st. crispin lunatic asylum | 85 things you never knew about lunatic asylums
06|11|04

14. Conversion to new uses, retaining as much as possible of the original buildings is not a logistical, nor financial impossibility. The usual problem is the local authorities with their zones, planning regulations and narrow views of reuse. Planning blight results, and sites become derelict, vandalised and destroyed.

Cane Hill is the prime example; being in London’s green belt, it’s future is still being argued over. Not so for Netherne, some five miles down the road, and already converted into luxury flats.