Fury as Minister turns down Waterloo Station for listing

Heritage Minister John Penrose has gone against English Heritage advice and decided not to list Waterloo Station.

William Palin, SAVE's Secretary, described the decision as 'deeply depressing'.

'Waterloo Station is London's largest rail terminus and the finest example of an early 20th-century station in Britain - it is hugely underappreciated. Waterloo was built (1907-1922) for electric trains, with long, low canopies and the focus on one grand concourse (there was no need for the lofty steam-dispersing sheds of the Victorian London termini), and, through no fault of its own, its two fine, monumental elevations remain largely hidden from the street. Despite the regrettable cluttering of the concourse with kiosks and other paraphernalia, the pioneering design can still be appreciated. As a station Waterloo works beautifully.'

In 2008 SAVE launched a campaign to have the station listed. Many other groups, including the Victorian Society made representations to the DCMS supporting the English Heritage advice to list. The listing campaign was launched in response to plans to redevelop the station.

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