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Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!

DEVELOPERS PROPOSE HUGE 140-DWELLING DEVELOPMENT to DOMINATE DOWNHILLS PARK

Keston Centre  N17 is at the south east side of Downhills Park accessed via Keston Road and  houses Haringey Council’s Childrens’ Services, West Green Nursery & the Goan Centre.

Pocket Living the developers propose to build a huge development of 140 flats /houses on the site some up to 4 storeys,dominating this precious green space . Its completely out of character with the  area , and will have a detrimental impact on local residents . And developers plan  to carve out an area of the Park for access and parking.

  If you care about Downhills Park attend the  CONSULTATION MEETING ON 20 JULY 2016

 Downhills Park Friends’ and residents’ main objections are to:

--the huge development of up to 4 storeys which will dominate our  award-winning park

   -  carving out part of this protected green space currently enjoyed by the public

 --the development being completely out of character with the surrounding 2-storey buildings

 --the development posing a detrimental impact on local residents’ parking, local services & family lives

 WHAT YOU CAN DO:

 Attend the official Consultation meeting and make your voice heard on  20 July 2016, 7pm – Haringey Planning Development Management Forum

or talk to the developers 3.30 - 6.30 pm  

Venue for both :  West Green Baptist Church, 182/184 West Green Rd, N15 5AF

  • Join us to discuss further action and in making an objection to the planning application, due to be submitted to Haringey Council probably in September 2016 - for details contact Rod on 07584 253699 or rodwells1@hotmail.co.uk

     

    Background  In March 2015 Haringey Council’s Local Plan (Planning document) showed a proposed development on this site  of 87 dwellings and up to 5 storeys high, and more than 60 residents objected to this. 

     

    Then Haringey council sold the land to developers, Pocket Living, despite total lack of consultation of  local residents and their  protests-which  were not even allowed  to be heard at the Councils Cabinet meeting . The plan allowed for a proposal of  102 residential units !.

    Now Pocket Living are planning this huge development of 140 flats /houses is planned up to 4 storeys and dominating the Park !

    BUT Planning permission still needs to be granted at the Council’s  planning committee l –possibly in September 2016

Tags for Forum Posts: development, downhill, keston

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I think you mean 800sqft. 90sqm is a modest 3 bed/2 bath flat, 120sqm is a big one. I was referring to the height of the buildings on Marylebone High St, sorry I should have been more clear. You would have the same amount of space, less your attic, and a million pounds in your pocket. I was just saying this to demonstrate what is incentivising the developers, I don't seriously think anyone would do it.

Yeah, I do, you're right.  3 bed terraces around the area are about 100 sqm (at least they are where I live). 

I've looked at their website too and have to say I think their developments look great.  There has to be some recognition that living spaces for singles have to be small to allow people to get on the property ladder at all.  I think if small flats are designed well, they can be great; much better than the butchered conversions of the existing Victorian housing stock in the area.

I live in a one bed flat pretty much opposite that end of Downhills Park. On what I've heard so far the development sounds like a great idea - though I would like to see cycle parking only, no car parking. I would like to see more people like me getting on the property ladder.

regarding building dust, there is very likely to be asbestos in the Keston Centre Building, in which case special precautions really, really, ought to be taken if the demolition is near a school.

I wrote a blog post about this sort of issue when it arose recently in Islington, so if you are worried about a possible impact on childrens health you may wish to check it out. Apart from anything else I took the trouble to find, and put in some links to useful resources. Asbestos dust does pose a very particular threat to children. Consequently anyone with concern for the health of the children at the school (and actually the staff also) should be seeking proper undertakings regarding how the demolition is to be done.

here is the link to the first of two blog posts:

Risk to children from demolition of building with asbestos in it

( I wrote a follow up post regarding an unsucessful legal attempt to silence me on this issue, which does add a bit of melodrama to the story, here An attempt to stop the asbestos problem from being discussed...)

There isn't any asbestos in the Keston Centre Building....there is a legal obligation to survey for asbestos prior to a planning application and declare it if there is any....

