The demolition and ‘redevelopment’ of Broadwater Farm and building of homes on Lordship Rec: Barmy? Or a real threat?
According to council documents – http://www.haringey.gov.uk/sites/haringeygovuk/files/site_allocation_developement_web_0.pdf (Site 63, page 162), it appears that the council are considering promoting the demolition and ‘redevelopment’ of some or all of Broadwater Farm. The plans, confirmed by senior Council officers [see below], suggest that they intend for new housing to be built on a large chunk of the north end of Lordship Recreation Ground, including half of the main field and the whole sports field, to rehouse those displaced by potential demolitions at Broadwater Farm. The potential redevelopment zone is indicated by a red line on a map, and also includes Somerset Close, Lido Square, homes along the south side of Lordship Lane, and all the community facilities within the zone. Such a zone would mean increased powers for property developers in that zone, backed by Council encouragement and support.
This incredible, barmy and totally unnecessary attack on local communities 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. Our communities have worked long and hard to make Broadwater Farm one of the most attractive estates in the UK, and to make Lordship Rec the great park it now is.
The threat to Lordship Rec would bring the Council into direct conflict with the Lordship Rec park users’ organisations, and all the funding bodies (Lottery, GLA and the Environment Agency) who have supported the successful and nationally-celebrated community-led regeneration of Tottenham’s largest public park. Incidentally, in case the Council have forgotten, the park is safeguarded and protected for all time by a ‘Fields In Trust’ covenant preventing any part of it being developed or sold off.
The ‘barmy’ proposals confirmed
We couldn’t believe the proposals when we first heard about them. However, Steve Kelly from the Council’s Planning Department spoke at the Tangmere Steering Committee on Broadwater Farm recently and when challenged admitted that the land on Lordship Recreation Ground would be needed for housing for people displaced by any demolitions on Broadwater Farm. Matthew Patterson, the Council’s Interim Head of Policy, Strategic Transport and Infrastructure, also confirmed to a rep from the Friends of Lordship Rec that the inclusion of the northern part of Lordship Rec in the development zone is for the power to build housing to ‘decant’ the residents of Broadwater Farm (or many of them) into that area of the park ‘otherwise the demolitions on the estate could not go ahead’ due to the impracticalities of re-homing those affected during the demolition and redevelopment works.
Object now
The deadline for registering objections to this outrageous and unacceptable threat to the estate and park is March 27th. It comes under the consultation for ‘Haringey’s Local Plan 2011-2026’, the most important planning document in the borough. This is a formal objection process, and the Local Plan documents have to be submitted to a Planning Inspector at a public enquiry before they can be approved. Those objecting will be able to put their case to the Inspector.
This proposed mass disruption and destruction must be opposed.
To object, email: ldf@haringey.gov.uk
Joan Curtis and Dave Morris
– Secretary and Chair, Friends of Lordship Rec