Two local residents' associations have submitted their formal comments and concerns to the Council's Planning department in response to the Council's 20 year regeneration plans.

Once again I am urging everyone to submit their comments as these proposed plans are the Council’s programme for 'regenerating' Haringey over the next 20 years. This public consultation provides the chance to submit your views which will from part of the paperwork which will be reviewed by an independent planning inspector in a formal enquiry in the autumn. If you have strong views about how the Council sees your, and our neighbourhoods, please take the time to comment.  

The more comments the better. As I’ve said before, silence is assent.

The submissions from the Ladder Community Safety Partnership (LCSP) and the Gardens Residents Association (GRA) are below.

They are well-worth reading and set out clearly their groups’ views about what the Council wants to do.  Whatever your views, please take the time to have your say.  The deadline is this Friday, 7^th March.

The site development plans are on the Haringey website: http://haringey.gov.uk/site-allocations-dpd

You can post your comments at: ldf@haringey.gov.uk 

Zena Brabazon

Cllr St. Ann’s Ward

Chair, St. Ann’s and Harringay Area Forum and Committee

zena.brabazon@haringey.gov.uk

_________________________________________

Ladder Community Safety Partnership (LCSP) Submission

About the LCSP

The Ladder Community Safety Partnership (LCSP) is an umbrella organisation, representing numerous Residents’ Associations and Neighbourhood Watches, and aims to communicate the views and concerns of local residents in the Ladder and Green Lanes area of Haringey, as expressed in our regular monthly meetings and updates.

The LCSP has a large membership and it would obviously be impossible to reflect the views of every single one of our members. However, the following submission is carefully based upon comments made by our members

1. At the Harringay and St. Ann’s Area Forum on 21^st January 2014.
2. At the monthly LCSP meeting on 13^th February.
3. Via individual communications to the LCSP committee members over the past weeks.  

 Our members’ overall concerns

A simple glance at the Draft Site Allocations Map for the south of the Borough reveals not only the size of the proposed development areas, but also the extent to which many are clustered together near Green Lanes:

1. St. Ann’s Hospital site
2. Greater Ashfield Road
3. Vale Road/Tewkesbury Road
4. Arena Retail Park

In addition to these large sites, there are three further smaller locations, which also impact on the Green Lanes area:

1. Hampden Road/Railway Approach (planning for some 80 units underway)
2. Possible development use of Jewsons site in Wightman Road
3. Possible development use of BDC site, adjacent to Green Lanes

A combination of all seven of these proposals represents a massive development within a very small corner of the borough, in an already densely populated area.  We are particularly concerned at the implications both for local infrastructure and quality of life of local residents.

In this context we note in the Saved UDP (UD3), it is clearly stated that development proposals should demonstrate that ‘there is no significant adverse impact on residential amenity’ and that ‘new development…. will not worsen the quality of life for those living and working in Haringey’.  It is difficult to see how the cumulative impact of all the proposed developments will be able to meet these fundamental criteria. It is vital that all these sites are assessed in an holistic way, taking account of their impacts on each other, and not just assessed in isolation on an individual basis.

 The Arena Retail  Park, Site S4

Our members are particularly concerned about the nature of the proposals for the Arena Retail Park (S4), which are excessively ambitious and, we believe, totally unrealistic.   For these reasons, and because the site has been the main focus of our members’ concerns, the following comments concentrate upon this particular location, in the broader context of the impact on the area, before concluding in the light of the evidence and arguments presented.

 Site Location

The Arena site is located off Green Lanes, on the border of Harringay Ward, and is only accessible for traffic via Williamson Road.  We would like to point out that the Royal Mail delivery office cited in the document was replaced last year by another large retail outlet, TK Maxx.

 Traffic

This is an extremely busy shopping/leisure venue.  Williamson Road is already so congested that staff are specially employed to deal with traffic problems.  These staff have been threatened, and even assaulted, on occasions because the traffic congestion in and out of the site is so bad, especially in peak periods such as December. 

