CAMPAIGN SAVES LORDSHIP REC! NOW LET’S GET THE WHOLE ‘RED-ZONE’ WITHDRAWN
Leaflet: Defend our local estates and park… and support each other! (March 2015)
Friends objection to Haringey’s Local Plan ‘Redevelopment Zone’ Proposal
Broadwater Farm Residents Association objection to Haringey’s Local Plan ‘Redevelopment Zone’ Proposal
Broadwater United Sports and Football Association objection to Haringey’s Local Plan ‘Redevelopment Zone’ Proposal
Broadwater Farm Residents’ Association, Broadwater United Sports And Football Academy, and Friends of Lordship Rec
Broadwater Farm / Lordship area under threat
DEFEND OUR LOCAL ESTATES AND PARK
… AND SUPPORT EACH OTHER!
Object now to shocking Council proposals which could lead to future demolition and ‘redevelopment’ of Broadwater Farm, Somerset Close, Lido Square and Moira Close, and to house-building on Lordship Rec…
Email the Council: ldf@haringey.gov.uk
The facts
The Council’s planning department are proposing a demolition and ‘redevelopment’ zone for the ‘Broadwater Farm Area’. This area includes not only the estate and all its marvelous community facilities, but also Somerset Close, Lido Square, Moira Close and the houses along Lordship Lane to the north. We have been told that the proposal would include housing to be built on a large chunk of the north end of Lordship Recreation Ground, including the enclosed sports field, to temporarily re-house some of those displaced by any future demolitions.
The proposed zone is indicated by a red line on a map (see right) taken from the Council’s draft Local Plan for Haringey 2011-2026 – ‘Site Allocation 63’. If this proposal is not chucked out now it would mean increased powers for property developers throughout that zone in the future, backed by Council encouragement and support. There is a borough-wide consultation over the whole draft Plan, with March 27 as the deadline for people to object to any proposals. We say object strongly and object now!
A threat to our community
This totally unnecessary attack on local communities and our park would cause massive stress to all concerned, displacement and disruption for years, and undermine all the successful efforts over decades to build a strong and stable local community and to improve local facilities. Local residents have worked long and hard to make Broadwater Farm one of the most attractive and well-served estates in the UK, and to make Lordship Rec the great park it now is – including the sports field, home of Broadwater United youth football teams. The estate and park have won many national awards for successful community-led regeneration and empowerment, and are now admired throughout the world. The Council should be celebrating what has been achieved instead of allowing planners to dream up outrageous proposals to destroy existing homes and facilities and break up our communities….
Broadwater Farm
The residents, and the Residents’ Association, have worked with the Council to dramatically improve the estate over the last 30 yrs. It now has great facilities, play areas, health centre, schools and so on. In the last 6 years a range of refurbishments and repairs have been made – yet bizarrely it has now been put on a list of Council estates facing ‘redevelopment’. We say it is the Council’s duty as the landlord to finish off all the works started and ensure any repairs are done promptly.
Somerset Close, Lido Square and Moira Close
These are pleasant low-rise estates of secure and affordable housing with gardens. Council planners, however, have somehow proposed these particular estates to be ‘suitable for tall buildings’ of 6-11 storeys in the future.
Lordship Rec
Over the last 10 years Lordship Rec park users and the Friends of Lordship Rec have worked with the Parks’ Service to achieve a successful, nationally-celebrated, community-led regeneration of Tottenham’s largest public park. The Lottery would demand their £4m grant back! The park is safeguarded and protected for all time by a covenant preventing any part of it being developed or sold off – and park users have pledged to defend it. A Council planner has told us that the proposed use of a large part of the Rec for house-building is because ‘otherwise the demolitions on the estate could not go ahead’.
Sports Field
Broadwater United officials and volunteers have managed and helped maintain this essential facility for youth football for over 20 years – there are currently 11 teams based there. This has made a huge difference to young people in the area, being a key part of the area’s positive transformation.
Rights of residents?
The council and Housing Associations have an obligation to re-house secure tenants if their homes are knocked down. But where? There would be pressure to accept places out of the area, or housing association properties with higher rents and poorer tenancy rights. Leaseholders would be bought out, but would be unlikely to be able to afford anywhere local (probably not even in London) to move to. Private tenants on the estates would be made homeless. Residents would have to be ‘consulted’ but such ‘consultations’ are usually biased in favour of what the Council has already planned for the area.
Why are they proposing this?
The Council aim to cram thousands of extra homes into an already densely populated borough in order to reach the Mayor of London’s housing targets. These homes are usually expensive private homes unaffordable to local people in need. Property developers care about only one thing, maximum profits for themselves. This suits the Council as they want to sell off public land and facilities to generate income. The result is local people being priced out of Tottenham in favour of ‘gentrification’.
What we should all do
Its vital we continue to speak out for the needs of our community, and support each other. That’s been our strength and our success over the last 30 years in this area. Please support and get involved in local community groups. Most urgently, please object NOW! Deadline is March 27.
—————————————————————————————————————————————————–
Please send an objection to the Council before March 27, along the following lines…
We object strongly to the draft Local Plan proposal SA63 for a demolition and redevelopment zone covering Broadwater Farm, Somerset Close, Lido Square, Moira Close, some houses along Lordship Lane, and the northern part of Lordship Recreation Ground, including the enclosed sports field.
The proposal would cause massive stress to all concerned, displacement and disruption for years, and undermine all the successful efforts over decades to build a strong and stable local community and to improve local facilities. It breaches a whole range of planning policies which should protect our community.
It is unacceptable & should be withdrawn immediately. Instead the Council must work with the community to protect, support & improve all the existing homes, estates, facilities & communities in the area.
Email to: ldf@haringey.gov.uk Or post to: LBH Planning Policy, River Park House, High Road N22 8HQ
—————————————————————————————————————————————————
More info can be found at: www.lordshiprec.org.uk/bwflordship/
We ask all local organisations to back the campaign. Contact us to let us know: bwflordship@gmail.com
From
Broadwater Farm Residents’ Association
Broadwater United Sports And Football Academy
Friends of Lordship Rec