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 2icl71i8uwul7 on
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Hi , I have gone through most of this thread , and am surprised by some of the somewhat deluded comments. Having lived next to omega works for about four years till a year and a half ago, my experience of the residents was fairly negative.
There were regular raves , with full sound systems , parities on the roofs of various buildings , urinating in the street , fights bottles being smashed, and rubbish constantly dumped in the street.
Several attempts to reason with the residents of the "vibrant community" there were treated with contempt or indifference.We aren't talking about an empty area taken over by artists as G Perry described. Then becoming trendy and populated by yuppies who then complain about the noise. People lived around omega works , before the artists moved in, we were quite content not going to bed worrying if we and our kids would get a nights sleep. As the vibrant community moved in , so came the noise and dirt. They just didn't seem to care about the community there already.
Yes to social housing , yes to diverse communities but no to people who are not considerate of other residents need for a nights sleep.
Would any of you sticking up for the kind of people I had to put up with actually want to live in that situation.
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Permalink Reply by Hugh on
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I have every sympathy for you, Simon and Jenny, and no doubt in your position I'd be feeling as fed up as you are. However, whilst there is clearly an inconsiderate element living in the warehouses, there are many people living there who do not deserve to be tarred with the same brush.
For my part, I've said previously several times that I support the warehouse community, but not at any cost.
Clearly something needs fixing. If the disruptive behaviour could be addressed, would you be supportive of the positive elements within the community?
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Permalink Reply by Julia Bell on
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Having visited friends at Overbury Road many times I'm aware that some of these spaces have been at various times taken over by unsavoury elements - party people rather than genuine, responsible tenants. The warehouse my friends live in complies to H&S standards has heating, rubbish collection and even a community police station opposite . . . They are all in jobs, and are not by any stretch of the imagination squatters or troublemakers. I think we need to be wary of the council using the few bad apples as an excuse for social cleansing as has happened elsewhere in London.
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Permalink Reply by Alan Stanton on
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Then Julia, Hugh and anyone reading this who lives in one of these former factories/ warehouses, isn't it long overdue for people who are being "tarred with the same brush" to determinedly work far more closely: with one another; with the Council; the Police; and crucially with other the long established residents, to tackle these problems?
Because what you've said, Julia, fits with what I've read and heard from other parts of London. Where councils and developers have used (small?) numbers of examples of (serious and real) problems as justifications to displace and redevelop whole areas. (Often making promises to existing residents which were not fully honoured.)
So my personal answer to Simon's question is that, yes, in years gone past we too had to live near some of problems you describe. And we couldn't stand it.
Unfortunately, this is one of the many deep ignorant stupidities of the Council's current collusion with Spurs' 365 days vibrant area promises.
For years, in Tottenham it seemed that anything goes. Now including support for an increased night-time and "leisure" economy close to residential streets and family homes. Not something which the good people of Muswell Hill - where our rulers live - are delighted about when it strongly impacts on their local neighbourhood.
(Tottenham Hale ward councillor)
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Permalink Reply by jenny on
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Thia eye sore needs to be knocked down and the ILLEGAL tenants evicted asap.
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The point that most people are missing is THE TENANTS ARE LIVING THERE ILLEGALY- I dont care if they are all tarred with the same brush, they shouldn't be there and hope fully will not be there for much longer..
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Permalink Reply by John McMullan on
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No, the point is not that they are living there illegally, the point is that some of them are nuisance neighbours and not everyone is getting their rubbish collected (presumably because they pay no council tax). The benefits they have brought to the area justify their continued existence but as Hugh said, not at any cost. Its about time this community turned on their bad neighbours and policed them themselves. When you're having a great life living somewhere slightly dubious, it makes sense not to draw attention to it.
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They havent brought any benefits to the neighbourhood !! You are deluded to think that they have. They have just brought filth/rubbish/rudeness/all night parties..If there arent parties coming from there , there are parties coming from other warehouses behind Hermitage road. NO RESPECT FOR THE TAX/BILL PAYING RESIDENTS WHO HAVE BEEN HERE FOR YEARS. Why should we have to put up with these ILLEGAL TENANTS. oohhh poor things might get evicted GOOD RIDANCE, maybe thet should have thought about it before they moved in to ILLEGAL warehouses.
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I have done some digging, please don't call me deluded. For the past few years I have wondered where all the hip young people using the cafes/restaurants on Green Lanes were from and what caused that magical turnaround at the Finsbury which is now an amazing place. So I've come to the conclusion that it's the people in these warehouses. In fact my hunch on the Finsbury has been confirmed.
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Oh Please!! Get real ...
There is nothing HIP about people living in Omega Works, you really need to live opposite and be there when there are all night parties, keeping the majority of the neighbourhood awake ALL NIGHT. Having to endure threats and violence from the residents..DELUDED !!! Threats from party goers, vandalism, need I go on?!?!?!
ARTY FARTY DROP OUTS
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Subjective rant. If you have had any threats or violence from people and you know where they live, call the the police.
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