Residents criticized plans to loan £2.6m to the new Design Museum
Residents struggling to get by have criticized council plans to loan £2.6m to the new Design Museum in Kensington. Chelsea Council’s cabinet and members of Kensington agreed on a short term loan to help the museum with its multi-million pound move into the Commonwealth Institute last week. The loan would show the museum could meet its planning obligations to make sure that it has at least 70% of the £22m development funds in place before work can start.
The Heritage Lottery Fund and educational charity the Conran Foundation is also being supported it, but most of this money is tied up in the museum’s current building at Shad Thames, and until the move to Kensington is complete it cannot be released. it cannot complete the move until the money is released well. Last month, a planning application for the refurbishment of the building is has been submitted by The Design Museum. If it granted, in 2014, it would relocate to the institute.
The loan will come from the council’s ‘well being fund’. It can use to support any cause that would promote the environmental, economic and social well being of the area. Some residents who are struggling to get by on low incomes in the north of the borough have criticized the council’s priorities.
