k
- Campsfield Road
Planning Application number HGY/2011/0612
As of 16/6/11
Responses received (shown online) = 189
Those In support = 6 (3.2%)
- resident of Hampden Road (4+5 duplicated) – not adjacent to site
- resident of Brownlow Road (159) – not adjacent to the site
- First Capital Connect the train operator (185) – not exactly a disinterested party – and not a resident.
- Tottenham Police station (123) – not residents, not affected by the development
- RMT Union branch secretary from Edmonton N9 (144) with attached petition signed by 132 people but no addresses
- Campaign for Better Transport (156)
Those objecting = 168 (88.9%)
Including from
– APPCAAC (164 and 165)
– Residents Associations (16)
– The Tree Trust for Haringey (113) affect on Bat population
– Cllr Robert Gorrie (189) representing constituents/residents in their objections
Submissions classed as Neither (not an objection nor in support) by the council
Residents who have objected but whose response the council has chosen to count as Neither
39
57
70
83
85
104
Further supporting information documents = 4
1 – Environment Agency who object on grounds of lack of evidence about water run off / flood risks
2 – ARUP (the developers of the site) – replying to above and asking that the EA withdraw objections
3 – ARUP – Flood Risk Assessment documents
4 – ARUP – more FRA documents
Other responses include
Deloitte letters – on behalf of their clients National Grid and London Development Agency (35+157) – vested interests
Thames Water observation (54)
LBH Building Control (142) – must consult Fire Services
Natural England (183) who were asked for their views by the council. They neither object nor support but do say this
However, we would expect the Local Planning Authority to assess and consider the possible impacts resulting from this proposal on the following when determining this application:
Local wildlife sites
If the proposal site is on or adjacent to local wildlife site, e.g. Site of Nature Conservation Importance (SNCI), in this instance the New River SNCI or Local Nature Reserve (LNR) the county ecologist and/or local Wildlife Trust should be contacted.
Protected species
If representations from other parties highlight the possible presence, or the Council is aware of a protected or Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) species on the site, the Council should request survey information from the applicant before determining the application. Paragraph 98 and 99 of ODPM Circular 06/2005 and Paragraph 16 of Planning Policy Statement 91 provide information on BAP and protected species and their consideration in the planning system. We would draw the Council’s attention to our protected species standing advice, which provides guidance on when protected species may be impacted by a proposal. The advice can be found at:
http://www.naturalengland.org.uk/ourwork/planningtransportlocalgov/spatialplanning/standingadvice/default.aspx
Biodiversity enhancements
This application may provide opportunities to incorporate features into the design which are beneficial to wildlife, such as the incorporation of roosting opportunities for bats or the installation of bird nest boxes. The Council should consider securing measures to enhance the biodiversity of the site from the applicant, if it is minded to grant permission for this application. This is in accordance with Paragraph 14 of PPS9. Additionally, we would draw your attention to Section 40 of the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act (2006) which states that ‘Every public authority must, in exercising its functions, have regard, so far as is consistent with the proper exercise of those functions, to the purpose of conserving biodiversity’. Section 40(3) of the same Act also states that ‘conserving biodiversity includes, in relation to a living organism or type of habitat, restoring or enhancing a population or habitat’.
The biodiversity potential for the scheme, as referenced in the Planning Statement, Section 4.2.12 together with the Environmental Statement – Chapter 9: Ecology is to be welcomed and encouraged.
I hope that this makes Natural England’s position clear but if you have any further questions about this letter or require further information please do not hesitate to contact me.
To make your views known
Either go to the Planning Application at
http://www.planningservices.haringey.gov.uk/portal/servlets/ApplicationSearchServlet?PKID=233385
and select Comment on Application
or write to the Haringey Planning Case officer Michelle Bradshaw (your response will later be posted online)
either by post to
Planning Officer
London Borough of Haringey
639 High Road
Tottenham
London
N17 8BD
Or by email at
michelle.bradshaw@haringey.gov.uk
…
pens, I tend to go with the flow and let fate take me where it will.
Recently, I've been pulled back a number of times the block of land between Wood Green High Road and Lordship Lane. First I wrote a piece about the Chesser Blacksmithing family then a few months later, I found myself just next door following up about the Alsford Wood Merchants who got their start in Hampden Road, Harringay and then moved on to a large building on Lordship Lane just round the corner from the High Road.
Now, I've been pulled back again to a small area made up of the few small roads behind the blacksmith's and the saw mill. I'm there once more, courtesy of HoL member Derek Reynolds, who grew up in the area.
The small area I've been looking at is an irregularly-shaped block of land between Lordship Lane and Wood Green High Road, behind Spouters Corner. For the sake of giving it a name that I can use to refer to it, I’ll call it the ‘the Redvers Cross‘.
Fig. 1: The ‘Redvers Cross’ shown on present-day Google Maps
Today it's collection of access roads with a few early twenty-first century blocks of flats. It doesn't demand much attention, or even a second look. But courtesy of Derek, I've been given a peek into what was once a thriving community on the edge of the Noel Park Estate and close to the centre of Wood Green. Those who lived there had tough lives but they were part of a close community of neighbours who knew each other and looked out for their neighbours, a small area of streets where children always played out and ran errands for mum, dad and the bloke next door.
Derek's memories begin after the Second World War. Those of his sister Joanne, born 15 years before Derek, stretch back rather further and have become part of Derek's family memory. Before I introduce you to Derek's story, I'm going to fill in a bit of the history leading up till then. If you want to skip straight to the memories, you'll see a clear heading below.
Development of The Redvers Cross
I pick up the story of this small area in the mid-nineteenth century. Before then it had been arable land, near to a road junction close to the sleepy village of Wood Green. The Moselle Brook bubbled through the fields in the south of the Redvers Cross. At the junction, Chesser's forge had been running for over eighty years, but there wasn't much else around.
Fig. 2: Extract from the Newtons’ Map of Tottenham of 1818
By the middle of the century, Wood Green was just beginning to feel the impact of the growth of nearby London. Some of its pastures had been turned into private estates and some house building had begun.
Fig 3: Extract from 1863-69 Ordnance Survey Map
To the west of the Redvers Cross, a few houses were built on Green Lanes during the 1860s1. In January 1864, the Congregational Chapel was opened on Lordship Lane, in the north of our area. Alongside it a road was laid out, running from Lordship Lane to the Moselle Brook. It was named Brook Road. On Green Lanes, a terrace of houses had been built to the south of the junction with their backs facing The Redvers Cross. Alongside the southernmost house of this terrace, a track ran east from Green Lanes: it led to a single house before joining Brook Road.
Fig 4: Congregational Chapel, Built in 1863, opened in January 1864, pictured c1890 (the road was made-up shortly after 1891). To the rear of the church, a Sunday school building was added in 1887. That was extended before the end of the century with the addition of a church hall. (See Figs 23 and 27). The church was closed and relocated to Palmer Green in June 1963. (Photo of interior here).
Shortly after the chapel was completed, just to the south of the church, the first terrace of houses was built on Brook Road. By 1867, they were evidently tenanted and being advertised for sale.
Fig 5: Advertisement selling the first houses built on Brook Road, Morning Advertiser, 30 July 1867
During the next few years another handful of houses were built to the south of the first terrace. Amongst them was a detached residence, known as Perseverance House.
Fig 6: Advertisement for Perseverance House, Clerkenwell News - 20 July 1871
By 1870, the track connecting Green Lanes to Brook Road had been laid out as New Road and already contained nine houses.