Hi Antionette and Barry

I was going to reply later about the meeting but regarding asbestos you or I don't know if theres asbestos in the building buts very likely given its age

But I agree with Barry proper undertakings have to form part of the planning agreement if its agreed. And residents and school children 100 m or so away need to be protected !

Another case of total misinformation...as of 2012 all buildings owned by local authorities MUST be surveyed for asbestos... if asbestos had been found it would appear in their "duty to manage" asbestos management programme and this building (which is a licensed childcare facility remember) does not appear on that register. This is publicly available ibformation. There is no asbestos in that building.

Has the school made contact with the council's planning department/committee?

There's work being done on the small Holcombe Road N17 market near the Santander Bank. They surveyed the site and took samples, among other things looking for asbestos. They found none. When construction work began they found asbestos. Work was suspended for several weeks while they awaited specialist contractors.

Can anyone update us on what happened at this meeting?  I couldn't attend as it's bedtime, but I was interested to find out why the family houses were going to be 'open market' rather than sold on a similar basis to the one-bedders. 

Hi Charlotte and others

I include our Press Release witth a report ofn the Meeting on20th-sorry for the delay  Rod 45 Keston Rd:       “Residents angry at Huge Development set to Dominate Downhills Park”     

Residents came away fuming and frustrated from the packed consultation meeting on 20 July 2016 about proposals over development at the Keston Centre which includes flats  5 storeys high that would dominate Downhills Park.  

At a consultation run by Haringey Council the developers  Pocket Living showed details of the development that outrageously proposes building three 5 Storeys “mansion blocks”  which will  spoil forever the valuable and well- loved 100 year  Downhills Park .This  development  squeezes  134 flats and houses and  64 parking spaces on a small space and is set to affect residents for up to three years

Residents and park users raised many objections about the effects of the development on the area- especially around parking where there are already too few spaces; increased traffic, concerns about safety, the social consequences and effect on local amenities of increased numbers of people.

They said that the height of buildings should be no higher than the houses nearby and that 2/3 bed homes were needed more that single bed flats which makes up the majority of the scheme. They were concerned about the three years of chaos the building work  would involve.

There were many questions about the lack of consultation, whether Council was more  on side of developers than  the community, and why there is so much parking on  the scheme when Pocket Living say they have a“car free “ policy.

Frustration spilled out with the lack of answers from the Council planning representative who had only been in post for 2 weeks and who had little idea of council planning policies

This scheme with its 5 storey blocks is particularly galling after more than 60 residents locally objected to a similar proposal announced in March 2015 when Haringey’s Local Plan for future development was consulted on.

Feelings ran high in the meeting –someone said the area would be going from a place of peace to “a nightmare “.

Downhills Park is like” an oasis of green “in London and will be blighted forever.

For the above reasons we are urging the Council and Pocket  Living to think again and listen to the community .

Residents have formed an action group and the  first campaign meeting will be on 26/7/16 at 730 at the Millennium Centre, at 386 West Green Road N15  

Background ---

 In March 2015 Haringey Council’s Local Plan (Planning document) showed a proposed development on this site of 87 dwellings and up to 5 storeys high and more than 60 residents objected to this.      (see Site Allocations Ref)

 http://www.haringey.gov.uk/sites/haringeygovuk/files/07-haringey-site-allocations-dpd_050116.pdf           SA60   on  P148/9

Site Allocations DPD - Haringey Council

www.haringey.gov.uk

The Site Allocations DPD identifies strategic sites which will make a significant contribution to meeting the growth aspirations set out in the Local Plan

 In September 2015 Haringey Council sold the land to developers, Pocket Living, despite the total lack of consultation of local residents and their protests-which were not even allowed to be heard at the Councils Cabinet meeting. The plan allowed for a proposal of 102 residential units!

Now Pocket Living are proposing this huge development of 134 flats and houses with 3 blocks 5 storeys high  dominating  Downhills Park.

BUT Planning permission still needs to be granted at the Council’s planning committee – in Autumn 2016

Contact Rod Wells  45 Keston Road N17 6PJ    Mobile  07584 253 699

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