if it will use its powers to stop the And. in the Commons, a group of MPs are considering putting a similar motion on the Order Paper. But Mr Peter Walker, the Environment Minister, wouid have to issue a discontinuance order ftc stop work on the building) and a revocation order (to withdraw planning permissionl. The cost in compensation to the developers.

Iand Securities Investment Trust, would be at least 1 million. This would have to be paid by Westminister City Council, the local planning authority, and would cover the difference between the value of the site with planning permission and without, and the building costs incurred. The new mansions, for whicl, ihe foundations are already being laid, are to be used as Government offices. Tbv were described by the A last week as anotheT gross intrusion on London's prettiest park." Bas.l Spence. the architect, was accused of producing misleading drawings of the building which make it look less obtrusive.

Proposals to develop the site the Central Area Board Committee, said: 'We were in a difficult position. After Ihe war. the Government had given itself permission to use the existing buildings as offices, against the wishes of the London County Council. So there was nothing we could do to convert it to residential use. The net useable office space was going to be less in the new building and ihere was belter parking provision so, on these grounds, we accepted At that time, the Greater London Development Plan was being drawn up and the area in which Queen Anne's Mansions stands was designated inappropriate for high buildings.

But. said Mr Thorne: We thought that a squatter building might well have been worse in the The most ardent critics of the new building admit thai there is very little chance of it now being slopped. But there are hopes that any repetition can be prevented. The critics also say that the secrecy which has surrounded the plans for Queen Anne's Mansions must not be allowed again. To some extent, it could net be repeated.

Under the Town and Country Planning Act. I96S. drawings must be available to the public for least six months. But. as one planning man admitted last wreek These are architectural plans and would mean almost nothing to the The Architect? Journal proposes that 1 models, drawings and perspectives with all the surrounding buildings accurately depicted should be available.

If claims that Sir Basil Spence's design was accepted only because it did not show the proposed building in its most offensive aspect. were first put forward in 1959 and envisaged a building 240 ft high When they were referred to the Royal Fine Art Commission (the watchdog over projects or developments which appear to affect amenities of a nauonal or public character') grave doubts were expressed. New plans were referred to the Commission in 1964. It was pointed out that the de velopment was to be for the use of a government department and that the building would be less bulky than the one already existing on the site. Since it was no longer an exceptionally high building, the commission, which has a purely advisory role, was asked to pronounce only upon the architectural form proposed.

In a letter to the Architects' Journal last week, Mr Frank Fielden, the Commission's secretary, said: It was, however, made clear i.i discussion of the development that certain Commissioners deplored the repetition on this delicate site of a building of a bulk comparable to the existing one. Though idiosyncratic, the form proposed for the building did not cause the Commission to feel that there was any ground for declaring that it was unsuitable in quality. In the light of today's opinion the result will inevitably be considered an over use of the site and will be criticised on this ground. This criticism wilt flow over and bear also apainst the architecture He added that if the proposal were to have come up today it would not have succeeded, at any rate without a great public Mr Fielden pointed out yesterday that, even when the Commission gave its final approval, in I96S, there was not the concern about high buildings in Central London that there is now. Inevitably we are a reflection of enlightened public opinion.

There has been a big change over the last seven years and an enormous swing towards conservation and Critics of the new building point out that the Commission was hardly likely to criticise the architectural quality, in any circumstances. At least half of its members are practising architects and, at the time the building was considered, Sir Pasil Spence was himself a member. People were hardly likely to criticise him, when their own designs might be coming up for discussion the following said one architect. At the time, public discussion centred on whether or not the site should be used for office as opposed to residential development. In 196H, Lord Amulree raised this point in Ihe House of Lords Application for planning per-misrion was made to Westminster City Council in August ,1968.

Though it was not then obliged to do so by law, the council consulted people living nearby, as well as the Westminster Society and the Ministry of Public Building and Works Only two objections were made, both from the occupants of adjoin ing buildings. The plans were also referred to two Greater London Council committees the Historic Buildings Cc-nmittee and the Central Area Board Committee. Both said that they were acceptable. Mr Neil Thorne. chairman of from ROY PERROTT Reykjavik, 1 July graphers even when they are not and T-bone sJeais at midnight after a dav of chess and I asked the British Master Harry i kirn bek who will be reporting progress of the for Thy Obsihvrj what he thought of Hscher's chances.

He is inclined to think he wijj win, though notes one weakness of his as a rather narrow repertoire of openings uhich the Russians mirrht profitably and exploit. Pn- -o -V nine at atL fast or slow, our desperate need is to iia ve ui a i lonely, loping genius stepping out at the airport. WAITING for the elusive Bobby Fischer io arrive here to nuke his ehiillcnpc for (he orld Chess Championship has become a severe test of patience as well as nerc. Some ink that 2l-ve ar-old prodigy from Brooklyn m.j be using deb yi rig t.ic:ics Lin settle the Russuns. tl so, it i nol atteeting cht: primary ta rge; too though using much confusion The champion, Sp.isky, looks outwardly beamingiy yiod form, playing a liille lenms.

palling in some restful afternoon naps, no doubt taking comfort in having the massive resources of the Russjan chess world behind him. In the evenings Spassky goe into a private huddle over the practice board with his ihrec eperl when, we suppose, they iry to analyse any flaws in Fischer's past games and prepare some devilishly ingenious surprises for him. Officials of the Icelandic Chess Federation, which orejnisinc even', seem puzleu rwuv cf to take -icher's demand for ccn of rhe gate money as hi-- appropriate l- ol' ih.c I prve ituo-llrrds io' the per rntT. to the I i feJtM i r. ru i 1 sold rights for television and move-by -move broadcast of ihe game to seera? coiinlries.

