The Cowshed Recording studio has been located in Myddleton Road for a dozen years or more ... in a building used as a recording studio since the mid 70s, over this time some fantastic music has been recorded in the heart of Bowes Park. However it appears that the continuation of the music studio in Myddleton Road is under threat - this was posted on the Cowshed Facebook page today:

Our wonderful landlord applied to Haringey Council to have The Cowshed's zoning changed from it's current status as a recording studio, which it has been since 1976, to residential.

This is particularly concerning as we are due in court very soon to defend our constitutional right to renew our lease with him. By law the landlord is compelled to renew a "fully insuring and repairing business lease inside the act", unless one of a short list of very specific criteria can be shown to be met. One of these is an intention to redevelop. So this is the card he is playing.

Subsequently if this planning application is approved by the council it will give the court the jurisdiction to evict us pretty much immediately, with the following consequences (in order of importance to the council not us):

  • loss of jobs
  • the creation of unsuitable, cramped housing in an area already under pressure from aggressive overdevelopment
  • loss of a historic cultural landmark in Myddleton Road, a conservation area
  • loss of revenue to Myddleton Road
  • loss of a unique recording studio, valuable to many musicians and artists world-wide


Haringey council accepts objections to planning applications on-line. Making an objection is quick and easy and will really help us to secure the studio for years to come. We only have until next Tuesday 18th December to respond, so if you'd rather not have a townhouse plonked here next time you call, please click this link, scroll down and press Comment on this application. Objecting is as simple as entering your name and address details and clicking the radio button "I wish to object..."

NB the application's address is wrongly listed as Flat A, 125 Myddleton Road N22 8NG, however this application and plan refers to The Cowshed.

Application number is HGY/2012/2221.

Many thanks
Joe Leach

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Done as requested, Joe.  Would be a crying shame to lose the Cowshed - like we need yet more housing???  As well as the flats on the A406?  We won't be able to breathe round here soon.  Hope you get loads of support & the Cowshed survives.

Update from Facebook: the deadline for this consultation has been extended to 31 December as it seems like the Haringey website has been having some problems - please check that your objection really has been registered - leave a comment on the Cowshed's FB page and they will look into it. 

http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Cowshed-Recording-Studio-London/4...

Squeezing more residents in and less employment opportunities out.  Enfield plan to do much the same at the Homebase site, Tops Tiles site and anything else they think they can build flats on.  There won't be any extra school places in the are, there won't be any decent shops, there won't be a hospital we can get to quickly with or without an ambulance but private landlords and social landlords will be coining it in.

Is there anyone out there with any influence that cares?

If planning permission is given I would suggest not leaving the site!

I keep going on and on and on about infrastructure because local authority plans don't.  The Notting Hill 'new view' for the area is laid out in phases, number of homes, when they need to be completed by to get funding but the infrastructure is 'tbc'. 

We do need more housing but do we need to stack families on top of each other? It's a fine balance between the economy, environment and quality of life.  It's not Notting Hills job to consider all these areas, they just have to stack the homes up and bring the money in.  The refurbs along A406 are looking good but where are the solar panels on the homes?  Panels would allow families in social housing to use less fuel which is good for the planet and good for lower bills.  And solar panels have to be made somewhere, more jobs.  We have an opportunity to create something amazing locally.  We live in a vibrant community and the architecture and facilities should reflect this.

When I saw designs for the new builds I couldn't believe how bland they were.  We live not far from the home of the Arts and Crafts movement and homes along the A406 do show a bit of A&C detail.  We have the art deco design of the Ritz parade but architects plans are similar to the Maidstone/Brownlow new build.  Can't we have something similar to the photo I attach, if we must have multi storey.

Done! Good luck and let us know how you get on.

Surely the council cannot let this go through? The response to a housing crisis is not to build on an already overcrowded areas and even from an amateurs look at the proposed plans you can see it is yet another attempt to cramp as many people in as possible. The one thing Myddleton Road does not need is more housing at the expense of a successful business it needs t be the other way around. For the good of Cowshed, Myddleton Road and Bowes Park this is not a battle Joe Leach can lose and we should all support him in every way we can. Perhaps something more public than an internet form is needed? 

 

 

This conversation has maybe gone a bit "off topic" - less about saving the Recording Studio - more what might happen if it is replaced by housing ...

I for one hope that the Cowshed remains in its current form. However the issue of housing - and particularly housing density in our area is very relevant to this parrallel conversation about housing developments on the A406.

In a recent post on the Bowes Ward Labour Councillor's blog there is some analysis of the population density in Bowes - and a comparison with other areas, linked to their historical voting patterns.  Cllr Sitkin concluded "Time we had an open conversation" ... something this website is always in favour of! 

Whilst Myddleton Road is actually in adjacent Bounds Green Ward, Haringey - the issues are the same across both boroughs - it's pretty clear the population density here is greater than other, leafier neighbourhoods in Haringey.

If all available space is taken up with housing - there is nowhere to put the local services and infrastucture needed to support an enlarged community.

Great news today from Joe and Biba - Haringey Council have refused the change of use application ;

The following message was posted on the Cowshed Facebook Page:

It's party time! Thanks to your support Haringey have just now refused redevelopment of The Cowshed! We have bought a bottle of champagne and we are popping the cork.

Thank you thank you THANK YOU !!! Love, Biba Joe and all at The Cowshed x x

Great news! Enjoy!

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