Having viewed the original 10 short-listed architects' Holocaust Memorial boards in the impressively grand Westminster Hall, a somewhat disparate group of us -30-40 strong- assembled in a House of Lords meeting room to debate our position with the Holocaust Memorial Chair ( Sir Peter Bazalgette) and his assistants. Over one and a half hour we expressed our concerns, dismay and frustration for the choice of this specific site for the Memorial and Learning Centre. We debated the following points: 1. Park too small for this size building 2. Park used by locals and visitors - inappropriate to continue to do so cheek-by-jowl with a sombre Memorial 3. Increase of traffic 4. No adequate drop offs, specially for schools 5. Park would totally change character 6.Architectural boards do not adequately represent reality of stairs, ramps, lifts, paving, guardrails etc 7. Learning Centre environment would particularly depressing under ground 8. Too much concrete/ paving in green park 9. Massive security issues to be resolved 10. Duplication in respect of Imperial War Museum 11. Need or no need to co-locate two functions 12. Flood defenses 13. Planning process 14. Westminster's Monument Saturation Zone 15. What would just the Memorials look like 16. Distance between Palace of Wetminster and Imperial War Museum... ...and much more too. It was very useful to have spoken at this event, it gave the organisers a flavour of our resolve. More later Barbara