Prior to the Earl’s Court Area Action Group’s peaceful protest outside Kensington and Chelsea Town Hall and the full council debate on the petition calling for an immediate halt of the demolition of Earls Court Exhibition Centre on public health grounds, the following three statements were issued in support. 

Shahrar Ali, Deputy Leader of The Green Party (23.06.15)

"Earls Court Exhibition Centre's demolition shows us everything wrong about how property developers are able to call the shots, whilst our local and regional government betrays the people they are meant to serve.

What's to like about increased air pollution on top of already dangerously high levels across the capital, with greater traffic pollution to come? What's to like about residential stacks marketed at already asset rich investors and out of reach of the ordinary Londoner desperate for a quality home?

Greens have made vigorous representations against this development, both locally and in City Hall, and will continue to expose the disbenefits that will be imposed upon the many for the sake of the few."

Cllr. Robert Atkinson, Leader of the Labour Group in Kensington (23.06.15)

“These two local authorities are putting the long term health and well-being of thousands of their residents at serious risk.

Labour in Kensington and Chelsea has campaigned vigorously against this redevelopment, which seems to be for the interests of greed, speculation and foreign investment.

It is high time that our Council woke up and protected its own communities.”

Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group on the London Assembly Caroline Pidgeon (24.06.15) has called for a halt to work on the Earls Court Exhibition Centre demolition ahead of a crunch council meeting today 

Campaigners have asked for an independent health review to be carried out due to the existence of asbestos in the building and the dust and pollution caused by the demolition process.

Commenting on the demolition Caroline Pidgeon said: "I'm pleased to support local campaigners including Councillor Linda Wade in calling for a halt until a health review has been carried out.

“Local residents are right to be concerned about asbestos in the building and the potential severe health effects caused by dust, pollution and noise.”

“Over 1,500 people have recently signed a petition calling for the health review and I think it is very concerning the Kensington and Chelsea council are so keen to proceed with the plans."

Picture by Duggie Fields.

In BBC Radio 4's programme "The Affordable Housing Crisis" broadcast on the 26th May, 2015, Lesley Curwen asks whether the current system where councils do deals with developers to provide cheaper homes is working. Lesley examines three case studies - the huge redevelopment schemes at Earl's Court and on the Greenwich Peninsula, as well as a development in rural Suffolk. The Earls Court Masterplan will demolish the iconic Exhibition Centre, the Lillie Bridge depot and 22 acres of decent social housing on the West Kensington and Gibbs Green estates. 

You can hear the broadcast here. It was produced by Susan Marling. A Just Radio production for BBC Radio 4. 

On Saturday 7th February 2015,  the Earl's Court Area Action Group protest "Tearing the Heart Out of London" took place at various locations down the Lillie Road.  It was great to see so many residents take part and to have the support of the local Piccadilly and District West RMT branch who came along with their banner. We had children there with their parents as well as dogs bringing their owners. The atmosphere was happy and there was lots of singing and chanting.

We assembled outside Earls Court 1, opposite West Brompton tube station at 11am. Our protest was filmed by ITV London News and we made their 5pm news bulletin later that day.  Artist Duggie Fields who has lived in Earl's Court for over 40 years was shown on ITV speaking passionately about the importance of the Exhibition Centre and Linda Sanders from the West Kensington estate spoke about the problems tenants can have when they move from their homes and are faced with different tenancy agreements which means they may not be able to remain in their new accommodation. 

We also welcomed John Rogers of the Trews Report and a reporter from university student radio. 

At the Capco Lillie Square showroom, which was closed when usually it is open on a Saturday, a resident of Earl's Court and a resident of the West Kensington and Gibbs Green estates served an eviction notice on Capco.  Protesters held up sheets of paper making up the phrase "Hall of Shame". Then when they turned the papers around you saw pictures of all those implicated in the Earl's Court "Masterplan".

We staged a die-in in Empress Place, opposite the Capco showroom, to highlight the concerns ECAAG has concerning the asbestos in Earls Court 1, as well as poorer air quality, noise, vibration and dust arising from the demolitions. Some supporters were dressed in "hazard" suits and wore face masks. 

Our protest then ended outside the Lillie Bridge depot which is also up for demolition as part of the "Masterplan".  It is a centre of manufacturing excellence and houses safety teams for London Underground.

We retired to The Bolton pub in Earl's Court (formerly O'Neill's) to warm up!

Many thanks to all who attended on the day and/or helped in publicising and organising the protest.

