Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!
Another retailer leaving the Arena shopping centre - Next
Following on from Argos and Carphone Warehouse closing their stores in the Arena shopping centre over the last 10 months, Next is now closing down next week.
Who knows if any of others will follow this year....
One shop that is doing well is Sainsbury's - and they are now building additional capacity for their home delivery operation, taking a bite out of their car park.
Tags for Forum Posts: arena
Replies to This Discussion
-
Permalink Reply by Charlie on
-
Isn’t the area earmarked for redevelopment? I know plans have been submitted....
-
Permalink Reply by Hugh on
-
The site of Sainsbury’s and the Arena was given a residential development allocation in the most recent site allocation plan. But this doesn’t necessarily mean it will happen and I’m not aware of any plans being submitted for this as yet. In fact, the most recent planning application for the Arena (approved) was for an Aldi supermarket.
-
Permalink Reply by Hermitage New River Residents on
-
Yes, the Aldi application is for the Next site.
-
-
That Next was handy but always pretty empty. An Aldi will bring a lot more motor traffic I'm sure.
-
-
Michael, I think Argos was bought out by Sainsburys and it'll reappear inside it main store (as I understand their plans) what will happen to the shop space I've no idea, but empty space doesn't bode well.
Charlie, I think the whole arena site was listed as an area of potential housing development for a London wide housing plan Boris commissioned when London mayor. I don't remember all the details, but I think the idea was to locate sites across the capital for future development. All councils had to find space within their boroughs for a quota of new dwellings. Those sites would have preferential planning assent.
I think at the time, it was suggested the Arena had space for a couple of tower blocks with retail below.
-
-
There is a process called the "London SHLAA" which occurs every few years. This helps to inform the housing target each borough is handed in the London Plan. Boroughs with more capacity on potential sites will be given higher targets.
What happens is that the GLA will identify various sites across London (using GIS) and send them to borough officers to sense check. Typically the boroughs will then include suitable sites as allocations within the next version of their own local plans.
A lot of retail parks, supermarkets, retail warehouses etc have been identified for redevelopment this way. In policy terms this is supported - these are large sites (large enough that taller buildings can be positioned within the site to minimize impacts), often in accessible places in town centres or near stations (a lot are on former railway land), and are presently occupied by land hungry single storey buildings of a limited lifespan and parking.
-
-
So if we conflate the above, does the most likely future for the Arena site look like a couple of tower locks with retail (the Aldi?) below next to a reconfigured Sainsburys containing an Argos and much enlarged click and collect provision?
-
-
Yep,
Oh!!! Almost forgot ..... Also a new covered market, speedway circuit, exhibition centre, village green, and a tofu mine.
-
-
The most effective way to answer that question might be to compare the previous site allocations plan (if there was one) with the situation on the ground now. However, I've tried to find this document, but without success.
The GLA defines a site allocation as follows:
Allocated sites provide guidelines for planning decisions, help to diversify use of land and promote development at borough level.
So, for me, a site allocations document gives a flavour of where the borough is going and an indication of what might happen on particular sites. But they do not constitute a definitive view of the future.
I'd also point out that the Allocation Plan proposal for the Arena Retail site refers to it as a long-term possibility:
Long-term potential for redevelopment of the existing retail park to produce a new high street frontage, access improvements to Harringay, Green Lanes station and Finsbury Park, reconfigured road layout, and new residential and commercial development.
It's also worth considering that there were 10 sites included for Harringay ('South of the Borough') in the current Site Allocations plan. Of those, only three were identified through the GLA's London Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment 2013 (SHLAA) - Finsbury Station site, Jewson's on Wightman Road and the Arena Retail site. The rest were identified locally. Of the SHLAA-identified sites, only the Finsbury Park one has been the subject of a planning application since the SHLAA and the SIte Allocations plan were published.
© 2024 Created by Hugh.
Powered by
