Clerkenwell fire station

• A MYSTERIOUS, little-known charity lacking any track record at all has indignantly demanded the Mayor of London sell Clerkenwell Fire Station.

One of its trustees claims that this will stop it being sold off “to the super-rich”. This is self-serving nonsense. Mayor Sadiq Khan took the building off the market precisely to prevent it becoming a faceless block of ultra-high-cost apartments. He intends it to become genuinely affordable homes.

Mr Khan reversed a decision by Boris Johnson to sell off to the highest bidder. And what about this obscure charity called Water Incorporated? Formed in 2006 with a one-off donation of less than £10,000 it has raised no money subsequently. It has also done nothing of any consequence to further its charitable purpose “to improve lives in underdeveloped countries by the provision of clean water supplies”.

I wonder exactly how does a speculative £21million property development further this charity’s aims? After 10 years of inactivity this charity claims it can “stump up the millions required to buy the building”.

The generous benefactor who will apparently supply this cash is Wolf Vonk, a Dutch lawyer domiciled in tax-friendly Gibraltar whose hobby is restoring historic buildings. He styles himself in Companies House returns as “Lord Wolf of Barleugh”. although no such peerage seems to exist. Of the three other trustees of this charity, two are his eldest children. Also domiciled in Gibraltar.

The charity claims it will provide community space, a museum and affordable homes. But its plans reveal it wants to develop either high-cost student accommodation or a set of expensive apartments for sale.

With no track record of any activity, let alone complex property development, this charity now demands the Mayor sells it the fire station.

I’m not surprised City Hall has repeatedly ignored it.

Cllr PAUL CONVERY
Labour, Caledonian ward