More pictures are under the tab ECAAG Protest on this website.

Linda Wade, Chair of ECAAG speaking about the impact of the Earl's Court Masterplan on local residents and the London-wide housing crisis.  London Live TV Interview on the eve of the ECAAG protest Stop Tearing the Heart Out of London.

The Earl's Court Area Action Group invites local residents, businesses, London-wide action groups, environmentalists, press and social media commentators to join us on Saturday 7 February 2015 at 11AM in peaceful protest against the growth of mega-developments that are Tearing the Heart out of London and Earl's Court/West Kensington in particular.

STOP
The demolition of Earl's Court Exhibition Centre, the West Kensington and Gibbs Green estates and the Lillie Bridge depot - as in other sites - demolition will tear out jobs, communities, businesses and local life.

STOP
The increase in poor air quality, pollution, noise, vibration and other public health issues due to demolition and construction

STOP
Buy-to-leave designer developments that fail to deliver genuinely affordable housing for ordinary Londoners

STOP
Politicians and policies, putting fast-buck developers before people

JOIN US ON SATURDAY 7 FEBRUARY 2015 AT 11AM.

Assembly point:  Outside West Brompton Underground Station, Old Brompton Road, London SW5 9JX at 11.00 AM

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/bus/stop/490000260P/west-brompton-station?lineId=430

If you are coming along or you cannot make it, please support us on the day via social media on Twitter and Facebook so that our voices will be heard. 

As one 77-year-old London grande dame faces up to her death sentence, another - life-affirming, iconoclastic painter, novelist and journalist Molly Parkin (82), describes how the iconic art deco  Earl’s Court Exhibition Centre on which demolition has begun, has been central to her life, in an alternative Queen’s Speech on YouTube, hitting out at politicians who have facilitated the loss of the much-loved, still-viable, cultural and commercial asset London and our country is about to be robbed of.

Molly Parkin also speaks out about the West Kensington and Gibbs Green estates and the Lillie Bridge depot - similarly under threat of demolition in the Earls Court "Masterplan".  

Still going strong and her artistic prowess undimmed, Molly is participating in Selfridges  "Bright Old Things" (starting 8th January, 2015 and running until the end of February) which will feature a replica of Molly's studio/home in the front window, corner of Duke Street off Oxford Street.   There is also an exhibition of other paintings on 6th February, 2015 at Forman's Smokehouse Gallery in Hackney Wick, London. 

Please donate to support our campaign via this website and share Molly's message far and wide via your social networks.  We will publish further extracts from Molly's film early in the New Year.

Like Molly, we are fighting to the finish! 

New film “Save Earl's Court: Our Voices Will Be Heard”

The Save Earl's Court campaign has been fortunate to work with Dave Clark and Ray Fury of Finsbury Films. They are independent film makers who were drawn to the campaign by the people involved and their lives. 

The short film is  called "Save Earl's Court: Our Voices Will Be Heard" and it features residents of Earl's Court and the West Kensington estates as well as local business owners.  It explodes the PR myths cynically designed to sell the scheme's illusory positives and hears from those affected as to how the proposed demolitions will have devastating consequences for Londoners as well as our local and national economy. 

We ask that our supporters share this film far and wide.

To see the  film "Save Earl's Court: Our Voices Will Be Heard" click here: 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jcR5j4EhN38

Environmental psychologist and feng shui expert Jan Cisek (Msc) WARNS AGAINST POTENTIAL FLAWS INVESTORS FACE WHEN FACING A CEMETERY.

Eminent environmental psychologist and feng shui expert Jan Cisek (Msc) has assessed CAPCO’s multi-billion pound West London residential development which will overlook Brompton Cemetery and will be built adjacent to 4 railway lines. Mr Cisek was not paid for his assessment.

His findings may shock some potential investors buying off-plan.

According to the principles of feng shui, a respected philosophy much admired in Asia, flats overlooking a cemetery to the east and four busy train lines that carry nuclear waste to the west do not augur well for owners’ and residents’ psychological stability and financial well-being reveals Cisek’s report. 

The expert’s opinion on buying into CAPCO’S EARL’S COURT/ LILLIE SQUARE DEVELOPMENT?

"When it comes to investment, I would look somewhere else."
Read the full report here: Click here to read full feng shui report


Here is the Chinese translation of the feng shui analysis of the Lillie Square/Earl's Court development in London:

这是伦敦莉莉广场/伯爵阁建设发展风水分析的中国翻译。

An interview with Jan Cisek, London’s top feng shui expert (FSSA) and Environmental Psychologist (MSc)

Who are you?

