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Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!

Falling masonry closes Green Lanes

As of 15.45 or so traffic being diverted due to large chunk of fallen masonry onto pavement north of Umf Rd, opposite Krisscross (?!). Nobody hurt according to someone I asked but anyone on that stretch when it happened would have been seriously hurt. It seemed to have fallen from the top of the building.

Tags for Forum Posts: accident, buildings, green lanes

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Permalink Reply by ElleCarumba on October 29, 2011 at 21:05

There was a man killed in Battersea this summer due to falling masonry. Scary stuff.

 

The pavement is quite badly damaged, dented and uneven where the masonry landed - hopefully the council will smooth it out shortly.

 

Presumably if the property owner is negligent, he is legally liable for any damage done? So perhaps he could be forced to pay for rectifying the damage to the pavement and the fire brigades time?

Permalink Reply by Hugh on November 3, 2011 at 11:31

Below is the open reply from the Head of Building Control at Haringey to Cllr Brabazon:

 

Dear Cllr Brabazon,

Thank you for your email regarding the problem at 423 Green Lanes.

Building Control was notified by the Police at approximately 15:45 of the incident and one of my Senior Surveyors was on site within 15 minutes.

He went up on the Fire Brigade’s hydraulic platform and checked the decorative render features of the adjacent buildings which visually appeared satisfactory and the ensured that there was no further loose debris from 423 Green Lanes waiting to fall.

Building Control will shortly be sending out letters to the owners/occupiers of the adjacent properties advising them to get their buildings checked by suitably qualified persons to ensure that their condition is safe.

With regard to the evacuation of the flats, the tenants were essentially unaffected by the problem and remained in the property.

I hope that this answers your queries, but should you wish to discuss this matter further please do not hesitate in contacting me.

Yours sincerely,

 

Bob McIver
Head of Building Control
Level 6,
River Park House,
225 High Road,
London N22 8HQ
Tel: 020 8489 5500
Fax: 020 8489 5229

Permalink Reply by Charlotte on October 29, 2011 at 22:01

This is indeed scary.  Concerns have also been voiced about the disrepair of buildings on Muswell Hill Broadway. 

Permalink Reply by David Schmitz on October 31, 2011 at 12:47

In view of the gravity of the situation and the fact that this fall of masonry is not unique (there have been two relatively recent incindents here) I've asked the head of the Council's legal department to take urgent action.

 

Details and updates to follow.

 

David Schmitz

Liberal Democrat Councillor for Harringay Ward

Permalink Reply by Hugo Read on November 4, 2011 at 11:42
Gravity of the situation is right!  Was that a deliberate pun?
Permalink Reply by David Schmitz on November 1, 2011 at 19:18

Following a request which I made yesterday, Council officers have decided to make visual inspections (from ground level) of neighbouring buildings with a view to seeing whether any other obvious dangers are present. If the surveyors see anything, then of course it can be followed up. You can see further details here:

http://www.haringeyindependent.co.uk/news/topstories/9337764.Green_...

This is obviously better than waiting for the next fall of masonry.

 

David Schmitz

Liberal Democrat Councillor for Harringay Ward

Permalink Reply by L F T Snowflake on November 4, 2011 at 8:05
during the snow at the start of this year, I was in Vavuzalar grocers and a great big lump fell off there.  hit the awning, and no one was hurt.  I suspect that all the masonry along Green Lanes is of the same age and in the same state, so look forward to more falls this winter.
Permalink Reply by Ruth on November 4, 2011 at 8:54

You are right VR. The possibility of falling masonry is something we have to be aware of but not much we can do to predict. I found out to my shock and horror (and near injury) when the outside of the porch, the overhanging bit with the big white pillars etc., just all suddenly collapsed one day last year. It all just came down unexpectedly. I was going out shopping but decided to have a cup of coffee first. THat was a good move cus I may have been under all this masonry otherwise. The builders who came to inspect and give quotes for a new one to be erected said that many buildings round here are in an unsafe state cus of age, wear and tear etc. Extreme weather doesn't help and goodness knows what all the shaking from tubes and trains does. I think it will be a common occurrence. We cant blame owners or occupiers because unless you pay for a building inspection, you just dont know! My porch looked ok to me but suddenly it all came tumbling down 

 

Permalink Reply by SarahC on November 4, 2011 at 8:46

Walking through Crouch End (Tottenham Lane) earlier this year, I saw a single broken brick descend from the sky, presumably from the roof of a nearby Edwardian house, and land on the pavement about six feet in front of me and even nearer to a man walking just in front. If either of us had been walking a bit faster we could have been killed. It was completely surreal.

I remember this kind of thing being in the local papers when I lived in Crouch End in the early 2000s, so it's obviously not a new issue.

Permalink Reply by TTTH on November 4, 2011 at 9:15

I think that this landlord could also be served with notices from Planning (Enforcement):

http://www.savebritainsheritage.org/your_campaign/stopping_the_rot.php

and also Section 215:

http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/planningandbuilding/pdf/157...

 

Permalink Reply by Ruth on November 4, 2011 at 11:12

Whilst I can understand the view that landlords should be responsible for their properties, then so should all householders. We cant just blame landlords I'm afraid. These lovely old houses and flats around often look sound and it's just so unpredictable when something is going to fall down, as I described with my own flat above. If something is clearly looking unsafe and loose- then yes, serve a notice on them but often nothing looks amiss till it crumbles and falls. If I had been killed under my own porch who would my family blame- me? My neighbour downstairs? The porch and the pillars etc didnt look amiss to me and we had no warning it was all going to collapse.

Earlier in the year roof bricks/tiles started coming off a building in Wood green and that closed off the road for a while. 

Permalink Reply by Alan Stanton on November 4, 2011 at 13:26

I'm told that 600 letters are shortly going out to businesses and residents along Green Lanes giving advice about checking for loose masonry etc. This seems one issue where a free council newspaper could give helpful, practical advice* to all Borough residents and businesses about getting checks and doing necessary work.

As well as avoiding possible injury, death and damage to property, owners spending money on repairs and restoration would mean more jobs for builders, and investment in our building stock.

HoL members who narrowly miss getting hit by bricks etc falling from a building, please report this giving as much detail as possible. Where pavements are damaged, arriving safely is better than travelling hopefully. So can I suggest people report this too. Here's the online link.

_______________

* P.S. Any photos of councillors glumly pointing or pointlessly grinning at piles of fallen bricks should be redirected to the Glum Councillors website.

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