'and to be in a serious bn fn if there is no maich F-1 -cbcr's law ct is nerc and both sides, are negotiating hard. Inspired bv a orl of clirThang-ing optimum, ihe federation is going ahead with ton ight's cere-mo'uaf open 'ng. Ti-e chief umpire iuIJ the chesi; c'ok or. lournamenr Uible I .1 rp a ve ii )f Bobb is no: There io maVe a move he fnrfctx then have deode m.r. The rules and Russian coufd stand Hich absicnteeism Fischer is a mem her ol a Chnsnan lisi ect thai i owns, on travel on Saturdays.

So ihe prospect if he is coming at all seems to be a la 1 arrival ol a somewhat jaded hero tomorrow, just in the nick of time for the opening game in the evening. Since there is so much international prestrge at uake and reporters have the awful prospect of dusting off (heir old cold war metaphors with (he best chance for 35 years to break ihe Russian monopoly of the championship, perhaps even the possibilities of a Presidential je; to get the challenger here cannoi be ruled out. The organisers have acquired a private house for Fischer and thoughtfully laid in stacks of his favourite orange iuice and mineral water. Chess players from every -w here have arrived 10 see ihe battle but. until that plane comes view, they wiEl cominue to sit about sad -faced in cafes, like Flying to South Africa with other airlines can he a waste of time.

Our747gets there VA hours you faster. deprived children kept aiting for goodies. I ischer has heen a rare phenomenon ever since he hcc-ime Grand Musler at the ape ol" I Some desenbed him as the greater; pia er in history Perhaps a year ago. some experts ould have iriven (he powerful and more experienced Spassky the edge in this encounter Hut Hscher's cannon-hail style of defeating three Grand Masters. 1vo Russian and one Danish, one after the othei during the earlier rounds nov persuades most of the co.yfUJsefJtli Iha Fischer should be reckoned marginal I favourite tn a close-run thing.

Fischer apparently keeps very fit on his regime uncommonly so. I gather, in the higher echelons of the chess world. A player is normally allowed three postponements for illness during a tournament, as in this one. A sceptical Grand Master once exclaimed to cronies after a match So quickly the loser to the hospital' 1 get to think I never yet difeated a truly healthy pi a vcr 1: is indeed, they say, not rare to find the afflicted loser, while clutching doctor's certificate, to sj up hed with the board K-Mde him am: friends around who have brought no hot-house flowers, hut only a feis ideas for variations that may dish thai old coconut Hei rich If the patient ihinks he mst the chance of a draw in the ensuing game, the prognosis for recovers is said to be pretty good. Bu: both Fischer and Spassky are noted for their I5, married, with one child, come- from Leningrad and ha- ihe somewhat Celtic moodiness and arlisnc volatilise associated a uh natives of the city l-ichr his nlwi.v- been a loner I en I I In- seems to have discovered from infancy onwards a measure of harmony in the chess squares that was miss'nc elsewhere.

He is a lame, loping, untidy sort of character. "During a tournament he -ticks as closelv as he can to his nsiiallv sur rounded by a jumble of cast-off deb -clothes, chess magazines, a naif hewed apple, unlaundered liUlu be found a his board, racing through annotated master-games by himself. His untidiness stops short of the board. There, his admirers say. they find the melodic line of MoVartian lucidity moving through his games, from the opening to the satisfying and inevitable last note sounded, a duality nf making the complicated look simple.

A master 'player is usually appointed as his second, but Bobby apparently does not go in for much consultation i and it might be hard on the stamina of such a friend and shield-bearer to keep up with those unpredictable and dodgy long walks of Fischer's (avoiding photo- London, had high lead levels in their blood. Dr Taylor will tell Welwyn councillors that the children in the city with high lead levels were probably contaminated by clothing worn by workers at the lead mills. Most, if not all. the affected children are understood to have parents employed at the factory. Dr Taylor will also say that although the blood lead levels are high they are not dangerous, and that no symptoms of lead poisoning have been found.

One child whose father worked at the lead mills had a blood lead level high enough for the health authorities to send him to Great Ormond Street Hospital, London, for observation, but no symptoms of lead poisoning were found. After a four-day stay the child returned home Briiish ead is not the only lead snurce in Welwyn Garden Dr Tailor said 'We also have Bourne Chenrca's, wrth a factory producing 'ed lead I '-sunt to emphasise that we are doing not because we have severe misgivings but because we want to lake the wise He said Brush lead was being scry ci-ope-at-ve and was taking the sorrecr safety steps. The Department of the Environment is making a survey of lead pollution dust and soil samples he factories. 1-ie nc.ss Welwyn can be L'asscii a heal'h dnneer that is not so TiiiKh new as nc.sly dis-sove-ed 1 end in 'dren's blood a conce-n he- -'ic sens i children to mcl.i: and d.n-nge it can o. espcL to rhe h- a ihric ihe Govern- as ked Ihe 'oca I mcdica1 'cruE levels hi, '-( hae hign High lead level in children near works by JEREMY BUGLER, Environment Correspondent No other airline can fly you to Johannesburg as quickly as BOAC.

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ABNORMAL levels of lead in the blood of some children living in Welwyn Garden City have been discovered after checks were ordered by the Government. The children's homes are near the British Lead Mills factory. On Tuesday Dr George Taylor, the local Medical Officer of Health, will inform Welwyn Garden City's urban district council of the exact numbers affected and the levels found The Welwyn survey was started after the discovery that children living near a smelling works on the Isle of Dogs, in the east end of IMPROVE YOUR HOME WITH MARSLAND SLIDING DOORS Make nd me a free brochure I and price lisL m. I I i your heyfia, r-ij. (house 1 land 'Zf-r ga rde s- Jjinto one We'll take good care of you.

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