Green Lanes itself is no better, and the traffic flow is further exacerbated by the no through routes for vehicles via either Hermitage Road or the Gardens roads.  Green Lanes cannot cope with any more traffic in its present configuration.  Any new development will undoubtably bring greater traffic and hence further stress to the area.

This has been acknowledged by the Council itself in the Local Plan:  Strategic Policies 2013-26, which states ‘movement in and around the centre is an issue because of the high level of vehicles along Green Lanes’ (p107).  

 Air Quality 

As noted in the Local Plan, ‘the whole borough is an Air Quality Management Area (AQMA), and has particularly high levels of pollution from nitrogen dioxide and particulate matter.  The dominant source is .. road transport ..’(p138).    

It is well known, via a variety of public health indices, that this problem is particularly relevant to Green Lanes, and the residents who already live both in the flats above commercial premises and in the adjacent Ladder and Gardens roads.  Any major developments, on the proposed scale can only lead to a further deterioration of air quality levels of which, as you will be aware, Haringey Borough is already currently 88% higher than European approved levels for air quality.

 Flood Risk

This is obviously a very topical concern.  The site is in a Critical Drainage Area, which is self-evident given that the corner of Green Lanes and Williamson Road is already prone to sizable areas of water accumulation owing to poor drainage.  The effects of a proposed underground car park are potentially very alarming with an unknown impact on the water table over the surrounding area.

 High Density Housing

The site is not suitable for high density or high rise buildings.  To suggest that up to 8 storeys could be achieved without any negative impact on existing amenity is frankly ludicrous.  This is not an area of high rise development and the Local Plan makes it clear that it is not acceptable to put up ‘tall and large buildings … which are substantially taller than their neighbours’, and that ‘Haringey is characterised by predominately low-rise (2-3 storey) residential suburban development across the borough, and 3-4 store developments in town centres’ (p112).

We all agree with that view.  There are no 8 storey buildings in the immediate area in Haringey, where the preponderant structures are late Victorian terraces.

 Open Space

It is disgraceful to imply that because Finsbury Park is nearby, there is no need to be concerned about private open space in proposed future development on the site.  This is a particularly cynical justification for a densely packed and unattractive development.

 Public Transport

The buses along Green Lanes are already extremely busy and it is not always possible even to get on the very regular route 29 at certain times.  Similarly tubes at Manor House and trains at Harringay are often full to bursting, with the concept of a ‘rush hour’ seeming to apply for ever longer periods of the day.  The nearby large residential development adjacent to Manor House (LB Hackney) which is underway will of course add to these problems. Saturdays and particularly Sundays are also extremely busy for the transport system in the Green Lanes area, with buses regularly caught up in nose-to-tail congestion between the railway bridge and the St Ann’s junction.

 Medical Services

GP surgeries in the area are already seriously overstretched.  It is extremely difficult to get an appointment to see a doctor, which in turn has contributed to overcrowding and lengthy waits at A & E departments.  Only this month (February 2014) problems emerged at one of our local hospitals (N. Middlesex) with ambulances stacking up outside A & E before they could gain access. NHS England has revealed that the number of emergency vehicles waiting for longer than 30 minutes at the N. Middlesex  has increased dramatically from an average of 12/week (Dec 2012-Feb 2013) to an average of 88/week (Dec 2013-Feb 2014). There have also been proposals to downgrade facilities at our nearest major hospital, The Whittington, and of course St Ann’s is not a general hospital and two-thirds of the site will be devoted to housing, as noted in these proposals (S1).

 Schools

It is well-known that there is already a shortage of  places for children under 8 years old throughout the area. Locally, South Harringay Junior School (close to the Arena site) is having to extend to 3 form entry for Year 3 from September 2014, and there is a similar pressure on the Infants School to expand to cope with ever-increasing numbers. If this is the situation already, the problems which will arise as a result of the proposed developments can readily be imagined. Local schools cannot continue to expand on demand.

