Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!
Lothair Road House Conversion
Originally this post was a notice about the weekly planning applications update. However, since it's turned into something more substantial, I've moved that notice elsewhere and am making way for this discussion to focus on a planning issue on Lothair Road.
Read on............
Read on............
Tags for Forum Posts: illegal conversion
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Alison P on
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Note that this includes an application for a cert of lawfulness for 119 Lothair Road North, for use as four self-contained flats. Claims that have been four flats since 2000, not clear what documents submitted to prove this.
I don't know this road very well but has all the hallmarks of an illegal conversion seeking a cert because the four years have passed.
For more details see here.
Have just had a quick look at the Council Tax valuation site, which shows that this property has only ever been registered as a single house, band D. This is despite it being granted planning permission to convert into two flats in 1989. Dur! Why don't the Council Tax and Planning Depts in Haringey ever speak to one another?
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Permalink Reply by Andy Cheatle on
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Some rather hazy info on the house history. I have met the owner in the past - he used to live there some years ago - late 80s if memory serves me right. He moved to Tottenham and started to rent this property out - not sure if it was a house or 2 flats but I don't remember anyone else going in / out and the planning permission for conversion to 2 flats seems to tie in with this time. A 1 room extension has also been built on the back - aprox 10 years ago. The owner has grown his property business and runs the estate agents / lettings agency on the corner of Green Lanes / Endymion Road.
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Sorry Hugh, my mistake.
The application for this certificate is a bit odd - it is down as wanting a cert of lawfulness for existing use but in the part of the form that asks for a description (question 8) they have written:
"Existing use: retention of 4 self-contained units. With 2 established, looking to establish other two units".
Surely that means it can't apply for a certificate, if it hasn't been in use for four years?
I've objected, would urge others to do the same.
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Permalink Reply by Stuart on
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Agreed, it's unclear whether this is actually an application for planning permission rather than a COL. I have been trying to get hold of the planning officer responsible for a week now but he's never there. I will keep trying to find out what evidence has been filed in support.
Alison - do you have any evidence that this may be fraudulent? As you note, it already has permission to be 2 flats. It looks like the plan is to split each of those 2 up.
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No evidence of fraud (bar the council tax issue), just a confusing form with very inconsistent answers. The intention is clearly for four dwelling units, and as they're applying for a cert of lawfulness, that implies - I thought - that they've had four units like this for over four years. But as said earlier, this contradicted by answer to question 8.
Am I right in thinking that, if it is legally two flats, they couldn't get planning permission to convert into four flats?
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I just spoke to the planning officer. It's an application for a COL based on the claim that it's been 4 self-contained flats since 2002. It's not an application for planning permission.
The 'evidence' filed is copies of some tenancy agreements and a statutory declaration from the owner himself. Typically, this is just the kind of weak evidence you would expect with a fraudulent application.
The planning officer was unhelpful, even confrontational. Turns out he is the same one who featured in the well known case discussed on the Radio 4 programme who granted a COL based on false utility bills. Sadly, he told me that he has no need to even listen to third parties and he seemed to think that this evidence was usually more than good enough. I will raise with the COL working group looking into this.
In the meantime, if you know anyone on Lothair Road North who lives nearby, please put me in touch with them - we need to find out more about how genuine this application is.
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Permalink Reply by Anette on
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Bushy, that is disgusting behaviour form planning!!! How dare he behave in such a manner? He is clearly one of the dodgy ones. Why is he still there?? Who is the head of Planning?
I have added my objection too, let's all keep on this one!
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Well its a rubbish bit of form filling then! Should fail them on that!
There are 17 people on the site who live in one of the two Lothair Rds, but don't know how regularly any of them visit. Could leave a message for each one, or is that going too far?
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Permalink Reply by Hugh on
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Have changed the title / original posting of this one given that it's turned into something more interesting.
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Permalink Reply by TTTH on
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I have put in an objection for what it's worth. I live nearby. Let me know if I can help in any other way.
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Permalink Reply by marian broderick on
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i am on the same road and i have now lodged an objection to this.
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