Permission granted for Fisher Hall development

The topic of Fisher Hall’s closure in Evelyn Gardens has been revived after a planning permission request from the college aiming to shift the building’s use from Halls of Residence to Care Housing was granted. The request, put forth by both Imperial College and The Wellcome Trust, was approved on December 9 2011 along with proposed development to the affected buildings at 24 and 26 Evelyn Gardens such as removal of the front steps, the insertion of windows and the erection of chimneys.

The review began in January 2011 and it was speculated that the high cost of refurbishment would lead to the closure of the hall. The planning application was submitted in July 2011 indicating the intent to switch to use the hall for elderly care, citing the creation of halls at Prince’s Gardens as causing the “need for student accommodation [to be] reduced”.

The cheapest standard single room at Eastside, the newest halls at Prince’s Gardens, is currently £175.34 per week, while the cheapest for Fisher is £99.56. Converting Fisher to a care home would cause the 156 existing beds to be turned into 28 housing units. Last year’s Union President, Alex Kendall told Felix that the decision appeared “driven by cost-cutting”, adding Fisher Hall “is in urgent need of refurbishment and Imperial are less likely to lose money if it is sold on rather than retained as student accommodation.”

Jane Neary, Director of Commercial Services, told Felix last year that the problem with halls such as Fisher lies with the condition of the buildings, and that they “have had no financial investment for as long as anyone can remember”, but she denied claims that Fisher was below standard, saying “it’s not that [the hall isn’t] good enough, it’s completely legal”, adding that “we’ve done all the urgent work”.

There is a period of under 38 years left on the lease for Fisher Hall, after which time it reverts to the freeholders, the Wellcome Trust. John Anderson, CEO of the College Fund, told Felix last year that “College is going to be looking at an 8-figure sum to refurbish Fisher Hall to achieve the standard of other halls. To my mind, it simply doesn’t make sense to invest that much money into a property for which the lease expires in 38 years”.

The College are continuing the search for new sites of accommodation which would take over as an alternative, and were reported to not be seeking a solution through private halls. Felix contacted the Head of Commercial Business and Student Support, Charles Gallagher, who stated that College takes into account Fisher Hall as a “core building” which “currently remains part of the undergraduate accommodation portfolio”. He said that “the investment needed to keep the building fully operational as a student resident may not be feasible”, adding “the College is exploring options for developing the undergraduate accommodation offer”.

“Until an alternative facility is found that offers suitable accommodation”, he continued, “Fisher Hall will remain a student residence and a core asset for College”. The planning proposal for converting Fisher from a hall to a care home, however, was approved with the condition that “the development shall be begun before the expiration of three years from the date of permission” as required by Section 91 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, to avoid the accumulation of unexercised planning permissions.