Formal complaint re the Local Plan documents consultation process, calling for the consultation to be halted and re-scheduled

To: Cllr Ali Demirci, Mr Stephen Kelly and LDF team – LBH Planning

As we approach the end date for the consultation period on Haringey Council’s planning polices and related document I write from the Our Tottenham Planning Policy Working Group (active on behalf of the Our Tottenham Network) to request that the consultation be halted and re-scheduled because the process is fundamentally flawed.

We have done our best to publicise and explain the consultation process to all our contacts throughout Tottenham, despite our lack of resources and capacity and the extremely challenging material we are encouraging public responses to. However, despite our best efforts, we have found this an impossible task to do effectively for the reasons set out below.

Fair and lawful consultation
Haringey Council’s Consultation Charter states that the Council undertakes consultations “so that people who live and work in the borough have a say in the Council decision making process and know that their views have been taken into account.”

In the recent Moseley judgement against Haringey Council by the Supreme Court the judges set out the conditions for fair consultation. These are: “  First, that consultation must be at a time when proposals are still at a formative stage. Second, that the proposer must give sufficient reasons for any proposal to permit of intelligent consideration and response. Third,… that adequate time must be given for consideration and response and, finally, fourth, that the product of consultation must be conscientiously taken into account in finalising any statutory proposals. ” Continue reading

Protest against Tottenham property developers Thurs 26th March 1pm

Our Tottenham – Not Their Tottenham

Protest outside the £300-a-head ‘regeneration and redevelopment’ event at our Town Hall
Thursday 26th March, 1pm – 2pm

Tottenham Town Hall, Town Hall Approach Rd, London N15 4RY
Protest called by the Our Tottenham Coordination Group, Haringey Housing Action Group, Taxpayers Against Poverty, and Haringey Solidarity Group. All supporters are welcome to bring relevant placards and banners…

We believe that those who live and work in Tottenham should be driving forward the decisions about the future of our communities. Instead we have unaccountable property developers, Councillors and private companies trying to impose their top-down, profit-led mass ‘regeneration and redevelopment’ schemes all over our neighbourhoods.

As the Tottenham public are excluded from this elitist event for so-called ‘key stakeholders’ [see below], we call on local people to attend the protest/rally outside to make our voices known…We invite all the real key stakeholders to join in. Continue reading

Antwerp Arms – Community pub update!

About The Antwerp Arms Association

The Bruce Castle Village Association found out in June 2013 that our local pub, the Antwerp Arms, had been put up for sale by the freeholder, Enterprise Inns. They were looking to sell it to the highest bidder, almost certainly for conversion into flats.
Taking advantage of the Localism Act 2011, we applied for the pub to be listed as an Asset of Community Value (ACV), meaning that we would have the right to buy it if it came on the market. Although the pub was sold to a local development company Hinterwell Ltd before the ACV was in effect, they offered us the right to put in a bid, which we took up in November 2013. We have until May 2014 to be the sole bidder.

Continue reading

22-storey tower at Seven Sisters?

Pre-planning meeting next Tuesday 10th March at the Civic Centre
Please circulate.

Apex House, the unlovely redbrick Customer Services building at the junction of Seven Sisters Road and Tottenham High Road, is due to be demolished and replaced by a 22 storey tower block of mostly private-sale flats.  Not surprisingly, the developer is Grainger, as in slash-and-burn plans for Wards Corner, the adjacent building.  They have been gifted the site by the Council for £3.4 million, ie about the price of three houses in Muswell Hill.

This is, as far as I know, the first proposed building of this height in Haringey.  The Tottnm Hale towers are about 15 storeys.  Precedent?

I’ve blogged some stuff on the SoTo site:

https://gosoto.wordpress.com/2015/02/18/who-wants-a-22-storey-tower…

https://gosoto.wordpress.com/2015/02/19/exhibition-re-apex-house/

https://gosoto.wordpress.com/2015/03/06/how-big/  and

https://gosoto.wordpress.com/2015/03/06/first-council-meeting-about-the-22-storey-tower-tuesday-10th-march/

Note in particular that last note, a pre-planning ‘advisory’ meeting with the Planning Committee, next Tuesday 10th March, at the Civic Centre.  The Agenda and reports pack for this meeting can be viewed on the Council’s website here:
http://www.minutes.haringey.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=728&…

Those of us who live literally in the possible shadow, will be there to offer some advice.

Broadwater Farm / Lordship area under threat

Leaflet: Defend our local estates and park… and support each other! (March 2015)

Broadwater Farm Residents’ Association, Broadwater United Sports And Football Academy, and Friends of Lordship Rec

Broadwater Farm / Lordship area under threat

DEFEND OUR LOCAL ESTATES AND PARK
… AND SUPPORT EACH OTHER!

Object now to shocking Council proposals which could lead to future demolition and ‘redevelopment’ of Broadwater Farm, Somerset Close, Lido Square and Moira Close, and to house-building on Lordship Rec…

Email the Council: ldf@haringey.gov.uk

The facts
The Council’s planning department are proposing a demolition and ‘redevelopment’ zone for the ‘Broadwater Farm Area’. This area includes not only the estate and all its marvelous community facilities, but also Somerset Close, Lido Square, Moira Close and the houses along Lordship Lane to the north. We have been told that the proposal would include housing to be built on a large chunk of the north end of Lordship Recreation Ground, including the enclosed sports field, to temporarily re-house some of those displaced by any future demolitions.