The houses in The Redvers Cross seem to have taken a little time to settle on their natural constituency. New Road seems to have been quite solidly working class from the beginning. Occupations in the 1871 census included charwoman, carpenter, general servant, carman (what we'd now call a driver), gardener, laundress and the like.
Brook Road was a little more uncertain to begin with. Like New Road, it had a preponderance of working class occupations, but the last two houses going south, Perseverance House and Durley Villa appear to have been built with a more middle class occupant in mind. Early occupants of one of the houses in the road were even advertising for a servant.
Fig. 7: Servant want ad in Clerkenwell News, 7th Oct 1870
However, by the middle of the decade even the two larger houses appear to have attracted the same kind of occupants as those in the nearby dwellings. In 1876, Durley Villa had been advertised for sale including a large plot of 'building land' to its rear. By 1881 it was being used as the Marion Dairy and the land behind was being used to keep cows in what was referred to as the 'Dairy Shed, Wellesley Road'.2 I assume it was the long thin building shown on the map in Fig, 12. James Greenhill was listed both as a 'cowkeeper' and the proprietor of the dairy.
In 1881, Perseverance House was being leased by a labourer and his family, apparently with two rooms let to boarders, both carmen.
In fact the dairy was one of three business in the Redvers Cross to trade in the same premises from the later nineteenth century up to the to first world war, and one of two which continued until the next war, and possibly beyond.
After Greenhill died in 1887, his wife the probably eponymous Mariann (or Mary Ann) ran the dairy until early in the next century. By 1907, it had been taken over by John Gower. Contemporary press reports show that he was repeatedly in trouble with the Council over minor employment issues.
Fig 8: Tottenham & Edmonton Weekly Herald - 14 Oct 1908
Gower was listed as running the dairy until at least 1929. He continued to live in the premises until the war, but it is not clear whether or not he was still running the dairy in the 1930s. Neither is it clear how long cows were kept on the premises. The dairy shed building is still shown in situ on the 1937 Ordnance Survey map, but not on the later one surveyed in 1952. Gower died in the mid-1940s. So it, is possible that he continued to keep cows until his death. After that, the cows were probably moved out and the shed demolished.
Just up the road a coach-building / wheelwright's business was established by Henry Harrison in the mid 1870s. By the 1890s, the business was being run by James Harrison, I assume, Henry's son.
Fig. 9: Advert for Harrison's Middlesex Gazette, 24th August 1895
Harrison junior ran the business until the end of the century. Coach builder Henry Sherwell then took it on and ran it until the First World War.
The other side of the dairy, Perseverance House had become a general shop by 1885. It was run by Henry and Mary Howes. By 1901, Henry had turned 70 and Mary took over running the shop until the war. In 1902 the couple's daughter, Kate Amelia married missionary, Thomas Carter. They took on the store after Mary Howes, running it together until Thomas's death in 1934. Kate then ran the store alone until shortly before her death in 1949.
As you will read below, Derek' sister Joanne has memories of a place they bought milk from which they called 'the farm'. It's not clear if this memory links to the dairy which had carried on after the war or whether the community memory of the dairy stuck and the Howe/Carter shop, the new seller of milk took on its identity.
Fig 10: Looking east along Lordship Lane from the High Road, c1905. Just to the left of the tram wire pole is the Congregational church that stood at the top of Redvers Road (Brook Road). the Cinematograph Cinema to become Harry Boult's Dance Hall by the fifties. Alsfords saw mill was next door, on the corner of Redvers Road.
Arrival of Artizans, Labourers and & General Dwellings Company
To the south of the Redvers Cross, Ducketts Manor was broken up and by 1880 the land was being sold off for building. In June 1881 100 acres was purchased for £56,345 by the Artizans, Labourers and & General Dwellings Company. The company had been established in 1867 as a for-profit joint stock company, to build new houses for the working classes ‘in consequence of the destruction of houses by railroads and other improvements’. It aimed to combine rural planned suburbs with high quality homes for the 'lower classes'. Proximity to open countryside near existing railway lines was considered to be of paramount importance. With Wood Green being well served by railways, the Ducketts land was the perfect choice.
The company quickly drew up plans to build to what became the Noel Park Estate, named after Ernest Noel (1831–1931), a Liberal Member of Parliament and chairman of the Artizans Company since 1880.
The plans included parts of two roads in the Redvers Cross - an extension of Brook Road, initially called Boundary Road and a cul-de-sac road off it to the east, called Wellesley Road.
Fig 11: Extract from The Artizans, Labourers and & General Dwellings Company map with Boundary and Wellesely Roads marked.
According to the census of 1881, Wellesley Road was already inhabited by that year. Sixteen dwellings are listed with a total of 127 occupants. Within that number, occupations are provided for 35 people. Of that number almost two thirds are shown with trades related to building including
1 "Architect, house joiner"
2 plasterers
2 bricklayers
17 labourers, (including bricklayer's labourer etc)
This leads me to wonder if perhaps the Wellesely Road properties were being used to house some of the men working on the building of the rest of the estate.
However, we learn from a short report in the local press concerning council matters2 that the owner of the sixteen houses is not the Artizans Company, but a Mr R Samuels from Harlington, Middlesex. Derek has commented to me that he's always wondered why the Wellesley Road houses were so different in style to all the other houses on the estate. Now, it seems, he has an answer. It looks like either the Artizans Company never acquired the land on which Wellesley Road was laid out or they sold it off to Mr Samuels. We might speculate that perhaps they sold it for him to quickly build housing for some of those who would build the rest of the estate.
On 4 August 1883, with approximately 200 houses built, Noel Park Estate was formally opened.
In the next few years a terrace of five houses was built on the west side of Boundary Road, just to the south of New Road. Then in 1908 a terrace of three houses was built on the east side of the road between Wellesley Road and Moselle Avenue.
Fig 12: Extract from 1893 Ordnance Survey Map, annotated with the road names as of 1890
At the end og 1901, two of our three roads were renamed. The road that was half Brook Road and half Boundary Road became Redvers Road. New Road became Buller Road. (No doubt the re-naming was in honour of the Boer War general Redvers Buller).
Fig 13: Extract from Echo, 29 November 1901.
The Redvers Cross had by this time reached the shape it would take through to the middle of the twentieth century. The only additional house building was the addition of a block of flats towards the western end of Wellesley Road in 1930 or 1931.
Industrial Development
A more significant change that came to The Redvers Cross was the arrival of industry.
In the mid 1930s, the Elephant Brush Company arrived behind numbers 11 and 13 Redvers Road. Making paint brushes, shaving brushes and the like, the company stayed until 1954, when it moved up to 257 Lordship Lane, N17 (a site now occupied by a new block of flats).
Just next door to the Elephant Brush Company, William Stephens & Son built a factory across the end of Wellesley Road to manufacture goggles. They were in occupation from 1931 until 1951.
Light & Power Accessories moved in to the Stephens factory in year the goggle manufacturer moved out. LPA manufactured a variety of electrical sockets and cables for industrial use. They stayed until 1965.
Fig. 14: Advert in Birmingham Daily Post, 9th October, 1961
The map below shows the area in 1937. The Brush Works was home to the Elephant Brush Company and the Glass Works to William Stephens.
Fig. 15: Extract from 1937 Ordnance Survey Map
Note: A related discussion, by a former Wellesley Road resident, was started here in November 2021.
