Since 2015 the public outcry against the ‘Red Zoning’ of Broadwater Farm and neighbouring areas has continued, and the Campaign has continued to demand the withdrawal of potential ‘redevelopment’ threats to nearly 2,000 local homes and our many excellent community facilities.
A number of victories have already been achieved. The following is the text of a leaflet currently being distributed throughout the area, setting out the full situation..
JOIN US TO STOP THE DEMOLITION OF OUR HOMES AND COMMUNITY FACILITIES, AND TO GET ESSENTIAL REPAIRS AND MAINTENANCE CARRIED OUT!
The facts
The Council’s planning department is continuing to propose a demolition and ‘redevelopment’ zone for the ‘Broadwater Farm Area’ – threatening the BWF estate and its facilities, the housing association estates of Somerset Close, Lido Square and Moira Close, and the adjacent private houses on Lordship Lane. So we need to keep protesting!
Despite repeated denials by Councillors and Officers as recently as 2016, they have now been forced to release an internal 2013 report ‘Haringey Council’s Strategic Spatial Plan for Broadwater Farm’ – http://goo.gl/LOHH9d – which clearly showed that the Council was developing plans to demolish all of the Council Housing on the BWF Estate and some or most of the social housing nearby, and replace it with mainly expensive private housing.
The proposed zone is indicated by a red line on a map taken from the Council’s draft Local Plan for Haringey 2011- 2026 – ‘Site Allocation 62’. If this proposal is not chucked out it will enable private developers to come forward with demolition plans for new private housing!
The council is openly admitting that the Broadwater Farm may be included in its proposed ‘Haringey Development Vehicle’ (HDV). The highly controversial HDV is a private/public company that is being set up with the intention of ‘redeveloping’ many of the council estates all over Haringey.
See: http://stophdv.com
Our Campaign
2 years ago we launched the fight back with a 250-strong public meeting, and now supported by a wide range of organisations.
In 2015, 220 objections were made by residents to the Council’s ‘Ist Stage’ proposals for the Broadwater Farm Area and Lordship Rec. The threat to Lordship Rec was then dropped.
In 2016, 839 people made objections or signed petitions against the ‘2nd Stage’ proposals. Some of the Lordship Lane houses were then dropped.
At the Local Plan examination last year we managed to get some important further concessions. The Council have been instructed by the planning inspector that they must consult us all fully, and about repairs and improvements needed as an alternative to threats of demolitions. But it is clear we will still have to fight hard to make sure that the council does not push through its demolition ideas.
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 could be pressure to accept places in other areas of Haringey, or housing association properties with higher rents and poorer tenancy rights. Leaseholders would be bought out, but at prices that may make it hard to be able to afford similar properties locally. They may be forced out of London. Private tenants will be made homeless. The Council is legally obliged to consult residents but such ‘consultations’ are usually biased in favour of what the Council has already decided for the area.
Instead the Council needs to be told to work with the community to protect, support and improve all the existing homes and facilities in the area. They and the Housing Associations must be made to fulfill their legal obligations as landlords to keep their homes and estates in good repair.
Why are they proposing this?
The Council aims 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
If not withdrawn the ‘red-zone’ will cause massive stress to all concerned, displacement, disruption and blight for years, and undermine all the successful efforts over decades to build a strong and stable local community and to improve local facilities. It is vital we continue to speak out for the needs of our community, and support each other.
· Come to the Broadwater Farm Residents’ Association Open Meeting Tuesday 27th June at 7pm at the BWF Community Centre, for estate residents to say what kind of repairs and improvements they want.
· Come to the demonstration on Monday 3rd July against the Haringey Development Vehicle. Assemble at 5.30pm, Ducketts Common N8, by Turnpike Lane Tube.
· Support and get involved in local community groups.
· Sign/publicise the petition – http://chn.ge/1IhtHoa [Or Google: ‘Stop Redevelopment Broadwater’]
· We ask all local organisations to back the campaign. Let us know: bwflordship@gmail.com
· Please “like” and “Share” our Facebook Page. www.facebook.com/
BROADWATER FARM AREA CAMPAIGN
Broadwater Farm Residents’ Association, Broadwater United Sports & Football Academy, Broadwater Farm Enterprise Centre, Back 2 Earth @ BWF Community Centre, Friends of Lordship Rec, Rockstone Foundation
Supported by: Broadwater Farm Children’s Centre Parents Forum, Broadwater Farm Enterprise Centre, St Benet Fink Church, Church On The Farm, Lordship Rec Users Forum (stakeholders organisation for all the parks User Groups), Lordship Lane residents group, Higham Road Allotments Assoc, Tower Gardens Residents Group, Lordship Rec Eco-Hub Co-op, Back 2 Earth, Rockstone Foundation, Tottenham Clouds, Haringey Defend Council Housing, Tottenham Civic Society, Haringey Friends of Parks Forum, Haringey Federation of Residents Associations, Haringey Solidarity Group, Haringey Trade Union Council, Haringey Unite Community, Haringey Green Party, Haringey Play Association, Tottenham Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition, Tottenham Socialist Workers Party, Omega Works Tenants Association, Strawbridge Court Residents Association, London Waterkeepers, The Bermondsey Joyriders.
Background info: www.lordshiprec.org.uk/
Petition: http://chn.ge/1IhtHoa [Or Google: ‘Stop Redevelopment Broadwater’]
Fb: www.facebook.com/
Sign up for updates – send an email to: bwfac-request@lordshiprec.org.