I’m a feng shui consultant and environmental psychologist, based in London and working worldwide – with over 25 years experience in these fields. I’m also the founder member of The Feng Shui Society – an independent organisation for accredited UK and European feng shui consultants.

What is feng shui?

Feng shui is a 3,500 year old discipline that studies how environments affect people, in a similar way to how environmental psychology focuses on the interplay between individuals and their surroundings. Some authors define feng shui as “The art of placement.” Landscape architect John A Seiler wrote – “Influencing behaviour is almost all of what management is about, and buildings influence behaviour.” One of the best definitions of feng shui comes from Winston Churchill who said, “We shape our buildings, thereafter they shape us.” I define feng shui as the art, philosophy and science of designing harmonious and empowering environments for working and living. Every aspect of our immediate environment will have some effect on your health, well-being, and prosperity. The location of your property is an extremely important element of these aspects.

What is of interest to you in this current location of Brompton cemetery in Earl’s Court – which will be surrounded by new high rise developments – from a feng shui perspective?

The proposed Lillie Square and Earl’s Court developments would overlook both Brompton Cemetery and four railway lines. From a feng shui perspective, a placement of this nature is highly unfavourable and can pose all kinds of problems for the people living in those apartments and for anyone buying them as an investment. The Brompton Cemetery is not a park. It is an active cemetery where funerals take place on a regular basis, and where people often go to visit the graves of their loved ones. There are four busy railway lines running nearby – one of which is used regularly to transport nuclear waste!

Picture: Jan Cisek in Brompton Cemetery.

How are cemeteries perceived in feng shui?

Although originally feng shui was used to identify the best location to hold burials and to site cemeteries, in order that the ancestors could rest in peace – in modern times cemeteries are perceived as negative neighbourhoods. From a feng shui standpoint it is considered unlucky to live near a cemetery. These are not auspicious places, because they are viewed as ‘yin’ areas (places that can drain your energy) that can affect ones’ health and prosperity. From a psychological point of view, it’s quite understandable. One doesn’t want to be reminded about death every time one approaches home or looks out the window. In the Far East this is common knowledge – or common sense if you like. On both a conscious and subconscious or subliminal level – different people will be affected differently, according to their mindsets and world views. Personally, I wouldn’t consider investing my money in a home near a cemetery.

How are railway lines perceived in feng shui?

In feng shui terms, busy railway lines create lots of very fast moving energy. This fast movement, as well as the physical vibration of trains passing by – can create feelings of instability and unease in the people who live nearby. Environmental psychology informs us that people like stable, safe and predictable environments. Just imagine how it would feel if every day you experienced your home being shaken in a subtle way. The current Lillie Square development plans overlook four railway lines, which are the London underground (West Brompton tube station) and the national railway line. All of these lines are very busy, with lots of traffic daily. On top of that, once a week a nuclear waste train passes by using the national railway line (click here to check the nuclear waste trains timetable near you or West Brompton). No matter how safe these nuclear waste trains might be – I wouldn’t like my home to be situated near radioactive waste wagons trundling past throughout the year. 

Picture: view of Brompton Cemetery with adjacent railway lines and site of Lillie Square development to the left.

In a global market place how important is it that Western developers consider cultural differences and sensitivities?

London is a very cosmopolitan place, and taking into account how people from other cultures and with different mindsets and worldviews will perceive particular locations for investment, is paramount. Over the past 25 years, I’ve been consulted by many corporations and individuals when it comes to choosing properties for investment, business and living. Developers and business people are very aware of the cultural differences. For example, in many hotels that have large numbers of oriental people, the number four is removed from the numbering of rooms and floors. The word ‘four’ sounds very similar to the word ‘death’ in Chinese. If I was Chinese I might feel uneasy about staying or living in the house with such a number. I’m often consulted on the appropriateness and feng shui aspects of the logos of companies which are planning to open their offices in the Far East. This is a very wise and good business practice.

How important is location in feng shui and is feng shui widely used in the Far East when construction is considered?

