Press+-+Haringey+Independent+-+Boris+joins+the+Wards+Corner+battle

=Boris joins the Wards Corner battle= Elizabeth Pears - Haringey Independent (Tuesday 22nd July 2008)

During his campaign Boris Johnson spent time visiting the market and pledged to save the area known as Wards Corner from developers if he was elected.
 * The mayor of London has called on Haringey Council to reject a planning application that would lead to the demolition of Seven Sisters market.

Now with proposals put forward by Grainger expected to go under the microscope at a planning meeting this Thursday, the mayor has urged the council to preserve the livelihoods of the traders. || || Mr Johnson said: "The proposed redevelopment of Ward’s Corner would pull down the market and only offer space to a handful of people, which is unacceptable.

"I want Haringey Council to urgently review this proposal and put the livelihood of the traders and the thousands of locals who rely on this market at the core of their decision."

The site which takes its name from the Wards building, a former Edwardian department store, is home to more than 70 Latin American market traders and is one of the biggest cultural hubs for their community.

Under Grainger’s plans the site would be bulldozed and replaced with luxury flats and high street stores such as Marks & Spencer and Woolworths putting smaller businesses in West Green Road in jeopardy.

Following protests from a coalition of community groups, Wards Corner Community, the private development company amended their original design to include shop units for up to 13 small businesses but the rest of the traders would still have to find alternative premises.

Tottenham MP, David Lammy, who met with the Ward’s Corner Community Coalition and Grainger this week, expressed his own reservations about the plan.

He said: "I have long been calling for meaningful regeneration in the area and had hoped that we were finally getting to place where this could start. But it has become clear to me that the plans about to go before the planning committee do not have the breadth of community support necessary to go forward.

"Haringey Council urgently needs to consider the call for mediation to explore whether it is possible to bridge the gap between the plans and vision for the site."

A council spokesman said: "The council has received a planning application for the site which will be considered by our planning committee in the normal way."