Gold Struck at Cheltenham Estate

We are delighted to report that Ernö Goldfinger’s Cheltenham Estate, west London, has been listed at Grade II at the Twentieth Century Society’s instigation. This estate sits at the base of Trellick Tower, listed Grade II* in 1998 at which time the estate itself was rejected for listing by the DCMS against the advice of English Heritage.

Our application to list the houses and flats was triggered by concern raised by rumours of their demolition. The old people’s home, part of the original scheme had already been demolished.

The estate has been listed based on both its intrinsic architectural interest and the importance of its architect, Ernö Goldfinger. English Heritage note that the estate is “exceptionally accomplished” both in design and execution. The Trellick Tower was not just the most visible and impressive part of the estate, it also consumed the majority of the funding, so as English Heritage remark in their report:

“The clear architectural quality of the estate is all the more remarkable given the stringent financial constraints that were introduced after Trellick Tower was built, which meant that the remainder of the estate was obliged to conform to fixed pricing standards.”

They add, “The estate as whole is the best crafted example of a mixed development scheme of any date, exhibiting the rigorous attention to detail that is a hallmark of Goldfinger’s best work”.

It’s great that Trellick Tower will now be understood in context, and the newly listed houses and flats can continue to provide excellent homes.