Derek Reynolds' Story in Words and Pictures - Introduction
Over a number of emails, Derek has sent me a wealth of information. It has included short texts, photos, comprehensive photo descriptions and one or two pieces of paperwork. Without any embellishment, it tells a wonderful story.
As we've corresponded, he's pointed out some gaps in his knowledge, as well as filling some in mine. Where I've been able to, I've filled out his missing information. Derek has highlighted memories of particular poignancy, like that of the 'farm' and of his neighbours, the Vanlints. I've tried to find out more about those particular parts where I can.
In the following, I'm reproducing Derek's words in their entirety. But because they've come piecemeal from various sources, I've tried my best to stitch them into a single tapestry. Here and there I've added a comment by way of explanation, sometimes in the body of the text, at other times by footnote.
Before handing over to Derek, a quick introduction to the family.
The Reynolds family of Shoreditch arrived in Wood Green in 1896. Their first home was at 198 Farrant Avenue, on the still new Noel Park Estate, just a stone's throw from Lordship Lane.
There were seven in the family: Derek's great grandfather Alfred, aged 44 was a wood sawyer, his wife, Emma aged 42 was mother to five children. The children were John Charles (Derek's grandfather), aged 19, who was working as a blacksmith, Eliza, 14, Henrietta, 9, Catherine 6 and Mary, 1.
John Charles met his wife Emma Scrivener, when she was living round the corner in Myddleton Road. They married in 1904 and the following year Emma, (Derek's 'Nan'), gave birth to Derek's father, Jack. Two years later Emma followed and after another two years, Florrie.
In 1911 Emma and John Charles took a house at 14 Wellesely Road. By this time John Charles was working for Jones & Willis in Hornsey as an art metalworker. In the same year, Alfred and Emma moved out to Edmonton.
The family lived together in this small but loving family home. After Derek's father, Jack married Florence in 1928 rented their own premies. Then in 1940, Florence rented a house from the Artizans Company, whilst Jack was away in the army. The house was at 4 Redvers Road, on the west side of the road, just down from Buller Road. (Full copy of tenancy Agreement attached at the foot of the page)
Derek's older sister Joanne was born in 1932 and Derek in 1947. Derek's grandfather, John Charles died in 1934.
Derek's Story
Derek's memories start with his Nan's house at 14 Wellesley Road. The first few photos from Derek are early twentieth century. The majority of the remainder are mid-century. A few, showing the houses awaiting demolition, are early in this century. The captions are all in Derek's own words.
Now, over to Derek.....
14 Wellesley Road
A few words about my Nan. She was one of eight children, and born in Ipswich on the 24th May 1882 as Emma Maud Scrivener. She moved to London as a young woman, and was in ‘service’ to a business family in Myddleton Road, Wood Green. She married John Charles Reynolds of 198 Farrant Avenue, a Blacksmith by trade. He passed away in 1934, and Nan was a widow until her passing in 1977 aged 95, at her then home in Newbury House, Wood Green.
Nan’s house at 14 Wellesley Road was a wonderful place. The almost drab outside defied the warmth within. As a small boy, I was allowed to play with three or four items off the mantelpiece. But, my favourite games were with pots and pans from the kitchen cupboard, and the black-leaded range in the kitchen. Its seemingly numerous doors and drop-down grate fronts kept me amused for hours - and Nan’s dinners always seemed taste better than Mums! There were almost always tiny new potatoes, peas, carrots and wafer-thin slices of roast beef and gravy (Nan's role in ‘service’ had been as cook!)
Fig 16: No.14 Wellesley Road. In sharp contrast to the rest of the Noel Park Estate, Wellesley was, in comparison, almost East End - bare and functional with no brick reliefs, and no embellishments.
The family pictured are the Reynolds; Mrs. Emma Reynolds ("Nan') in the white blouse, her mother Mrs. Scrivener beside her, and her four children; Daisy, Florrie, Edie and Jack. Jack (the eldest and to my father) is nine years of age.
Taken in 1914 probably as a keepsake for Mr. Reynolds whilst he was in service with the Royal Engineers during WWI.
These were sound little houses with two bedrooms and an ante-room above the scullery at the back, a black leaded range in the back room and a boiling copper in the scullery.
Derek's mid-century memories of his Nan's house
Entering the front door, directly from the street, one was met with the smell of lavender water. Stepping into a dark hallway gave access to the door (a few yards along on the right) into the parlour (front room). Just beyond the parlour door, heavy velvet drapes gave privacy to the stairs and the rest of the house. Behind these the hall then dodged to the right of the stairs which were straight ahead, and continued on to the scullery, giving access to the back room (kitchen) on the way.
Stepping into the parlour, Nan would invariably be seated, either knitting or reading a newspaper by the fire, which was always small in the hearth, and to which, if she wanted to brighten it up, she would administer some 'medicine' in the form of neat paraffin from a small oil can. It usually did the trick.
There was no television, and I rarely heard a radio playing. If no fire was lit, then we would be regaled with the faint smell of paraffin from her black cylindrical stove – often with a kettle sat on top. She would have the chimney swept once a year by ‘Old Sace’ the chimney sweep. Everything about Mr. Sace was black, as one might expect from such a tradesman. But, his chosen form of transport for himself, his sacks, rods and brushes, was a bicycle with box sidecar (all black of course)/ He would travel around the estate by this means to wherever he was wanted.
Back to the parlour...
Fig. 17: Wellesley Road C1950. Notable in this shot are the glazed brickwork and ocular windows of the house to the right of the picture, no. 19 Redvers Road, home to Mr. & Mrs. Vanlint. Also, the 'Works' at the end of the road which at that time had not been increased in height. There are two brick built air raid shelters, one each side of the works entrance. Between the Vanlint's house and the terrace of houses where my nan lived was a small block of flats, which were never called anything else but "the flats". There were probably no more than four dwellings in all, with a single main entrance.
Pictured are Derek Reynolds (right) and neighbour Lenny Jacobs (left), his arm bandaged because he'd recently fallen in to the fire.
On the mantelpiece was a clock in a cylinder of glass with a domed top. The dial was surrounded by gilt or gold (I know not which) and stood on golden columns. From the base of the dial hung a slim strip of metal that held at the bottom four brass balls that turned slowly one way until stopping to turn back – a 400 day semi-rotating pendulum clock. In addition to this time-piece, there were not one, but two cuckoo clocks. One was set a few minutes ahead of the other, and the one that began to strike first had the governor missing so that it ran through the hours at breakneck speed. This had the effect of drawing attention to the hour, which minutes later could be listened to attentively by the better regulated action of the second clock so as to hear precisely the number struck. As a little boy, it was yet another wonder of delight to be waited for and watched.
I also have a strong memory of Nan's silver tea service in a small corner display, high in a corner of the room. Also, opposite the window, there was a large print of a steam ship called the River Clyde, depicting troops disembarking under fire from Turkish guns at Gallipoli.
Fig. 18: Landing from the River Clyde by Charles Dixon
Grandad claimed he was there, somewhere, and after the war he purchased the print from a newspaper offer and framed it. The picture hung on the wall for the rest of Nan's life. It hangs still, in my sister’s house in Scotland.
Fig 19: Alfred Reynolds in retirement on a visit to Bexhill on Sea. His wife on the left, my Father behind as a young man with an unknown mother and child, c1920
Leaving the parlour in 14 Wellesley and passing into the back room, there was a black leaded range with a high mantelpiece above, built in cupboards and tempting discoveries within, and a sash window, slightly open to take the geranium-scented air from the lean-to outside.