The proposed zone is indicated by a red line on a map (see right) taken from the Council’s draft Local Plan for Haringey 2011-2026 – ‘Site Allocation 63’. If this proposal is not chucked out now it would mean increased powers for property developers throughout that zone in the future, backed by Council encouragement and support. There is a borough-wide consultation over the whole draft Plan, with March 27 as the deadline for people to object to any proposals. We say object strongly and object now!

A threat to our community
This totally unnecessary attack on local communities and our park would cause massive stress to all concerned, displacement and disruption for years, and undermine all the successful efforts over decades to build a strong and stable local community and to improve local facilities. Local residents have worked long and hard to make Broadwater Farm one of the most attractive and well-served estates in the UK, and to make Lordship Rec the great park it now is – including the sports field, home of Broadwater United youth football teams. The estate and park have won many national awards for successful community-led regeneration and empowerment, and are now admired throughout the world. The Council should be celebrating what has been achieved instead of allowing planners to dream up outrageous proposals to destroy existing homes and facilities and break up our communities…. Continue reading

Community-Led Future – Update from Chestnut People 8th February 2015

Update from Chestnut People  – 8th February 2015

The good news for 2015 is that Chestnuts People continues as a vibrant force for community-led development of Chestnuts Centre and promotion of activities supporting

local people. So, despite Haringey Council installing Bridge Renewal Trust as interim managers, we are actively working on many projects that will result in a stronger community based in and around the centre in the long term.

Since being established Chestnuts People has involved centre users, other community groups in countering the agenda of Haringey Council to close the centre and use it for its own agenda. Chestnuts People has collaborated with the Chestnut Centre & Arts management to ensure the centre remains open while building works are done and has organised well-attended consultation events so that the true voice of users and the community influences the council’s plans for the centre.

Below we update on our current activities, including winning a national funding award to write a business plan and if you have any thoughts on our work then do let us know. Continue reading

Chestnuts People step up campaign to retain centre as a community-led resource

Latest update (see article in Haringey Independent below) on Chestnuts Community Centre where user groups are stepping up the campaign to retain and run the centre as a community-led resource as wanted by local people and user-groups.

Plus next consultation event Tuesday 20th January 2015, at 6.30pm. Come along and share your ideas about how and what you would like to see at Chestnuts Centre and how it should be run. Please attend even if you came to the first event, or come and join us for the first time. We will build on the work we have already done. All people welcome! Hot refreshments will be available.

On behalf of Chestnuts People

http://www.haringeyindependent.co.uk/news/11707750.Chestnuts_Community_Centre_management_refuse_to_hand_over_keys/Wednesday 7th January 2015, Haringey Independent
Chestnuts Community Centre management refuse to hand over keys

The battle over a community centre continues after Haringey Council officers were refused access to the building. The management of Chestnuts Community Centre in Seven Sisters was due to return the centre to council control on December 31 – but refused to hand over the keys. Continue reading

Chestnuts Community Centre saved from closure

Chestnuts Community Centre Update

Haringey Council announced at the end of last week that Chestnuts Community Centre will remain open. The widespread campaign and meetings with centre users made it clear that a closure would not be acceptable to the local community. However, the Council appointed Bridge Renewal Trust, without any consultation or advertising, to provide interim management arrangements for the centre.

Chestnuts People are still seeking to create a community led centre and will be preparing their plans over the coming months.

Please come and support Chestnuts People at the community led consultation and Fun-day:

Chestnuts People Consultation & fundraising event  is  on Saturday 13th December 2014 (see attached flyer).  They are expecting all users groups to be present at the Consultation for input in their redesign clinic and discussions;  they will also have a festive market, bike surgery, food and face painting for the children .

Chestnuts People are holding a raffle so any donations or items for the raffle would be much appreciated.

Please share with your networks.

Rally of Residents Concerned About Demolition of Council Homes and Businesses

Haringey Defend Council Housing

Saturday 6 December – 1pm to 2pm

Outside Coombes Croft Library, Tottenham High Rd, London N17 8AD
(opposite the Spurs ground)

We Call on Spurs fans to Support our Campaign Against Mass Demolitions of Council Homes and Shops in Tottenham

The Tottenham stadium expansion has been used by Spurs Directors, Haringey Council and the Mayor of London to promote a shocking and scandalous wholesale demolition of homes and businesses across Tottenham – as part of a jointly agreed so-called ‘regeneration’ scheme.

300 homes on the Love Lane estate are threatened with demolition as part of a scheme to provide an unnecessary ‘walkway’ to the new stadium. The plans to demolish and ‘redevelop’ housing estates began with Love Lane in the original Spurs-led Regeneration scheme, and were then promoted further by the Mayor of London and Haringey Council.  This has now expanded to a threat to demolish homes on the 1,000-home Northumberland Park estate to the east of the ground and council homes right across Tottenham.

A historic High Road shopping parade facing the ground, including the library and medical centre is also facing demolition, as is the entire Peacock Estate to the north – 120 businesses face ruin.

Local People Oppose the Demolitions: We will not be moved!

But the community is fighting back. 4,000 people signed a local protest petition. Large meetings have been held on threatened estates, coordinated by the Haringey Defend Council Housing campaign. And the Our Tottenham network has united a wide range of local community groups in speaking out for the real needs of local people.

Our rally is intended to ask Spurs fans to show their support for our campaign to get the Spurs Directors, Mayor of London and Haringey Council to end their demolition threats.  We will be displaying placards, distributing leaflets, having speeches, discussions with fans, and hopefully some enthusiastic chants to make our case to Spurs supporters.  Please come!

Contact:  Paul Burnham
haringey_dch@outlook.com
07847 714 158 Continue reading