New River Sports Centre N22 - PLEASE READ

Labour councillor and residents raise concerns over 2,000-capacity events licence at Wood Green leisure centre

A local Labour councillor and residents have raised concerns over a new licensing application which would permit events for up to 2,000 people alongside live music, recorded music and alcohol sales at New River Sports and Fitness Centre in White Hart Lane.

Lucia das Neves, Labour councillor for Woodside Ward, said:

“Many local residents feel blindsided by the scale of what is being proposed. People accept and enjoy a community sports centre as part of local life, but a licence allowing 2,000-capacity events with live music and alcohol sales raises serious questions about residential impact and public consultation.

I am disappointed that as a ward councillor I wasn't informed beforehand and that the Council did not engage the community. Furthermore, this was put out just as the election was taking place - a time when councillors are distracted and usually only business-as-usual matters take place.”

The application would permit events at the council-owned site, which is surrounded by residential housing in both Wood Green and neighbouring parts of Enfield.

Under the proposals, live music events could take place until 10pm on Fridays, with recorded music permitted from 9am throughout the week and alcohol sales continuing into the evening seven days a week.

Local people have also questioned how the proposed licensing activities sit alongside existing planning restrictions intended to prevent amplified sound from affecting nearby homes.

The application has prompted wider questions about the future direction of New River Sports and Fitness Centre.

A publicly available Haringey Council budget document refers to a “commercialisation plan” for the borough’s leisure centres, including proposals linked to increased income generation and expanded use of facilities.

While acknowledging the financial pressures facing local authorities and supporting New River's role as a valued community sports facility, many local people question whether the potential impacts on neighbouring homes, schools, local infrastructure and the surrounding environment have been fully considered and discussed with the community.

Concerns have also been raised about previous noise complaints associated with events at the site and whether sufficient safeguards would be in place if larger events were permitted in future.

Questions remain about whether the consultation process provided a meaningful opportunity for community engagement. While the application was subject to the statutory consultation requirements, the consultation period coincided with the local election campaign and two bank holiday weekends.

Critics of the proposal argue that there was no proactive engagement with the local community beyond the statutory notice process and have questioned whether neighbouring residents, schools, police and other stakeholders were given a realistic opportunity to understand and respond to proposals of this scale.

Further questions remain about how the proposed activities sit alongside existing planning restrictions and ecological protections, and what measures would be put in place to mitigate noise, traffic, dispersal and other impacts associated with large-scale events.

Members of the public wishing to make representations regarding the application can contact Haringey Licensing at:

Licensing@haringey.gov.uk

The deadline for representations is 1 June 2026.

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See link for Council Budget, and extract (screenshot), and poster

What is the Council's "Commercialisation Plan"?