Fire destroys Lawrence art centre building

Police are today investigating a blaze which destroyed a planned art centre in memory of murdered teenager Stephen Lawrence.

The fire tore through the first and second floors of the disused former Thames Water pump house in Deptford at 8pm last night.

Officers would not rule out the possibility it had been started " maliciously". A Scotland Yard spokesman said: "We are treating it as suspicious at this early stage."

The £9.2 million Stephen Lawrence TechnoCentre was due to be built next year to offer tuition to deprived local youngsters who want to follow a career in architecture-or design - as Stephen did.

The site would have been the headquarters for the Stephen Lawrence Charitable Trust and was due to be officially handed over in weeks.

Firefighters battled throughout the night to put out the fire, which caused 80 per cent damage to both floors and destroyed the roof.

The TechnoCentre was conceived by architect Arthur Timothy, who worked with Stephen during a placement, and was commissioned by the Stephen Lawrence Charitable Trust.

Spanning eight floors, it was to include teaching and meeting rooms, an IT suite, offices for architectural practices, exhibition areas and a café¬ as well as offices for the trust.