Feng shui is taken very seriously and is used on a daily basis by almost everyone in the Far East, Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia and elsewhere. There are cases where people didn’t want to work in an office that wasn’t feng shui-ed. Feng shui consultants are usually consulted first before any major developmental decisions take place – but not only in the Far East. Throughout the western world – Coca Cola, Orange, British Airways, the NHS, Hiscox Insurance, Hilton Hotels, Marriott Hotels, the University of Westminster School of Architecture and other organisations have used feng shui to secure a leading edge over their competition. Over the past two decades, I’ve worked as a feng shui consultant with many businesses and individuals in London and worldwide on choosing the best locations for their businesses and properties.

Many people already live happily next to Brompton Cemetery why would buying a property close to a cemetery which you may or may not live in (it may be a buy to leave investment) be considered unwise?

For westerners living near cemeteries this may not cause a huge problem because westerners have a different mindset from Eastern cultures. However, I have had many British and European clients who didn’t want to live near cemeteries for the very simple reason that they didn’t want to be reminded about death every day because they had a view of the cemetery every time they looked out the windows.

People from the Far East have a clear rule of thumb when it comes to choosing auspicious locations: avoid places near cemeteries, hospitals, railway lines, T-junctions and so on – and for a good reason. Feng shui is very clear about such locations: they can have negative histories and connotations which can cause all kinds of problems. This is 3500 years of feng shui wisdom. The age-old real estate wisdom of “location, location, location” will be heavily tested with the Lillie Square and Earls Court developments. When it comes to investment, I would look somewhere else – there are too many risks involved with these kind of locations.

As an environmental psychologist what interests you about this location?

As an environmental psychologist I’m most interested in how people who purchase apartments in the Lillie Square development, as well as those in the proposed Earls Court Masterplan, will cope with the clear view of the Brompton Cemetery, four very busy railway lines, and the passing nuclear waste trains. Over the years we will see how many people relocate from their homes because of the inauspicious views. I can predict that some of the people who will choose to live there, will resort to all kinds of feng shui remedies to negate and reflect the inauspicious energies of the cemetery and four railway lines. Mirrors are one of the most common feng shui remedies used in such circumstances. You may start seeing mirrors stuck on the windows facing the cemetery and four railway lines. In the Far East, it’s very common to see buildings covered with special bagua mirrors reflecting the offending energies of inauspicious sites, etc. The facades of such buildings never look attractive or welcoming (to prospective buyers), because they clearly broadcast a simple message: there is something wrong or dangerous with the location. But, as the saying goes – prevention (avoidance) is better than cure. You have been warned.

采访Jan Cisek，伦敦顶级风水专家（FSSA）环境心理学家（硕士）

你是谁？

我是一个风水顾问，环境心理学家，我设在伦敦和在世界各地的工作 - 在这些领域已有超过25年的经验。我也是风水协会的创始成员 - 一个英国和欧洲认可的独立的风水顾问组织。

什么是风水？

风水是一个3500年悠久的学科。 风水研究环境如何影响人们，环境心理是如何专注于个人与环境之间的相互作用。有些作者把风水定义为“安置的艺术。”景观建筑师约翰一塞勒写道： - “影响的行为，几乎所有的东西管理是和建筑物影响的行为”  风水最好的定义来自温斯顿·丘吉尔说过，“我们塑造了我们的楼宇，此后它们塑造了我们。”我把风水定义为 艺术，哲学和科学， 来设计和谐和激励工作和生活的环境。我们周围环境的各个方面都会对你的健康，福利和繁荣有一定的影响。你的房子的地理位置是极为重要的因素。

从风水的角度来看，伯爵阁的布朗普顿公墓当前的位置，将开发新的高层房屋，  你对此有什么注意的？

 莉莉广场和伯爵阁的发展区会直接看到布朗普顿公墓和四条铁路线。从风水的角度来看，这个地理位置是非常不利的，可以为住在这些公寓的居民和买房投资人带来各种问题。布朗普顿公墓不是一个公园。这是一个经常举行葬礼的活跃的墓地，人们常常去看望自己亲人的坟墓。有附近运行4忙碌的铁路线 - 其中之一条是经常用来运送核废料！

图片：Jan Cisek在布朗普顿公墓。


风水对墓地是如何解释的？

尽管最初风水被用来确定最佳位置来保存墓葬和网站墓地，以便祖先可以安息 。 近代墓地被认为是负面的街区。从风水的角度来看，在一个墓地附近居住是不吉利。这些都是不吉利的地方，因为他们被视为“阴”地区（即可以消耗你精力的地方），可以影响的人的健康和繁荣。从心理学的角度来看，这是完全可以理解的。不希望在接近家里或看窗外的时候被提醒一下死亡。在远东地区，这是常识 。在这两个有意识和潜意识或潜意识层面 - 根据自己的思维方式和世界观，不同的人会受到不同的影响。就个人而言，我不会考虑投资我的资金在离墓地不远的地方购买房子。

