13+November+2007

code E-PETITION TO SAVE THE FORMER WARDS DEPARTMENT STORE BUILDING NOW HAS OVER ONE HUNDRED SIGNATURES

An on-line petition set up by the Tottenham Civic Society to gather support for the preservation of the former Wards Department Store building at Seven Sisters now has over one hundred signatures following its mention in last week's Tottenham Journal. The signatories include a number of people in the United States of America, which the Society says shows the international interest and importance attached to the building.

The impetus for the petition came from a display of photographs of Tottenham's historic buildings mounted by the Society at the Tottenham Festival and Carnival in June. "We had more questions about the Wards Department Store building than any other," said Matthew Bradby, the Chair of the Society. "People were amazed that such a building still exists in Tottenham, and very surprised to be told that the Council wants to demolish it and replace it with an eight-storey block of flats."

The former Wards department store building on the corner of Seven Sisters Road and the High Road is an early twentieth century example of a steel-framed three-storey structure with large internal spaces. It is the only example of such a building in Tottenham and thus a significant part of Tottenham's architectural heritage. The building has been stripped of its exterior decorative features and has stood empty since the 1970s, but retains many elegant Edwardian features such as large glass skylights and wide interior spaces supported by pillars with interesting carved decoration.

Although the petition was conceived independently of the fight to save Seven Sisters Market, it has now become part of the alternative community plan being put forward for the redevelopment of the Wards Corner site. Anyone who supports the preservation of Tottenham's heritage may sign the petition, and is able to leave comments which can be read by others visiting the website.

The signatories include David Schmitz, the Liberal Democrat prospective parliamentary candidate for the Tottenham constituency, Justin Hinchliffe of Tottenham Conservatives, and Michael Hammerson, a member of the Haringey Design Panel which adjudicated on the Haringey Design Awards 2007. All three have left comments supporting the aims of the petition and demanding that the Council revise its plans for the site to ensure that the building is preserved and restored as part of any redevelopment proposal.

Many other Tottenham residents who have signed the petition have also left comments expressing concern about the Council's current redevelopment proposals. Joseph Nicholas, who set up the petition and is the Secretary of the Tottenham Civic Society, said: "It's clear that there is no public support for the current proposal to put up some anonymous modern blocks which will only detract from the character of the Page Green Conservation Area. It's time for the Council to listen to the public, and think again."

ENDS

Notes for Editors

1.     The Tottenham Civic Society was founded in March 2006 and is affiliated to the Civic Trust, the independent national charity which is the umbrella body for over 800 civic societies, representing over a quarter of a million people committed to improving and caring for places where they live and work. See http://www.civictrust.org.uk/ for further details of the Civic Trust.

2.     The aims of the Tottenham Civic Society are set out in its constitution, as follows: i) To promote high standards of planning and architecture in or affecting the area of benefit.         ii)  To educate the public in the geography, history, natural history and architecture of the area of benefit. iii) To secure the preservation, protection, development and improvement of features of historic, environmental or public interest in the area of benefit.         iv)  To work to improve the quality of life for everyone in Tottenham. v) To encourage appropriate and sustainable regeneration in the area. Membership of the Society is open to any individual or organisation which supports these aims, and costs £10 per year.  Members received a quarterly newsletter, Civitas Tottenham.

3.     The Tottenham Civic Society's petition to preserve and restore the former Wards Department Store building can be read online at http://www.gopetition.co.uk/online/14551.html To see the list of signatories, click on the "signatures" link at the top right corner of the page. To read the comments left by some of the signatories, pause your mouse cursor over "View" in the Comments column.

4.     The petition can also be accessed from the website set up to promote the alternative community plan for the redevelopment of the Wards Corner site -- http://wardscorner.wikispaces.com/

5.     Further information about the Tottenham Civic Society and the petition to preserve and restore the former Wards Department Store building can be provided by Matthew Bradby, telephone 07985 169471 or e-mail , or Joseph Nicholas, telephone 07939 356422 or e-mail .

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