 Conclusion

Residents fully appreciate the need for new development, especially housing, but it is the sheer scale and cumulative impact of so many proposals in a small and already over-crowded corner of the borough which is our over-riding concern; particularly when adequate funding for new infrastructure/facilities is so unlikely.

The council is proposing to construct a very large, high-density housing development at the Arena site, in the Green Lanes area context of:

• Serious traffic congestion
• Poor air quality
• Questionable drainage
• Over-stretched public transport
• Over-crowded surgeries, hospitals and schools

 This in turn could well be accompanied by all the other adjacent and nearby site proposals, as noted in points 1 -7 on the first page of this letter.  We believe that this is simply unworkable as a blueprint for future development in such a compact and already heavily populated area.

 We therefore urge that the Arena Retail Park should retain the integrity of its existing name and remain a thriving shopping/leisure centre for the surrounding area.  Given all of the other housing development proposals (some of which are already well advanced, as at St Ann’s Hospital and Hampden Road), the Arena plan is a proposal too far. It should be removed from the Site Allocations Document.

Ian Sygrave

Chair

On Behalf of the LCSP

 _______________________________________

 The GRA's submission is here: 

Gardens Residents’ Association’s submission on Haringey Council’s 20 year Planning and Regeneration Proposals, 24th February 2014

 General Observations

Given the importance of the decisions made within the document and their potential effect on the built environment, the GRA would welcome clarity from the council on how these proposals are made and by whom. Is this carried out in-house by the council or have design professionals been consulted? Many aspects of the ‘Design Priciples’ are not suited to their proposed locations and do not take account of site specific issues.

 It is interesting that the ‘Implementation Consideration’ section begins with analysis of how much money will be generated for the council. It feels as though the proposals are based purely on economics and building as many houses as possible on sites, rather than first considering the relationship to the surrounding context, scale of proposals, quality of spaces, etc.

 We would suggest that existing council housing sites should be looked at the same time as new housing site in the borough.  Are there existing sites which could be redeveloped to increase density and housing numbers?

 S1 St Ann’s Hospital.

The Gardens Residents Association (GRA) have been involved in this development from the outset with 2 representatives attending regular consultative meetings. The GRA have successfully campaigned to reduce heights to an acceptable level, and taking these reassurances into account the GRA accepts this development.   It has been agreed that the height of residential buildings on the site would be in keeping with the surrounding area:  no higher than 2 storeys opposite the houses on Warwick Gardens and rising across the site towards the East no higher than 4 storeys to suit adjacent buildings.

Through the public consultation in summer 2013 it was proposed that the South West corner of the site become an access through from the Development through Haringey Homes Car Park into Warwick Gardens. The GRA and in particular local residents who live next to the proposed access route have not been adequately consulted. Residents have been in contact with the GRA and have expressed great concern with the proposal mainly due to the  likelihood that crime will increase as a result of this access point. The access point will create a perfect escape route from criminal activity such as muggings, burglary, and theft from vehicles ----- creating a route of escape from either the new development or from the Gardens/ Green Lanes.

 Our local St Ann’s and Harringay SNT (Met Police) also oppose the proposal and Sgt Jon Sayer is working to prevent this access point as the local police recognise the potential of this also being a hot spot for crime due to its secluded location and lack of surveillance from neighbouring properties.

The GRA also oppose the removal of Mobile phone transmitter masts from the site and recommend that these masts should be incorporated into the proposed Green space within the development keeping them away from residential properties. The proposal for the existing masts to be relocated in the Gardens due to the redevelopment is unacceptable.

S2 Greater Ashfield Road

 If such a development proceeded, we would suggest the introduction of live work units for historical reasons and due to the presence of other industrial units around the local area. The development would without doubt bring increased traffic to the local area. This area has 3 road closures in place, which has displaced the traffic through the Gardens, Tiverton Estate, St Ann’s Road, Green Lanes and Wightman Road causing massive congestion issues and community tension over the 15 years since these closures were put in place. Haringey Council must consider these issues and how to deal with them in the long term.

