Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!
Haringey's Warehouse Districts Under Threat?
An item at tonight's Council Cabinet meeting has thrown into question the future survival of Haringey's two warehouse districts and the artistic communities who live in them.
Both the Harringay Warehouse District and the Fountayne Road community now face an uncertain future following the publication of a Haringey Council report, "Tackling Unauthorised Living in Industrial Areas". (Report attached)
The report, which was discussed at the full cabinet of the Council today, recommends a two-year project costing £600,000 which will seek to deal with "the growing problem of unauthorised residential and live work uses in and around (the) Industrial Sites" in Haringey. The recommended process is "to establish a special multi-disciplinary team to fully investigate and address the problem through a combination of regulation, improvement, enforcement and, where necessary, prosecution".
The alarm bells were ringing for me since earlier in the week I had discovered that these areas are earmarked as being amongst those that will "will accommodate the majority of development in the borough over the next 20 years".
In Facebook and Twitter conversations this afternoon, warehouse residents shared their fears that the vibrancy their communities bring to the borough will be overlooked and their communities sanitised and destroyed.
In response to my Twitter requests to Council Leader Claire Kober this evening to protect these communities, Cllr Kober sought to offer some reassurance:
@harringayonline some people in unacceptable conditions. My concern is for safe, decent properties. No intention to undermine communities
@harringayonline no intention to damage what's good. Priority is to go after rogue landlords just as we do elsewhere in borough
When I asked if she would ensure that warehouse residents will be involved, the Council Leader replied:
@harringayonline don't see any problem involving residents. Will ask officers to consider how best to achieve
I very much hope that the approach the Council takes in this project will support these communities rather than beginning the process of whittling them away.
Tags for Forum Posts: local plan, local plan 2014, site allocation plan, warehouse district
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Permalink Reply by Finsbury Park Ranger on
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Personally I would incentivise talent, it is possible to try to do. The arts council do it very well.
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Permalink Reply by Brian Moreau on
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Actually the chocolate factory is a financial flop and is also on the redevelopment plan!
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Permalink Reply by Takaokagiejin on
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'Vibrant is industry shorthand for 'high quotient of people who look like they're in Fresh Meat, but all with disposable income'.'
Hilarious take on the con that is "vibrant new communities" in The Guardian today:http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/jan/19/urban-vibrancy...
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Permalink Reply by Alan Stanton on
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I'm deeply envious. Wish I could write sharp, hilarious, and well-evidenced stuff like Ian Martin. Glance through the comments as well, as many are well worth reading. (Including one from James Walsh - who may be the HoL member of that name?)
Though I have a worry that it could easily become a means of divide-and-rule. I don't want to see the unscrupulous landlords and more devious developers (not all of them, by the way) encouraging feelings of blame-the-creatives among the the rest of us non-edgy, uncreatives like me.
I particularly loved Ian Martin's description of this type of "regeneration" coming from: "municipal herbivores from the planning department and suave carnivores with cruel smiles and business offices in Jersey."
That seems to be exactly what's happened and is now speeding-up in Haringey. Parts of the borough with free-rein given to the carnivores; with existing residents sold-out by what passes for a Labour Council led by ignorant and ambitious politicians with red-rosettes and Tory policies.
Warren Buffett said that: “If you've been playing poker for half an hour and you still don't know who the patsy is, you're the patsy” .
(Tottenham Hale ward councillor)
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Permalink Reply by Mavic Starfish on
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The developers must have got onto Google Maps - Warehouse District is named in this link
https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=harringay%20warehouse%20district&a...
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Ha! And the lovingly drawn line to define it actually includes my old Victorian terraced home. Grrrr
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Permalink Reply by Sharon on
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It's a Hipster enclosure! 'beware, you are entering a zone of yellow socks, awkward length trousers, beards and ironic spectacles.'
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You see! Already turning on the bearded minorities!
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Joking aside, the issue is that the creation of HMOs containing over 700 bedrooms in Harringay has been supported here on HOL because the occupants are viewed as desirable. The experience of the surrounding community is that the HMOs cause significant damage to the environment and anyway the occupants aren't that chummy.
This differs hugely from the outpouring of rage when illegal conversions happen on the Ladder eg "Rogue Ladder Landlord Benefits to the Tune of£312,000"
I wonder if it is because the occupants of the illegal ladder conversions aren't considered to be the footsoldiers of vibrant regeneration.
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Permalink Reply by Hugh on
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Here's how the story is being presented on London Housing News:
A special taskforce will be set up to tackle landlords who force people who live in “overcrowded and potentially dangerous” warehouses in Haringey.
The borough has seen a recent surge in instances of people renting out industrial units as communal living spaces for young adults, according to Haringey Borough Council.
However, these buildings are often not fit for people to live, with no means of escape in an emergency, poor sanitation, and a lack of basic facilities.
The council claims there are a total of 727 bedrooms, in 322 units, across 26 sites in Haringey.
Each unit is often overcrowded, with up to 20 people living in each one.
At a meeting of the council’s cabinet on Thursday night the council approved a plan to create a taskforce to tackle the problem.
It will see planning, housing and enforcement officers working together with the police and fire brigade to clampdown on the illegal use of industrial units.
The taskforce will also ensure living areas are safe and appropriate.
Councillor Joseph Ejofor, cabinet member for planning and enforcement, said: “It’s unacceptable for landlords to be offering industrial units as places to live.
“The buildings are often cramped, cold, insanitary and dangerous and we are clear that the landlords who are using them in this way are in serious breach of planning regulations and are placing their tenants at risk.
“We know that housing is at a premium in the borough and we recognise the contribution that these residents – many of whom work in the creative industries – make to our borough, but the council would be failing in its duty if it was to turn a blind eye to the very real dangers that these tenants are facing.”
Under the scheme, landlords will be asked to clear premises where they are found to be unsuitable for residential use.
Existing residents will be given up to six months to find alternative accommodation and will be offered advice from the council’s taskforce.
Members of the Liberal Democrat opposition have claimed the clampdown on warehouses could mean up to 6,000 are evicted from their homes.
Councillor Richard Wilson said: “How could Labour-run Haringey Council have failed to notice thousands of residents moving into industrial buildings - including units it owns itself?
“This complete shambles could have been avoided if earlier action had been taken.
“The council must do everything they can to ensure that people are not evicted unnecessarily and the creative community on the site is given all the assistance they need to stay in Tottenham.”
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