The+Community+Plan+-+Wards+Corner+-+Minutes+-18+September+2007


 * 18th September 2007 Minutes of meeting between Tottenham Civic Society and Grainger**

The main points we made were:

1. We felt that the size of the main residential blocks is too large, and that they are inappropriate as they open onto a six lane highway junction where hundreds of buses stop every day, 24 hours a day. The architect observed that you can find the same in Knightsbridge but we did not find the comparison very compelling.

2. We were absolutely against any proposal that involved the demolition of the Wards Department store. We would like to see new proposals that retained this as integral to any new scheme. We gave the planner a copy of Civitas to show them the pictures of the interior. (PS Ann, it was Sue Penny who sacrificed her precious copy - can we allocate her another one?!)

3. We were very pessimistic about the types of retail that would be attracted. We pointed out that kiosks at Turnpike Lane bus station for example have always been boarded up. Other retail there is fast food and moneylenders charging a usurious 141%. The retail premises at 1 Roundway became a Ladbrokes. Wood Green (Hollywood Green) has cheap megabars and MacDonalds. Therefore a combination of fast food, moneylenders, betting shops, and Wetherspoons is what they should expect to colonise Seven Sisters.

3a We would rather they retained the market for independent traders which has proven such a boon in places like Camden - and PS now that Camden is mired in controversy, perhaps Tottenham can reinvent itself as the new authentic north London market area where real people come?

4. We thought that six storeys in West Green Road was overdevelopment and we were against demolition of the other early 20thC plate glass windowed shop there. This should be retained.

5. We thought that the 'Seven Lights' corporate art installation is pretty dire. I said it reminded me of parts of Birmingham Bull Ring built in the 60s at which everyone cheered when they were recently demolished. I apologised afterwards for being rude. We also thought that it was reminiscent of the awful Tesco across the road.

6. We explained that the High Road has lately suffered a slew of dire over development, in the form of the Turquoise Monstrosity, the Thing at the High Cross, and the Thing on Tottenham Green, so we are necessarily nervous of new proposals. This was appreciated. We also reminded them about other modern buildings in the immediate area (e.g. Apex House) which have manifestly failed.

7. People including Wendy Keenan said that they simply did not find the overall design inspiring. They found it boring, bland, etc etc.

8. Interestingly, people seemed resigned to the loss of Suffield Road. It had few defenders.


 * Matthew Bradby, Tottenham Civic Society**