Consultation Response – Area Action Plan – Site Allocation Document 10.03.2014
Abigail Stevenson - Page 1 of 6
Area action plan
Abigail Stevenson’s Response
I think that by putting the pressure of delivering 1000 new homes a year on an already struggling part of
the borough is ill founded. The area has already seen civil unrest due to the lack of citizenship and general
disenfranchisement of the local community, by putting additional pressure in the form of mass house
building would have negative effects on the existing communities. This is outlined very articulately in the
response to this document by ‘Out Tottenham’ and I would like to take this opportunity to echo their
sentiments, with regard to the comments on the Area Action Plan.
I ask the council to reconsider and to consider a few alternatives/ideas;
1. Gap sites throughout the borough – how about putting some allowances in the UDP planning
documents to facilitate self builders to develop these gap sites, a survey could be carried out
to determine the extent of housing units could be made available this way. This would benefit
the borough of Haringey in a few strategic ways – reducing the impact on transport and
services as new development will be evenly spread throughout the borough – increasing the
diversity of our streets, and bringing bespoke design to existing homogenous communities –
these homes will also be built to higher environmental standards as part of compliance with
part L of the building regulations, maybe there could be additional requirements attached to
the development of these sites so that a network of eco-homes are created throughout the
borough promoting the 40:20 agenda of the council, these homes could then be included in
the open homes events already going on in the borough, raising the awareness of and
aspiration of low energy living.
2. Putting empty buildings back into use – The issue of empty properties is a problem for all of
us, they can lead to squatting and be a hazard if not maintained and become structurally
unsound. By allowing and facilitating empty properties to be redeveloped, then housing and
other vital services can be brought into use throughout the borough. This strategy has the
same strategic benefits as the gap sites.
Consultation Response – Area Action Plan – Site Allocation Document 10.03.2014
Abigail Stevenson - Page 2 of 6
3. Creating a development strategy around truly diverse mixed developments – this would
involve the rejection of current rigid zoning of employment land and residential land and
embracing a truly mixed use approach to development. An example of this type of
development is currently underway at Hays in West London by the developer ‘Cathedral’.
Where historic buildings are incorporated into the development to improve the sense of place.
Cinemas, offices, industry and housing are in the same location to create a dynamic and
desirable location. One important thing to take from this development is that it is on a car park
essentially, existing homes are preserved, along with the derelict factories that are
reconditioned and repurposed. Having a more flexible approach allows for more resilient
neighbourhoods.
Consultation Response – Area Action Plan – Site Allocation Document 10.03.2014
Abigail Stevenson - Page 3 of 6
TH8: South Tottenham Employment Area
These Comments are put together by Anil Korotane Director of
Belonging – Architecture and Human Rights
architecturehumanrights.org
This is a statement in response to the Draft Site Allocations Plan Document (DPD) –
(http://www.haringey.gov.uk/site_allocations_dpd_final.pdf) concerning the growth area
TH8: South Tottenham Employment Area.
Specifically, it is a response drawn together for the warehouse community on Fountayne
Road and the wider surrounding areas (Markfield Road/Constable Cresent). The
warehouse community will be described hear under the banner ‘Fountayne Creative
Collective’ and, thus describing the general nature of the culture that predominantly
exists on the road and the wider area.
Fountayne Creative Collective can be perceived as a local phenomena generated by the
opportunity and increased need of low-cost affordable unit spaces to rent for creative
professionals seeking residence for new and emerging creative businesses within the
north east region of London.
Over the past 10 years this phenomena has increased in attracting the young creative
professional to spaces made available by the warehouse/factories on Fountayne Road
and the wider area. Filling out spaces that may have otherwise been neglected and
therefore maybe have attributed to a dysfunctional and unnecessary wasteland.
Instead, an emergence of a sub-culture has physically entered and attributed to the
imagination of the local identity of Tottenham Hale and has effectively contributed to the
local economy and local community.
The aspirations for the larger area in general for Tottenham Hale is to provide a District
Centre by 2025. The vision includes a thriving centre with a vibrant mix of commercial,
retail, residential and complementary town centre.
Consultation Response – Area Action Plan – Site Allocation Document 10.03.2014
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Over the past 10 years, the emergence of the Fountayne Creative Collective has
changed and help improved the local and wider area by not only filling in a void created
by the changing industrial and commercial enterprising landscape, where older
industries once inhabited the surrounding built environment and landscape, but also
introduced relevant possibilities for new types of entrepreneurial use that sought to re-
engage with the wider community of Tottenham Hale.
As stated in the DPD vision for the growth area TH8: South Tottenham Employment Area
concerning the increased safety and vibrancy in the local area and support the element
of the evening economy which will turn safety and vibrancy in the local district.
This is not a community filling in a void for a specific time whilst planning visions seek
their anticipatory quest to regenerate an area poised as a decrement to the vitality of
place. Instead, what you have here is a phenomena that has partly played a role in
keeping the social, economic and cultural aspect to this part of Tottenham industriously
alive.
The growth, to this growth area outlined in a master plan adopted for Tottenham Hale in
2006 and in the process of being refreshed in the Draft Site Allocations Document time
frame, has already begun. Stating design changes and identifying additional
opportunities should not be conceived with the bequest of emerging qualities and assets
that have sustained the fortitude of the South Tottenham Employment Area. Fountayne
Creative Collective is an exemplary example of an identifiable hub and densification
phenomena that seeks to deliver opportunity for London’s future creative industry
professionals whilst attributing additional qualities to the vibrancy of Tottenham as a
whole.
Over the past 10 years, Fountayne Creative Collective has provided a foundation and
continued possibility for emerging creative professionals and businesses to emerge, and
the capacity building of this phenomenon should be strategically interwoven into the
future anticipatory business enterprise zone. Stated below is a ‘text-book’ example of a
creative professional experience through this foundation:
Experience of Andrea Ling, Unit 22, 7 Fountayne Road - “There is a great, supportive,
creative community at Fountayne road that without would have been increasingly difficult
to start my career. The networking that you make, the unlimited amount of resources and