Back out into the passageway and past the cupboard under the stairs, down one step into the scullery with its wooden capped ‘copper’ on the left, a small sink beneath a tiny window directly ahead, and to its right, a very old gas stove – white vitreous enamel oven door, light blue flecked framework, and black oval shaped gas taps that folded flat when in the ‘off’ position – save the oven gas knob which was dark red.
To the right of the stove was the door to the back garden, which opened directly into a covered area – the lean-to with racks of shelving holding Nan’s collection of geraniums and other plants. From there also, access was gained to the lavatory whose cistern was encased in a full-width dark wood case, and with a seat also full width of the cubicle. On a nail in the wall hung squares of newspaper pierced in one corner.
The 'bathroom' hung on a nail in the back yard.
Fig 20: Noel Park School c1912. John Frederick Reynolds (b.1905) front row behind '18'
Upstairs was seldom seen, though both bedrooms had beautiful mantelpiece clocks. The most fascinating room was the small ante-room, accessed from a tiny landing almost at the top of the stairs, but not quite. It had a sloping roof on one side, and was like a little hide-away with a single bed, small table, chest of draws and chair.
Such was the effect of Nan’s house on me, that I recall the details as clearly today as if it was yesterday.
Of the folk in Wellesley, and apart from Nan, there were the Trusslers in No.1, a large family, 'Queenie' who lived across from Nan and with whom she was friendly, and the 'Barnes'; Mr. Barnes (I am told) was a Councillor, and by all accounts was always referred to - even by his wife - as 'Barnes'. (Note from Hugh: Walter Barnes, born 1860, is recorded in the 1930 Register as an engineer's storekeeper.)
Fig. 21: A shot from the front bedroom window of No.4 Redvers Road, looking east down Wellesley Road, 1964. The two air raid shelters at the end of Wellesley (shown in Fig. 16) are no longer present. It is most likely that they had been removed at the same time the 'Works' was rebuilt with an extra floor. Note the towers of what is now Wood Green Crown Court visible in the left distance. (Note from Hugh - the long low building on the left of the road is probably the one described in 1895 as a "dairy shed fronting Wellesley Road" (left).
Number 4 Redvers Road
Fig. 22: No.4 Redvers Road 1960's
4 Redvers Road was smaller than Nan’s, and cold winters would see feet and faces burnt by the electric bar fires whilst the draughts would try and freeze your backs. There were fireplaces in all four rooms but only the front downstairs room ever got lit – and then only around Christmas. Many was the winter morning when beautiful frost patterns would be present on the inside of our bedroom windows.
In our 'fifth class' house3, our bath was tin, and hung on a nail in the back yard. Running water was supplied, but one cold tap only. Dad had to purchase a gas fired Ascot water heater and it was understood that once fitted, it became the property of the landlord.
Through the floor of the house, we could hear the underground trains of the Piccadilly Line, not just the rumble of trains, but the squealing of brakes, and the opening of doors!
Fig. 23: 2-10 Redvers Road, 2002, just before demolition. No 4 is second from the right. This terrace contained 'class V' houses of the Noel Park Estate. They had two rooms up, two rooms down with scullery attached, a separate toilet in back yard and no bathroom.
I remember smog! So thick was it, that at one time visibility was down to three feet. The brown filth would creep through every gap in window and door. Damp newspaper would be rolled up and forced into every crack in an attempt to keep it out. Dad would go to work with a damp handkerchief around his face so as not to breathe in too much, and traffic stood still. You could get lost, just yards from home.
Fig. 24: Redvers Road looking north towards Lordship Lane, c1968. On the left of the picture is the Congregational Church Hall. The open ground on the right is the space created when number 17 was demolished - Perseverance House, on the corner of Wellesley. The Carter family, who lived there, at one time sold produce from their farm, part of, or perhaps all of which was supposedly situated in an orchard at the end of Wellesley Road where after stood the Wellesley Works4. The next house towards the church no. 15 is boarded up. (Hugh: At one time this held the Dairy see above). Number 13 was still lived in. Then came a yard with access to Stuart Marshall's Prams and toys. His shop stood at the top of Gladstone Avenue. Further along that access road were the offices of Knowles Trotman, engineers to the paper making trade. Also a bottle washing plant, which was previously the brush factory. Next, is the access to the Eastern National bus depot (formerly City Coach Company - set for ITVs "On the Buses" see Figs 31 and 32). Fuel storage tanks can also be seen behind the wall immediately before the Church Hall (Sunday school & cub scouts.)
Fig. 25: Looking north along Redvers Road across the junction of Buller Road. 'No left turn' because it was one way from the High Road. Past the Buller Road junction are some lockup garages (see Fig. 28), and a motor service depot. The larger building in the background was Harry Boult's Dance Hall (formerly the Cinematograph cinema) over the Cream Coaches booking office in Lordship Lane. At the the end of the road are houses on Lordship Lane, c1968.
Fig.26: Redvers neat and trim. The Vanlints lived in this house (19 Redvers Road) on the corner with Wellesley Road. Mr Vanlint was a chauffeur and drove a Humber Super Snipe.5 My Harley sits in the Sunshine. c1968.
Fig. 27: The north end of Redvers Road with the Congregational Church Hall entrance in the background. To its right, and behind the wall lay two Cream Coaches which often garaged there, c1960
Fig. 28: Two young chaps getting ready for a winter ride from the dozen or so lock-up garages opposite the Church Hall in Redvers Road. Taken in the forecourt of 'The Garages', c1968.
Fig 29: Looking east at 19 Redvers Road and beyond down Wellesley Road c1968. The air-raid shelters (see Fig.17) are long gone. The houses in Wellesley Road had been demolished and the site was left as a bare earth site for many years. Nan was moved into a nearby tower block.
Redvers Folk
No. 23 Redvers Road was lived in by a lady named Beryl and her son David. Beryl was nice and David sometimes drove a horse and cart, wore a red handkerchief around his neck Gypsy style, and 'dealt' - scrap mostly. He smoked roll-ups, always Golden Virginia. One day, very proudly, he showed me his latest acquisition of a hydraulically tipping Ford Thames truck! I liked David. He said I could go out some day on his 'rounds', but I never did.
On 'our' side, the corner house on Buller had a longish garden, fenced against Redvers with six foot feather board fence. There were holes in the fence where knots would have been poked out when shrunk, and through them could be seen a number of miniature houses - a mini village, the elderly man there was a Mr. Rumbles. (Note from Hugh- I've tried and failed to turn up much on Harry Walter Rumbles, other than his full name and his occupation of milk salesman).
No.2 Redvers had the Jacobs (we never saw Mr. Jacobs). They were replaced by Mr. & Mrs. Haggarty, an old couple. I used to earn sixpence to go buy salted butter and streaky bacon for them. I must have been 8 or 9yrs old. Mr Haggarty knocked on our door one evening and asked if - 'we could come'. His wife had passed away. She lay on the couch quite peacefully. First time I had seen someone dead.
Early on No.6 had the McCanns. They were Irish. You seldom saw Mr. McCann (the pub appealed), but Mrs. McCann was pleasant enough, though their son John, played music too loud. No.8 held old Mrs. Witherington, and No.10 Mr. & Mrs. Harris and their daughter Margaret. Margaret may have had 'learning difficulties' and was sadly the brunt of name calling by other children. Mr. Harris was older. He walked with two sticks. He used to stand in his doorway in cloth cap and braces, collarless shirt, quite rotund and looking very gruff. I steered clear of Mr. Harris.
