Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!
Haringey's Warehouse Districts Under Threat?
An item at tonight's Council Cabinet meeting has thrown into question the future survival of Haringey's two warehouse districts and the artistic communities who live in them.
Both the Harringay Warehouse District and the Fountayne Road community now face an uncertain future following the publication of a Haringey Council report, "Tackling Unauthorised Living in Industrial Areas". (Report attached)
The report, which was discussed at the full cabinet of the Council today, recommends a two-year project costing £600,000 which will seek to deal with "the growing problem of unauthorised residential and live work uses in and around (the) Industrial Sites" in Haringey. The recommended process is "to establish a special multi-disciplinary team to fully investigate and address the problem through a combination of regulation, improvement, enforcement and, where necessary, prosecution".
The alarm bells were ringing for me since earlier in the week I had discovered that these areas are earmarked as being amongst those that will "will accommodate the majority of development in the borough over the next 20 years".
In Facebook and Twitter conversations this afternoon, warehouse residents shared their fears that the vibrancy their communities bring to the borough will be overlooked and their communities sanitised and destroyed.
In response to my Twitter requests to Council Leader Claire Kober this evening to protect these communities, Cllr Kober sought to offer some reassurance:
@harringayonline some people in unacceptable conditions. My concern is for safe, decent properties. No intention to undermine communities
@harringayonline no intention to damage what's good. Priority is to go after rogue landlords just as we do elsewhere in borough
When I asked if she would ensure that warehouse residents will be involved, the Council Leader replied:
@harringayonline don't see any problem involving residents. Will ask officers to consider how best to achieve
I very much hope that the approach the Council takes in this project will support these communities rather than beginning the process of whittling them away.
Tags for Forum Posts: local plan, local plan 2014, site allocation plan, warehouse district
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Permalink Reply by Alan Stanton on
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Can I suggest, Jacqueline and Jenny, that you explore the possibility of a phone-texting "tree" or email "tree". So different residents disturbed by noise could notify one another without waking people up who've managed to get to sleep. But - if they are awake - could liaise if necessary.
In my experience the Noise Nuisance Service will do their best to respond quickly to calls, but are often asked to visit a number of premises across the borough. So may prioritise calls where the nuisance is particularly severe. If they are called and the noise stops before they arrive, they will at the very least be able to log the dates and times when calls are made about a particular nuisance. if you call, please insist your calls are logged so that a record is later available.
Are these private parties, or advertised and/or paid events? If the latter they should be reported to the Licensing team.
The day after the noise complaints, can I also suggest emails to the three ward councillors so they also have a record and appreciate what's happening.
Just to be clear, I'm making no assumptions about what your ward councillors have done to try solving these problems. But a few weeks before the local election is the very best time to encourage them.
(Tottenham Hale ward councillor. Not standing on 22 May)
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"Already done this..."
My apologies, Jenny, for suggesting the obvious.
So how do my suggestions work out in practice? How is the phone-texting or email "tree" working. How many people are teaming-up to share information? Are they from both the former factories and the nearby homes? Does the Council's out-of-hours phone line reliably log all the calls?
When different residents report as a group do the Noise Team seem to realise how big a problem it is for so many people?
Have they got back to you or the ward councillors with information about how many notices they've issued? Or if there are prosecutions?
If the group of you reporting think there are paid parties is the Licensing Team involved? Any indication if the Fire Service officers have been to such public and/or paid events?
(Tottenham Hale ward councillor)
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Before replying, Toby, could you please say a little about how you'll try to share your research and findings with Haringey residents? (Forget the key political policy makers; they're almost certainly too closed minded to benefit.)
I don't doubt your enthusiasm and fascination with the topic. But as you probably know, most theses are read by a tiny handful of people. With academic articles carved from research often written in constipated English. And published in journals which few people outside academia are permitted to copy and read without forking out twenty or thirty quid.
Will your findings be on podcasts or YouTube, for example? Your Professor Les Back is one model. But I'm sure there are many others at your college I don't know about.
What's your "dissemination" plan?
(Tottenham Hale ward councillor)
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Many thanks! It does indeed answer my question. I'm happy to put you in touch with various people I know - including people with strong views on many aspects of these issues. Also to make some suggestions.
Do see if you can have a chat with Les Back. I've never met him but we exchanged emails. From "The Art of Listening" and his articles and podcasts and videos, he seems keen to explore how these media can be research tools which deepen understanding, as well as ways of sharing the work. And he began his career as an anthropologist!
I've sent you a Direct Message request with my email. - Alan
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Permalink Reply by Jacqueline Hancher on
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Great news ...
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Bad news. When you look at the problems on the site occupied by Omega works (and I don't just mean Jacqueline's units), it seems that planning permission was not sought and the views of the local residents not considered . This along with the standard of the conversions and the lack of sound proofing has led to years of sustained problems for those living around the site. Anything that makes it easier for this to happen is bad news, unless of course you are a landlord looking to make money out of the already over inflated rental market, and then of course it is good news.
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Similar to the impact of uncontrolled and badly managed Homes in Multiple Occupation. It seems these are currently multiplying at an alarming rate.
This will undermine all the mostly futile attempts to "regenerate" Tottenham. Futile because they start from the wrong assumptions and then go on to apply the wrong solutions.
I'm waiting for La Kober to use a phrase like "Multiple Occupation Housing product"
(Tottenham Hale Ward councillor)
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Email sent 20/03/2014
Dear Jenny
I had a meeting with Martin from Majorlink this afternoon and he has agreed that we can employ a security guard for Omega Works
Friday Night 9pm-3am
Saturday Night. 9pm-3am
Sunday Night. 9pm -2am
This guard will stop any unauthorised parties and ensure that You and other residents are not disturbed .
They will also monitor the gates .
I hope that this, will help to improve relations between all of us .
We will be contracting a registered security firm to fulfil the position .
Regards
Jacqui
Sent from my iPad
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Permalink Reply by jenny on
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Is this from tonight ? Have all of the tenants been informed ?(Everyone within the site)
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Dear Jenny
All my Tenants have been notified , however I am not certain if Martin from Majorlink / Topsfling Ltd , has told his Tenants .
We have not agreed on the company yet . I would envisage that it will take approximately 2 wks for the employment of the guard and the provision of shelter .
I hope this is satisfactory .
Regards.
Jacqui
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