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I haven't had much time to browse Stroud Green website. But it strikes me that many issues in common are discussed by community websites and Residents' Associations - including bogus charity collectors and where to get the best coffee!
So carping at other neighbourhoods (and websites) seems pointless. Instead, cooperation and sharing information between local community groups - online and offline - could generate win-win. And this is true whether we're objecting to poor development; or e.g. looking for the best method for an adopt-a-plot community garden scheme.
Currently I'm a member of a loose group - linked to Haringey Online website - who've been exposing the activities of landlords and developers who exploit loopholes in the Certificates of Lawfulness process to convert homes into hutches. (Here's one in <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/alanstanton/2951612204/">Hampden Lane</a> where Haringey are going for revocation.)
I'd be glad to hear of people in Stroud Green, or further afield, tackling the same issue.
alan[dot]stanton[at]blueyonder[dot]co[dot]uk
Initially we couldn't believe the dodgy stuff we found in support of Certificates of Lawfulness. (More like Certificates of Awfulness!)
Visits to the Planning Office turned up: fake utility bills; fake tenancy agreements; forged letters; and laughable cut-and-pasted so-called Statutory Declarations.
And of course, neighbours, the neighbourhood <b><u>and</u></b> many tenants in these places suffer when perfectly good homes become overcrowded tiny hutches.
In Haringey there's a small silver lining. The residents' group working on this - with Nora Mulready (from David Lammy's office) and me - met with council leader Claire Kober who agreed that procedures needed tightening up. This has happened - although not yet enough. Some revocations have started.
I think that, ideally, there now needs to be funding for a full time research project; investigating and gathering evidence of these abuses and recommending changes - whether in legislation or local procedures.
Seems appropriate given the impunity with which rogue builders/landlords appear to ruin areas and properties (and the lives of tenants and residents).
<a href="http://www.islington.gov.uk/Democracy/meetings/areameetingdetail.asp?meetingid=2528">http://www.islington.gov.uk/Democracy/meetings/areameetingdetail.asp?meetingid=2528</a>;
one objector of the application
one supporter of the application
Local parish/town representative
The applicant
Each gets a 3 minutes speech, and you're likely need to be registered 24hr before the meeting, but could be just before the meeting starts depending on the Council, if there's a free spot.
It's up to Councillors to ask the questions (of the case officer, not the applicant/developer), the public consultation stage is when questions should have been raised by Mr Bloggs.
It could be an interesting debate, I would check whether there are any other items before this application on the agenda, with something this big, it could take a while.
It's probably in one of the main chambers at the Town Hall, each chamber has a sign outside usually saying what's on at what time. So it will probably be signed as "East Area Planning Sub-Committee" or thereabouts. You could also just ask at the front desk. If it's like most meetings there, you can just rock up and take a seat wherever you like.
I'll be wearing a bright red tracky top if anyone wants to say hello.
How terribly exciting...
The case officer read out design details relating to “Linear Terrace“, “cylindrical building“, “rectilinear building“ and amenity space. The case officer mentioned several objections, mainly arising due to size and scale but didn’t seem to go into any real depth.
Objections from three members of the public were heard regarding application process, the timing of consultation letters, environmental impact and scale, play areas and BREEM rating.
Votes cast 3 in favour / 2 against. Application is approved.
*looks nostalgically around soon-to-be-demolished office*
Oh and we have a lease until 2012, we've been promised nothing will happen until then...
Whoop
Here's someone who doesn't understand the planning process at all. Commencement of the development within three years is a standard planning condition attached to every application. There's nothing to stop them a)start material works and then stop - just like the Vista development on SGR b)apply to extend this limit by either variating the condition or simply applying to renew the permission, which has very recently been made easier by the government. If this 3year thing is secured in the legal agreement, then I dont think there's anything stoping them doing (a).