风水对铁路线如何解释？

在风水上，忙碌的铁路线创建大量快速移动的能量。这种快速运动，以及列车经过的物理振动 - 可以给住在附近的人造成不稳定和不安的感受。 环境心理学告诉我们，人都喜欢稳定，安全和可预见的环境。试想如果每天你的家都有轻微震动， 你会怎样感觉？ 目前莉莉广场发展计划忽略了四条铁路线，这是伦敦地铁（West Brompton地铁站）和国家铁路线。这两种线路都很忙，每天有很多流量。最重要的是，每周一个核废料列车通过全国铁路线一次（点击这里查看核废料列车在西布朗普顿附近的时间表）。无论这些核废料的火车是怎样安全- 我不希望我的家在靠近有放射性废物的货车全年通达过去。

图片：于布朗普顿公墓与相邻铁路， 被发展的莉莉广场在左边。


在一个全球性的市场，西方的开发商考虑到文化差异和敏感性是否重要？

伦敦是一个非常国际化的地方，考虑到其他文化和不同的思维方式和世界观的人会如何看待特定的地点进行投资，是非常重要的。在过去的25年里，我在选择投资，商业和居住方面咨询了众多企业和个人。开发商和商人对文化的差异都非常清楚，。例如，在有大批东方人的很多酒店，四号房间和楼层的编号被删除。这个词“四”发音很相似中国字“死”。如果我是中国人我可能会感到有四数字的房子不吉利。我常常给在远东地区开设的办事处的公司咨询， 看他们徽标计划在风水方面是否恰当。这是一个非常明智的和良好的商业惯例。

在风水里地理位置有多重要？在远东建造时风水是否被广泛应用？

在远东人们 对风水非常认真地对待，几乎在新加坡，香港，马来西亚和其他地方每个人每天都使用风水。在某些情况下人们不希望在风水不利的办公室工作。在重大开发项目决策之前，通常都会征询风水顾问。  这不仅是在远东地区。整个西方世界 - 可口可乐，橙，英国航空公司，NHS的，Hiscox保险，希尔顿酒店，万豪酒店，威斯敏斯特学校的大学建筑院和其他组织的已经使用风水，以确保超过他们的竞争对手而领先优势。在过去的二十年里，我作为风水顾问已经为伦敦和世界各地众多企业和个人选择了他们的业务和性能的最佳地理位置。

很多人已经在布朗普顿公墓边幸福地生活，你为什么认为住在或投资在墓地附近是不明智的？

对于居住在公墓附近的西方人，这可能不会导致一个大的问题，因为西方人和东方文化有不同的心态。但我有很多英国和欧洲的客户不想住在附近的墓地，他们不希望得理由很简单，不想每次往窗户外看到墓地的景色时都被提醒到死亡。

而远东的人们有一个明确的规则，当选择吉祥地点要：避免靠近坟场，医院，铁路线，T-路口的地方，等等 。风水对这样的位置解释很清楚：他们可以有负面的历史和内涵，这可能会导致各种问题。这是3500年的风水智慧。古老的地产智慧对“位置，位置，位置”重要性将被莉莉广场和伯爵府开发而挑战。当谈到投资，我会看别的地方 -  这个地理位置有太多的风险。

作为环境心理学家你对这个地理位置有什么感兴趣的吗？

作为环境心理学家，我最感兴趣的是购买莉莉广场和伯爵府新规划的公寓的人们，会对布朗普顿公墓，两个非常繁忙的铁路线和核废料列车的看法感觉怎样。几年后，我们将会看到多少人因为不吉利的家园而搬迁。我可以预言，选择住在这里的一些人，会运用各种风水补救法去抵消墓地和两条铁路的不吉利的能量。  镜子是最常见的风水补救措施之一。你可以在挂在墙上镜子看到窗户里面临的墓地和两条铁路。在远东地区，这是很常见的。拥特殊的八卦镜的建筑反映了不祥网站的违规能量。 这些建筑物等的外墙从来不吸引或欢迎准买家，因为他们清楚地给出一个简单的信息：有不利或危险的位置。 正如俗话所说 - 防（避）胜于治疗。你已经被警告了。