Walking the roads around the estate was not without its dangers for a small boy on his own. Moselle and Farrant Roads were to be avoided, unless you were either good with your fists or fleet of foot - I was the latter. Gladstone at the Broadway end, had a family of many sons - the Peacocks. They were a gang by themselves: you stayed clear of the Peacocks.
Apart from that, life was fine. Alexandra Palace and its grounds were favourite. Accessed either by push bike or the little single decker 233 bus. My pal and I would roll down the grassy slopes, visit the semi-permanent funfair, or take to the paddle boats. If lucky, we'd take a trip on the miniature railway. And we loved train spotting! The Palace Gates branch was still alive, but Wood Green Station was the magnet after school.
Wood Green Photos
Derek has also contributed some good 1960s photos of Wood Green. You can view those here.
More Views of Redvers Cross
Fig 30: Redvers Road, 1960.
Fig 31: Wood Green Coach Station, filming location for exterior shots of ITV's comedy series On the Buses (1969-73). The building on the right of the photo is the congregational church on the corner of Redvers Road
Fig 32: Filming a scene of 'On the Buses' in Redvers Road, c1970 (The terrace of house on the background in on the north side of Lordship Lane)
Fig 33: The former congregational church at the end of Redvers Road in its life as the Haringey Arts Centre, 1980.
Fig 34: Wood Green Coach Station, c1945. Note that the name on the building is still Wood Green Coach Garage and the font is very 1930s in style.
Operated by A H Young, "The Empress Bus" started running from Wood Green to Southend on 27 May 1927. A limited company, New Empress Saloons Ltd, was formed in July 1928, and later that year the City Motor Omnibus Co Ltd bought a two-thirds share in it. In the mid thirties, 725-727 Lordship Lanes was acquired (formerly the house and saw mill of Jared Gear). At the end of the 1930s, the station was listed in Kelly's Directory as being operated by Orange Luxury Coaches
Fig 35: Wood Green Coach Station, c1960. Note that the name on the building inow says Eastern National. The company took over the building c1952.
Fig 36: Wood Green Coach Station, c1965. Note the Eastern National ticket office at 725 Lordship Lane.
Fig 37: Bus emerging from Buller Road (I think into Redvers Road).
Fig 38: Aerial Views of the area
Notes
1 The main road was not referred to as the High Road till much later in the century.
2 London North Middlesex Weekly Standard, 2nd August 1895.
3 Five classes of house were built in the Noel Park Estate. Each street had a distinct design and ornament. All houses had front and rear gardens. The estate layout followed traditional Victorian town planning: larger first and second class houses were built in the centre, close to the church and school, while the more numerous third, fourth and fifth class houses were built on the outskirts.
This was not the architect's intention. He said in 1896 that: ‘I regret that it is necessary to separate the richer and more cultured classes from the poorer, owing to the prejudices which exist; and these prejudices exist on the part of the poor as well as on the part of the other class.’
The houses had one parlour with the kitchen and scullery, in separate rooms at the rear of the house. In the lower class houses the toilet was in the garden, the first-class houses also had toilets upstairs. They were not fitted with bathrooms: baths were taken in a movable bath, stored in the kitchen or in the garden.
Higher class houses had marble mantelpieces, fireplaces and flues and kitchen ranges and were supplied with running water. Not all were supplied with gas or mains electricity from the outset, being lit by candles or oil or paraffin lamps.
They were designed to be small, for cheapness and to discourage taking in lodgers. Also to discourage this, flats were built maintaining the terraced façade, but splitting the house into upper and lower flats, each flat having a separate front door onto the street. (Loughton History Society Bulletin)
4 I suspect that the notion of a farm behind Redvers Road after the First World War was something of a community memory. By the 1930s, the backlands were increasingly industrialised.
5 In 1939, the head of household William Walter Vanlint was recorded as having been a police constable. The Vanlints had apparently had a tough time. In 1911 all but William Walter (senior) had entered the workhouse. The census of 1911 shows that William Walter senior was a jobbing gardener working on his own account. It could well be that work was scarce and the family went into the workhouse whilst he continued to look for work. The couple are recorded as having had another child in 1914. So, it's unlikely that either the death of William the elder or desertion were the cause of the workhouse entry. William senior was born in Middlesex but is noted as a naturalised British Citizen. We might assume from the name that the familly was Dutch and that it was the parents of William senior who emigrated from the Netherlands.
4 Redvers Tenancy Ag.pdf…
d Q&A of the plans to develop our part of the borough over the next 20 years.
My aim in attending was to better understand what is planned and the status of the current plans. I'm not sure that I got the complete picture, but I'm certainly better informed. I provide my understanding of this issue below.
What the Plans are about
The current plans are fundamental to how our area will change and develop over the coming 20 years. Make no mistake about it; what gets agreed in these plans will amount to an unchallengeable legal commitment to development. And, these plans are not about fiddling around the edges; they see significant development in our neighbourhood, covering as much as 15-20% of the land area of Harringay. Even if no project affects your road, these plans will affect your neighbourhood.
Where the Plans Come From
As I understand it, a key driver for this planning is top down. The Mayor's London Plan requires Haringey to submit plans to meet certain development targets over the next 20 years. Most particularly, this means housing targets. Haringey has been told that it has to find space for 1,502 new homes each year for the next 20 years.
What the Plans Mean
If the council fails to submit appropriate plans, in effect it concedes all decision-making powers to the Mayor and the Planning Inspectorate. So, as I understand it, the borough's choices are restricted, but there is still some element of choice about where in the borough and in what form development happens.
Once the plans are approved, they commit the Council to what they contain. This means that if planning applications are made in accordance with the plans, the Council is legally obliged to approve them. There will be no second bite of the cherry, no appeals, no representations.
The Council will also be given powers to compulsorily purchase any of the sites included.
So, be warned, once these plans are agreed, that's it; the die is cast.
What's in the Plans
The Sites Allocation Development Plan Document is the Council's first draft at responding to its statutory duties. It does two things:
1. It identifies the suggested places in the borough where development will happen.
2. It suggests what kind of development will happen in each place.
The plan includes two types of site:
a. Site Allocations
b. Housing Trajectory Sites.
As I understand it, the essential difference between the two is simply scale. Site Allocations are large developments; Housing Trajectory Sites are smaller housing developments.
Seven places in Harringay are included:
1. On Hampden Road by Hornsey Station Development (Housing Trajectory Site)
2. The Jewsons Yard on Wightman Road (Housing Trajectory Site)
3. Vale Road (Site Allocation)
4. Arena Retail Park (Site Allocation)
5. "Greater Ashfield Road" (Site Allocation)
6. St Ann's Hospital (Site Allocation).
7. BDC/Hawes & Curtis site (Site Allocation)
For the site allocations, you can read in the plan what is planned for each place. No narrative is provided at this stage for the housing trajectory sites.
To give you some sense of the scale of change, at Sainsbury's the plan envisages putting the car park underground and developing the site with eight storey housing units. Almost the whole of the Harringay Warehouse district is zoned for development. In this area, the development is likely to be intensive with a high proportion of multi-floor units. These represent huge changes to the physical appearance of the area, as well as to the population size and composition.
What Influence Can we all Have
Not all change is bad. Some will be positive and some will have downsides. As I understand it, these plans are at the broad brush stage. The Council has been given targets, officers have identified places they think are the ones that can be used to meet those targets and have made suggestions on what sort of development might take place on each.