 In reference to opening up the Railway Arch no: 2018 at Doncaster Gardens see item S4. If there are investigations into opening up Arch 2018, Haringey Council should also investigate Arch 2019 in St Ann’s Hospital.

S3: Vale Road / Tewkesbury Road

 Comments as above for S2

S2 Arena Retail Park

The GRA oppose the proposal to open up the Railway arch no: 2018 at Doncaster Gardens, N4.

This site has been a well-established local community asset for12 years - since 2002 - and has been fundraised for and built as a Community Garden by local residents. It used to be an entrance roadway to the famous but now demolished Haringey Stadium. The site fell into disrepair when the Haringey Stadium site was developed and no one took ownership of the strip of land and railway arch at the end of Doncaster Gardens for some 15 years (approx 1986 to 2001).

The open railway archway caused serious problems with vandalism, trespassing, andcrime,including prostitution, and provided escape routes for muggers from the Sainsbury’s cash point machine, and caused maintenance issues to local residents and the Railway Company. Opening up the archway will increase  crime in Wiltshire Gardens, Finsbury Park Ave and Doncaster Gardens, Stanhope Gardens and beyond, as well as to the Arena Estate.

Below are the aims of the Community Garden. Combatting rime and ensuring community safety were the main reasons for its original development by local residents.

 The aims of the Community Garden are; (Taken from the management Plan)

•     Is a crime and safety initiative aiming at reducing local crime.

•     Encourages gardening.

•     Has created a local meeting space for our multicultural community.

•     Enhances the local environment and is cared for by residents.

•     Meets social needs of small children, parents, elderly, disabled, mental health patients, and gives a rest area for all.

•     Has created ownership by the community of the local environment through regular maintenance days and events.

 The proposal to open up the archway would inevitably demolish the Community Garden and precipitate the removal of a community asset and local pocket park.

 The Garden is a local focal point for community events spanning12 years, which have included;

Outdoor film events, Yearly Summer Fairs, Halloween, Carols, regular educational workshops for children and young adults, Xmas tree recycling gardening events, Tool bank, hire of community equipment to other local groups and schools.

On average 1500 local people use the site throughout the year for various activities.

 The garden is a multi award winning space which has 23 local & national awards to date including best Community Garden in London, eight consecutive years holder of Green Flag Award and five time winner of the RHS London in Bloom Outstanding Award winner to name a few.

The GRA will oppose the loss of a much loved community asset and will fight to save the space for all.

 The GRA opposes the scale of the proposed development and its relationship to the surrounding buildings. The proposal for an eight story development on the Sainsbury’s site is unacceptable and the GRA would only accept a maximum of four storeys. This would be in keeping with the tallest buildings that front the site on the west of Green Lanes. The height of the buildings should be reduced towards the north, east and south boundaries where the site adjoins housing estates of the same scale.

 The two storey houses within the Gardens are just 20m from the edge of the site, separated only by a railway line. Therefore the proposed scale of the development would compromise the private amenity of hundreds of dwellings within the Gardens - creating serious overlooking issues.

 As the site is due south of the gardens there could be severe loss of natural light to houses in the Gardens, with the overbearing eight storey buildings casting shadows to the north over the Gardens houses.

 We have great concern over traffic and traffic management in the Arena Development as these have been major problems for this site. The development as it stands has one junction for traffic, which causes extreme congestion at peak times.

 The GRA recognises that the existing design of the Arena Development is not suited to its location or context. The existing design has been lead by vehicle access and is very unsuccessful. The GRA would welcome improvements to the design of the site to create an appropriate density of building and carefully designed pedestrian access, inline with the points above. A thorough redesign of the overground station, access and embankment would be welcome and a positive for the area as a whole.

 S5 Finsbury Park Bowling Alley

 The GRA are very concerned that any development on this site would lose this important leisure facility. Great concern is also expressed at the possibility of  buildings up to 15 stories high, and we would oppose this.