59 Ham Street under threat

59 Ham Street is a three bed bungalow completed c.1952, designed and lived in by the Royal Designer for Industry and early partner of Cubit & Partners, Stefan Buzas. Buzas was an influential architect and designer of interiors, commercial and exhibitions in post-war Britain.

Buzas lived in Ham, teaching at Kingston and being involved in the groups of houses built by Cubit & Partners architects (including Buzas himself) along Ham Farm Road and Church Road, Ham., including  New House in Church Road.

This work - in what was open land - attracted the interest of Eric Lyons, who developed the first SPAN estate at Parkleys (1954-6, Grade II Listed), adjacent. This work in turn interested a private developer who engaged James Stirling (later joined by Gowan) to complete Langham House Close (1956-8).

57 Ham Street was also by Buzas, a similar bungalow to 59, which friends of his lived in. This was partially damaged by fire so it was hard to justify listing it and it was demolished recently and is being replaced by a Huf Haus.

Now there are plans (15/4780) to demolish 59 Ham Street and to replace it with four large Victorian style houses. I have objected to the application and have commented that I think that it should be listed to preserve it as a record of its important place in the development of architecture in port-war Britain.

My thanks to Mark Brand for providing the history of the house.