So here's what's to play for, areas we can influence:
1. It's very unlikely (but not impossible) that a site will be excluded at this stage. If that is to happen, another site would have to be found to carry the development planned for the excluded site.
2. Thoughts about the type of development planned? (For example, the Sainsbury's area is zoned for high-rise housing development? Is that the right use? If so is it the right type of housing?)
3. Thoughts about the implications of the developments (For example, last night the knock-on effect of traffic was mentioned by Cllr Alexander and a member of the public raised the implications for local health and education provision.).
3. Opportunities the plans might present for our area? (For example, with all the planned development, an examination of traffic flows including local road closures like Hermitage Road may be on the cards. The plan mentions the poor access to Finsbury Park from Harringay. I've been writing about a Park gate for harringay for years. Could that be part of the plans?)
As I understand it, at this stage the plans are broad brush and the Council is asking for a broad brush, as well as more specific responses. Last night we were told that if the community feels strongly, the Council will have to look again at its plans.
Still Confused
This is complex stuff. I think I may have hold of one end of a piece of string, but I certainly don't claim to understand the whole shebang.
The formal consultation for this stage of the plans runs until 7th March. If you'd like to learn more there are supposed to be drop-in events coming up at our two local libraries.
AlternativeIy, we could try something else. I was quite impressed with Steve Kelly, the new Assistant Director for Planning who was at the meeting last night and I suggested a few things to him in a conversation afterwards. Firstly I asked if he'd be prepared to arrange for a limited response online Q&A on HoL (to understand the process and ask questions - not to respond to the consultation). I also asked if it would be possible to arrange for someone to attend an informal meeting locally to respond to questions. Steve seems open to both possibilities. Is anyone interested?
Responding to the Plans
1. Formal Response
Complete an online survey
By phone on 020 8489 1479
By email to ldf@haringey.gov.uk
2. Another Option
If enough people are interested, we could arrange to meet informally, discuss the plans and possibly think about submitting a collective response.
Who's in Charge
Players appearing for the Council team were:
Cllr Joseph Ejiofor, Cabinet Member for Planning and Enforcement
Stephen Kelly, Asst Director Planning
Gavin Ball, Planning Policy Officer
…
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, 7th 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
At the Harringay and St. Ann’s Area Forum on 21st January 2014.
At the monthly LCSP meeting on 13th February.
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:
St. Ann’s Hospital site
Greater Ashfield Road
Vale Road/Tewkesbury Road
Arena Retail Park
In addition to these large sites, there are three further smaller locations, which also impact on the Green Lanes area:
Hampden Road/Railway Approach (planning for some 80 units underway)
Possible development use of Jewsons site in Wightman Road
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.…
dog she had buried in the garden.
Rarely seen outdoors or driving her white Rolls-Royce, the bespectacled 64-year-old hardly aroused suspicion in Hornsey.
But when detectives began investigating one of the capital's biggest vice rings, they soon discovered "Josie" was not what she seemed.
Over more than a decade, the quietly spoken Irish woman had built up a prostitution empire based at three saunas which was earning her an alleged £3-4m a year.
Only one of the premises actually had a sauna. Undercover officers were offered a sex menu after paying a £10 entry fee and ushered into a massage room where they made their excuses and left.
A surveillance operation showed 1,500 men were going to the brothels at Aqua Sauna, Lanacombe Sauna, and the Ishka Bath every week.
Scotland Yard was embarrassed to discover the saunas had been advertised in the British Transport Police magazine, and ' 999' a trade paper for the emergency services. However, no officers were caught during the inquiry.
"Josie is in the premier league of London madams," said Detective Inspector Paul Holmes, who led the investigation.
"She managed the whole business by remote control from home. She is an extremely exploitative lady."
Daly pleaded guilty to three charges of controlling prostitution for gain between January 1996 and December 1997.
Yesterday she appeared at Harrow crown court expecting to be sentenced by Judge Barrington Black, but the case was adjourned until September because of concern about her assets.
As well as her seven bedroom Victorian home, Daly owns six other properties in London, including a derelict 60 room hotel and a hostel where the prostitutes lived in between shifts at the saunas.
The court has the power to seize all of them. It is estimated they have a combined value of up to £5m.
Officers found £104,000 in cash when they searched Daly's bedroom.
Judge Black warned Daly she faced "a substantial financial penalty" as well as confiscation orders on her assets.
But he told her she would not be sent to jail. Daly has been suffering from ill health and appeared at court in a wheelchair.
Although officers at the vice squad based at Charing Cross believe most saunas in London are fronts for brothels, they were drawn to the Aqua because it was so busy. They were also suspicious about the number of women from Thailand and Eastern Europe who seemed to be working there.
One of the unit's main tasks is to smash the crime rings which smuggle prostitutes into the country from these regions.
Brendan Kelly, prosecuting, said officers paid £10 to get into the saunas. They were then invited to choose from a selection of women aged between 18 and 30 and were offered sexual services up to the price of £50. "Once inside the clients would be offered a drink and given a towel. It was quite clear that the massage or the sauna was incidental."
As the madam, Daly received the £10 door money. The prostitutes were not paid salaries but kept whatever else they earned and were allowed to sleep at a hostel nearby.
At 6pm every day, receptionists took the day's takings to Daly at Bunty's Corner, where she lives with her daughter, Emilia Tawaih.
The rubbish from the brothels was also taken to the house to prevent the local authority from becoming suspicious.
Daly never went to the brothels, preferring to stay at home to look after her three dogs. "She is passionate about them," said Det Insp Holmes.
He said the turnover of the businesses was "phenomenal" but admitted it was difficult for the police to crack down on prostitution when the laws were so "gender biased."…
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been built up in the comment body of another discussion).
The piece below ran in the North London Echo and Crouch End Observer in December 1900. (I am reproducing a scanned version because the original newspaper article is rather difficult to read).
Let me introduce you to the members of the deputation:
Harry West, 207 Wightman Road, (Commercial traveller, aged 30, living with his wife Isabella, 32. Also a boarder couple, Sherry Walker, aged 39 and his wife Cecilia aged 38).
The Reverend Cecil White, St Peter's Vicarage, Wightman Road, (Church of England Vicar, aged 40, living with his wife Annie, 30, son Hugh, 2 and three (yes three!) servants, Eileen Rutland, 28, Harriet Seward, 19 and Edith Wilson, 20)
Dr. William Gemmell, 180 Wightman Road, (Phsycian/Surgeon, aged 40, living with a servant, Christiana Logan, aged 25) (Contemporary picture of this house).
Dr. Thomas Esclome Fisher, 272 Wightman Road, (Physician/Surgeon, aged 32, living with his sisters Susan, 29 and Harriet, 34. Also his niece Dorothy Beddoe, 11, and a servant Annie Loughton, 22)
Arthur Wells, 339 Wightman Road, (Engineer Revolving Shutter Manufacturer, aged 51, living with his wife Margaret, 48 and a servant, Elizabeth Dent, 39).
Henry Charles Ingram, 127 Wightman Road, (Accountant, aged 57, living with his wife, Harriet, aged 50).
Charles Fisher, 129 Wightman Road, (Banker's Clerk, living with his wife Annie, 40, his sons Eustace, 11 and Lawrence, 5, and his daughters Bertha, 13 and Mildred, 9. Also a servant Ethel May, 29.
John Davis, 201 Wightman Road, (Builder, aged 46, living with his wife Blanche, 43, his daughter Clara, 21 his son Frank, 16 and servant Alice Cavill, 20). (For more on John Davis, see the link given a the end of the opening paragraph).
