NEWS on Finsbury Park & previous Admin’s threat to Rowans

Council acts on community feedback on Rowans

Residents in three Boroughs will be relieved to see the new Haringey Green Administration decision (link above) to blue-pencil the previous Admin’s long-running planning threat to Rowans Bowling Alley.

This has the not incidental effect of protecting Metropolitan Open Land from a half-baked and much misguided land-swap, cooked-up by the previous Administration's Planning Team, who have insufficient regard for parks and a little too much regard for developers.

One aspect of this, is that the previous crew's intention to exploit to the maximum one of the furthest reaches of the Borough—having big impact of two neighbouring Boroughs—would have been effected with net-zero co-operation with those Boroughs.

This was evidence of Haringey Exceptionalism, sensed and advanced by local "officers".

Those who talk with senior persons in neighbouring councils are likely aware of the Fortress Island mentality in terms of Events, Traffic and Planning matters of our council's "officers".

In those terms from those outside quarters, one memorable phrase I heard recently is that our Council is viewed as "Albania" !

I can now hear the barking of the SeaLions, Where's your evidence? … but I'm not revealing sources!

Wiser heads have prevailed and the new Administration's decision has also avoided—or greatly delayed—a possible future Judicial Review. Rowans is wholly in Harringay Ward, but that three-way Borough corner in my view, should be considered as a whole.

Or as a Town Centre and if necessary by the London Mayor. A Town Centre affecting a 110 acre park and across the road, one of London's busiest transport nodes. It's future should not be down to a single council acting narrowly, selfishly and unilaterally.

I look forward to seeing more Green principles in our Borough's Local Plan.

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