Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!
Hornsey No. 1 and No. 2 Gasholders on Mary Neuner Road
I've just had some correspondence from National Grid setting out plans to redevelop the area of the Haringey Heartlands. Whilst this area is just outside of Harringay, in Noel Park, I just wanted to see what people thought of the plan to dismantle and clear the gas holders.
There have been a couple of attempts to get them English Heritage status which have unfortunately been unsuccessful.
The gasholder, known as Hornsey no.1, was erected in 1892 and has been described by the Victorian Society as “a key part of London’s industrial heritage”.
Heloise Brown, conservation adviser for the Victorian Society, said: “This is not just any old gasholder. Hornsey no.1 will soon be the last surviving example of a highly innovative design and it must not be lost.
I personally would be very sad to see them go - wondered what others thought?
Tags for Forum Posts: hornsey gasholder
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Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by matt on
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Don't know about the merits of keeping the gas holders but would like to now why the Haringey Heartlands development has gone so quiet after so much talk of it a number of years ago. Is there a timeline for the this development?
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Permalink Reply by Old-Age-Emporium(OAE) on
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I see great potential in this structure as an icosahedral cylindrical climbing frame on six levels for the Borough's unemployed youth and moderately active elderly. Each of the twenty faces could be hired out to groups not exceeding 10 at a modest £200 per hour. Floodlighting would ensure maximum 24/7 use of this facility.
If LBH had put in some serious thought over the past decade, this dominant Heartlands cultural structure could have been transformed into a Community School with High Aspirations in the Search for Success at every level. Alas, such communal pipe dreams are now of little more than ahem academic interest.
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Permalink Reply by John McMullan on
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That's number 2. Number 1 is weird.
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Permalink Reply by Stephen Middleton on
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Isn't that Number 3?
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If they are redeveloped in a sympathetic and interesting way like these http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gasometer,_Vienna I think they'd be an asset to the area. But they will probably be turned into cheap to build, generic, horrible rabbit hutch flats that will add nothing to the area. It's a real shame.
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But Bethany, the Viennese only retained the external brick facades from the original. Haringey Heartlands Nos 1 & 2 don't have brick facades. If they gut as much as the Viennese did they'll find themselves constructing nothing out of nothing. In Dublin they retained much more of the mesh wrapping.
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I used the Vienna gas holder as an example of an interesting redevelopment, I wasn't suggesting a direct copy. The ones in Ireland would look amazing! However this won't happen, it'll be some nasty low rise blocks.
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Permalink Reply by StephenBln on
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Ours in Berlin-Schöneberg is now used regularly as a TV studio and is also available as an event location. The area around is being redeveloped for use by 'start-ups', as well as for housing. It's also possible to take walks around the top (see photos): https://www.google.com/search?q=gasometer+sch%C3%B6neberg&clien...
Demolition is, in my opinion, undoubtedly the laziest option.
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You don't have to look as far as Vienna: http://www.kingscross.co.uk/open-space-gasholder-no-8 'a stunning new play area and event space within the gasholder frame.'
Instead of something reflecting the character and history of the area, the planning documents suggest the gasholders are going to be replaced by a load of bland characterless housing blocks. Parkside Malvern residents have been involved in trying to improve this development for years (decades?) and seem resigned to them going. Enjoy them while you can
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Permalink Reply by Rachella on
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I've spent some time walking around the Kings Cross redevelopment area. The new Central St. Martins campus there is phenomenal. Millions of pounds have been poured into that project from various sources: TFL, government, Camden council, decent homes and private enterprise. It's quite sickening to see the amazing resources, such the play areas--always empty when I visit -- basketball courts - likewise- The Skip pop up community garden - always locked up whenever I visit - the cafe -- open and fully staffed but empty when I visit-- and a roller disco rink -- again fully staffed, with a handful of kids using it.
The reason I find it sickening is that, although I've visited on different days, at different times, these resources seem to be sparcely used at best. If we had any one of these open in Haringey it would be chock-a-block full all the time. It's yet another example of most of the resources of London being chaneled into zone one, while the rest of the city is left to its own devices. (barring East London, of course)
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It will ruin my skyline from the other side of Noel Park, so I will be quite upset. Haringey council has a long history of destroying architectural history, either by neglect or willfull destruction. For example, the oldest building in Wood Green was flattend by a developer before the sale of the plot was complete, then it was replaced by the deplorable building that now stands on the corner of Lordship Lane and Redvers Road while the council looked the other way.
Likewise, with Noel Park Conservation Area, which was one the first garden suburbs in the world, and the first built for the working classes. It's an article 4 conservation area but the council does nothing to preserve it.
And then there's Wards Corner.........
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