The Harringay Protest
Mr. Harry Green, of Harringay, rose and said that he wished to hand in a memorial signed by 138 residents of the neighbourhood in the vicinity of the new sheds erected by the Great Northern Railway Company, in Hampton Road (sic), complaining of the nuisance caused by the emission of black smoke from the chimnies (sic) of those sheds. Mr. Green added that there was also a deputation attending that night, and they desired to lay their grievances before the Council on the subject.
The Chairman outlined the procedure with regard to receiving memorials and deputations. He said there would be no discussion until the memorial had been put in and the deputation had been received and the Council had heard what they had to say. He proceeded to remark that there was one thing he wished to allude to — that it was not at all usual at that Council to have a deputation sent there at almost a minute's notice as was the case on the present occasion. As the deputation was in attendance, however, they would be glad to see them, but he thought two or three days’ notice at least ought to have been given the Council of their intention to be present. He knew their bye-law was a little vague on the matter of notice, but it was not customary at any district council or corporation to receive deputations a t almost a minute’s notice. He thought the subject of the bye-laws with regard to notice should be considered by a committee.
Mr. Harry Green remarked that the bye-law did not provide for any notice being given.
The Chairman — You are not out of order.
The deputation, consisting of the following gentlemen, were then introduced to the Council: The Rev. Cecil White, Dr. Gemmell, Dr. Fisher, Messrs. A. Wells, H. C. Ingram, Charles Fisher and John Davis.
The Clerk read the memorial, the text of which was as follows:
- To the Chairman and members of the Hornsey Urban District Council: - We, the undersigned owners, ratepayers and tenants living in the vicinity of the new sheds erected by the Great Northern Ry. Co. in Hampton Road, beg to draw your attention to the very great and serious nuisance caused by the black smoke which is continuously issuing from the engines and engine-sheds belonging to the G.N.Ry. Co. It is simply impossible for the tenants of the houses in Wightman Road to open their windows owing to the continuous smoke and showers of black smuts. The smell also existing from this is most objectionable. Numbers of persons have already left the district for this reason, and others are determined to do so at the earliest opportunity, unless the evil is remedied. We are of opinion that this nuisance is so aggravated as to be very injurious to health, and, in the interests of all in this district should no longer be allowed to continue. We, therefore, ask you as the local sanitary authority at once to take steps to bring about an abatement of this nuisance. We are willing to help you by evidence, and by every means in our power; and, in conclusion, we have to add that as the matter is-most serious and very urgent, we trust you will give it your immediate attention.
The Chairman informed the deputation that there would be no discussion on the subject until the deputation (after they had made known what they wanted to say) had retired. It was the rule that two members only of a deputation should speak.
The Rev. Cecil White then rose and said he had been asked to speak on behalf of the deputation. The deputation by their presence desired to assure the Council that the nuisance they complained of was by no means imaginary. (Personally, he lived opposite the engine sheds of the Great Northern Railway Company, and he could testify that the discomfort and nuisance produced by the smoke and the dirt were very great indeed. The rev. gentleman proceeded to remark on the fact that most of the ratepayers in the part affected - or at any rate a great many of them - owned the properties they occupied, and which were acquired long before there was any idea of the present large sheds being erected there. Therefore, he need not say that anything like a serious nuisance arising from the sudden emission of smoke in the manner complained of meant a great depreciation in the value of the properties. He interviewed the manager of the Great Northern Railway Company some months ago, when the sheds were about to be built, and the manager assured him that there would not be many engines and not much smoke, and added there was an old saying that where there was smoke there was always money. He (the rev. gentleman) considered that the Harringay people had had the smoke, and the Great Northern Co. had the money. He considered they had a right to ask the Council to protect them against the nuisance of which they complained. He had been told also by another officer of the Company that there would be no nuisance caused, as by some sort of system the smoke was to be focussed and brought into one large chimney and disposed of. Any one who had seen the shed was aware that there were from 80 to 100 separate chimnies (sic), and a great number of them at frequent intervals emitted dense, black smoke, and not only did this take place during the day, but also went on during the night. The deputation now came to the Council, by their kind permission, to ask whether the Council had not the power to protect them against the nuisance, and to say that the Great Northern Railway Company should take such steps as they were bound to take to bring about a satisfactory abatement of the nuisance, and to protect them against what they considered was, to a very great extent, unnecessary and excessive.
Dr. Gemmell also spoke. He said they came to that meeting to represent what was a very strong feeling in the neighbourhood on the question — a strong feeling as regards the inconvenience and injury to health which they suffered in consequence of the excessive smoke. He need not remind the Council that the powers which they possessed under the Public Health Act of 1875 enabled them to deal with the nuisance complained of. Dr. Gemmell proceeded to quote the section of the law dealing with nuisances. (Section 91, sub-section 7, read as follows:
- Any fire place, or 'furnace which does not as far as practicable, consume the smoke arising from the combustibles used therein, and which is used for working engines by steam . . . . . and any chimney hob being the chimney of a private dwelling house, sending forth black smoke in such quantity as to be a nuisance shall be deemed a nuisance, liable to be dealt with summarily in the manner provided by this Act.
Continuing, he said his object in reading that extract, which no doubt was as well known to the Council as to himself, was to try to satisfy them as a sanitary authority that a nuisance existed. And if they were satisfied that a nuisance existed they could serve notices on the Great Northern Railway Company to abate the nuisance. He had heard it objected that no nuisance existed and that no smoke had been seen by sundry persons who went there especially to look for it. That might have been the case at that particular time, and he would not deny it. But he might say this, that since the agitation was known to be in progress with regard to this matter, the amount of smoke that had been emitted during the day had been, to some extent, minimised. He assured them, however, that that was quite made up for by the amount of smoke emitted during the night. On Friday night last he had the curiosity to observe these chimnies (sic). He stood on Hornsey bridge and he observed black smoke began to pour forth, there was no other word to describe it — at 23 minutes past eleven, and a stream of this black smoke continued to pour forth till two minutes to twelve o’clock.
The Chairman — Was that in the evening?
Dr. Gemmell — Two minutes to twelve o’clock midnight. Proceeding, he said that at the time the black smoke poured forth a large quantity of grey smoke came from other chimnies (sic). The grey smoke continued until a quarter past two o’clock in the morning. He went down there prepared to take a sample of the smoke, but was prevented by the north wind blowing from him. He contended that what 'he had described was a nuisance, and was a sample of what they were subjected to daily. If people did not observe very much during the day, yet when they were asleep and lying in their beds, perhaps with windows open for the purposes of ventilation, the air which they were compelled to breathe was polluted with the carbon which was floating about in the atmosphere. He observed that the smoke came largely from a low chimney about the middle of the eighth block of buildings from the Hampton Road side, going south. That low chimney was about level with the top of the house, and there had been no attempt in that shed, so far as he was aware, to erect anything in the nature of a smoke stack, or to provide any means by which the fumes could be consumed or carried off at a higher level. It would be in the recollection of some of the members present that some years ago, when the refuse destructor was erected in the High Street, Hornsey there was a great outcry from a fear that the proceeds of the destroyed refuse might by smell and otherwise become an offensive nuisance. That was obviated, however, by the erection of a tall shaft. The Great Northern Railway Company had taken no steps whatever to minimise the nuisances they caused. He thought it was in the power of the sanitary authority to bring pressure to bear upon the company to do something, either by the erection of such a shaft, that the smoke might be completely consumed, or to compel them to use some such apparatus as "Elliott's Smoke Evacuator". He could not see why it was not possible to do away entirely with the nuisance of which they complained by the addition of the latter invention. Dr. Gemmell concluded by describing the working and the capabilities of "Elliott's Smoke Evacuator", and said not only would it do away entirely with the nuisance now complained of, but it was such an economical and absorbing process that it would result in a saving of 20 per cent, to the Great Northern Railway Company over the fuel at present used in the chimnies (sic). By adapting some such invention the company would be augmenting the funds at the disposal of their shareholders.
Mr. Harry Green asked if any member of the deputation could give a definite instance of persons having left the district because of the nuisance of the smoke?
The Chairman ruled that he could not at that juncture put the question. There was a report from the Health Committee dealing with the subject of the smoke nuisance, and perhaps it would be best to receive that now. (Hear, hear.)
This suggestion was acted on.
Mr. F. W. Lawson, as chairman of the Public Health and Hospital Committee, presented that committee's report. Under the heading of "Sanitary Work," the committee reported:
The Council inspectors reported that on the 5th inst. and on several subsequent days they observed chimnies (sic) of engine sheds belonging to the Great Northern Railway Company, and situate near to Hampden Road, Hornsey, sending forth black smoke in such quantities as to be a nuisance. The committee recommended that notice be served on the company requiring them to abate the nuisance within seven days from service, and that, if necessary, summonses be issued.
On the same subject the following resolution was now moved by Mr. Lawson:
That the Council being satisfied of the existence of a nuisance arising from chimnies (sic) of engine sheds belonging to the Great Northern Railway Company and situate near to Hampden Road, Hornsey, sending forth black smoke in such quantities as to be a nuisance, hereby instruct the Clerk to sign and serve, or cause to be served, on the company a notice requiring them to abate the nuisance and to execute any works which may be necessary for the purpose, and also instruct the solicitor to take such legal proceedings as may be requisite.
Mr. Lawson said the committee sympathised deeply with the object of the deputation. They had been considering this matter for a long time, and, as could be seen by their report, they had really anticipated the purpose for which the deputation had just visited them. The present was the only action the Council could take in accordance with the regulations of the Public Heath Act.
Mr. Harry Green, in seconding, said he had felt for some months past that the grievance was a very real one. Hi» was determined not to let the matter slide, and he was glad the committee had at last taken the action they bad. He did not, however, think the action taken was enough. The Council, satisfied that a nuisance existed, proposed to write the Great Northern Ry. giving them seven days in which to stop the nuisance. If the company stopped the nuisance during seven days, the Council would have nothing further to say and the thing would drop; but three weeks afterwards the company would be doing he same thing as it had done before. Proceeding, Mr.Green complained that summonses had not been issued against the railway company. He was told three week« previously that as soon as a case could be made out the company would be summoned. The next day two others and himself went down and made a beautiful "catch." They caught two engines standing outside the shed, and by the help of opera glasses they took the numbers of the engines. They were willing to be put on oath "and to give evidence as to the nuisance the engines were causing, and he wanted to know why a summons was not applied for.
The Chairman - It would have been illegal.
Mr. Harry Green, continuing, maintained that it was no use to say that the company must first of all be told to abate the nuisance, for they had seen cases over and over again in the newspapers of railway companies being prosecuted for allowing their engines to remain standing and emitting black smoke. In such cases there could not possibly have been notice given to abate the nuisance. He thought the resolution ought to be made stronger, and that the two words "if necessary” should be omitted and that summonses should be applied for. He did not know if he should be in order in moving a resolution to that effect.
The Chairman - It would be absolutely illegal. The Chairman added that it was not quite right if Mr. Green to lay blame on the committee, because to his knowledge for weeks past they had been considering this question. But they must go to work in a proper manner, and they could not summon the Great Northern Railway Co., or anyone else until they had first passed a resolution at that Council calling upon the company to abate their nuisance. If the nuisance was not abated, then they could proceed by summons, but they could not before. If they had applied for a summons against the company at the police court it would not have been granted, for the first thing the clerk would ask would be "where is the resolution of the Council calling upon the company to abate the nuisance" and if they could not put the that in, a summons would not be granted. They might like to go a much quicker way in this matter, but they must go as the law allowed them. He thought the committee had been very wise in not rushing into court, and the action they had taken was the proper one. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. Chamberlain supported the committee, who (he said) were perfectly alive to the nuisance complained of. He had no intention to play to the gallery in this matter. Mr. Green was a member of the committee and knew what was being done.
Mr. Harry Green — No, I'm not a member of the committee.
Mr. Chamberlain said he would withdraw this part of his statement. But he must say, emphatically, that Mr. Lawson, the chairman of the committee, had done everything that was possible, and as for what Mr. Green had said he (Mr. Chamberlain) must stand up for his chairman (Mr. Health Committee Lawson).. The subject of the nuisance had been before them over and over again, and as soon as the Health Committee had a good case they would be quite prepared to have the matter fought to the bitter end. He could assure Mr. Green that the interests of anyone residing near the engine sheds were quite as well looked after by the Health Committee as the interests of residents in other parts of the district. He hoped they would get the company into a corner and then get a conviction.
Mr. Harry Green - Then I shall be satisfied.
Mr. Chamberlain - I am satisfied that everything is being done that can be done and you ought to be satisfied, too.
Mr. Harry Green — When we have stopped the nuisance I shall he satisfied and not before.
Mr. Balfour Was very sorry Mr. Green formed such a poor estimate of the capabilities of that Council as to insinuate that they would have to let the matter go to sleep supposing the railway company abated the nuisance for seven days and then recommenced it. He had more faith in the commonsense of the authorities than to suppose they would be guilty of such an act. (Hear, hear.) Or if they were so guilty, then he was sure that the Council would not tolerate it for one moment.
Mr. Lawson - We should treat the railway company as we should treat every one else. I don’t believe in a policy of bluff. When we get good sound evidence we can go into court, but until then I do not recommend the committee to do so.
The proposition was then put and agreed to.
The deputation, which had withdrawn during the above discussion, then re-entered the room.
The Chairman, in informing them of the decision of the Council had every sympathy with the ratepayers of the district affected, and if the deputation had not been present that night the resolution would have been passed in the same way as it had been. The Chairman reminded the deputation that in a matter of this kind the Council must go to work in a legal manner, and must not do anything in a hurry, but wait until they had several good cases and the notices required had been properly issued. On the notice referred to in the resolution being served, if its terms were properly complied with there would be an end of the matter. If a nuisance were not abated, then they would go to court and apply for a summons against the company. He might add that supposing the nuisance should at first be abated and afterwards repeated, it would not be necessary during six months to get another resolution from the Council to take further action. If six months elapsed and the nuisance was repeated then they would have to move by another resolution. He thought the deputation would agree that for the present the Council could do no more and what they had done would, he hoped be a satisfactory answer for them. Before the deputation retired, he added, that one of the members of the Council wished to know if any member of the deputation would give any evidence of ratepayers having left their houses on account of he smoke nuisance.
Mr. John Davis — I can: several tenants have left my premises on account of the nuisance.
The Chairman — That is evidence perhaps
Mr. Davis wished the Council had included “engines" as well as "engine-sheds" in their resolution.
The Chairman thought they had better go step by step. They wanted to send out the notices on the following day, and any alteration of the resolution would cause delay.
The deputation then withdrew, the Rev. Cecil White as the leader, thanking the Council, through the chairman, for receiving them.
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