Bowes and Bounds Connected
A Community Network for Bowes Park and Bounds Green
Myddleton Road... A Street Worth Fighting For
We’ve spent the last 18 months focusing on making The Step the best it can be but we are now thinking more about the future of Myddleton Road and how we can all work to make it a better place. We don’t want to look backwards, we are where we are, but we need everyone including the relevant people at Haringey Council to share our enthusiasm for this street and, more importantly, the Bowes Park area to be bullish and belligerent about our future.
The potential for regeneration in this curious little “Bowes Park Triangle” of ours is immense. We have the excellent transport links, the availability of relatively well-priced housing and the enthusiastic spirit of a creative community. Look at the massive success of the Myddleton Road Market and how it brought our own community together and drew scores of new people to the area. This was a reason to be proud and must be capitalised on.
So we must ask ourselves why the heart of Bowes Park is a rundown, ramshackle street crippled with high density, low quality housing and the multitude of anti-social problems this brings? We must ask why illegal and ugly shutters out number open shop fronts at a ratio of five to one? Because this Myddleton Road does not reflect the vast majority of people who live in streets and roads that surround it so difficult questions must be asked of Haringey as to quite how the street has been left to rot and decay like this. We know of several people who have wanted to set up a business in the area but couldn’t find a retail space to let so we must ask why in less than 100 metres we have ten “property” companies whose activities contribute absolutely nothing to the local community?
We are not kidding ourselves that the solutions are easy and we know the historical reasons that led to the decline of Myddleton Road as a shopping street. There are probably many issues that we don’t fully understand but we founded The Step because we believe in Bowes Park and want to put back something in to the community as well as trying to make a living here. Without being too big headed we are bloody proud of what we have achieved so far but we want to make it very clear that if Haringey Council is not serious in backing the future of Bowes Park then we will move elsewhere and we will do this soon.
We didn’t open our business because we looked at the area and saw pound signs to get rich quick. We opened The Step because we saw a huge potential for long term regeneration and improving the quality of life here but nearly two years on, the signs are mixed and confused. On the one hand, the rubbish in the street is getting worse, anti-social behaviour is significantly on the increase and the quality of housing on the street is becoming ever more alarming and absurd. This is spreading to other roads in the area, make no mistake about that.
However…the positive news is that we know there are local people who want to invest in Myddleton Road. We know that there are many local people in Bowes Park both old and new who care deeply about the area. We know from personal experience that there are many people considering moving to the area but the ugly and seemingly unloved High Street is a big drawback for them. We have a brilliant street market, beautiful community garden, the Tin Tabernacle and an outdoor gym. In two years time wouldn’t it be brilliant if that last sentence was a paragraph?
So let’s not use the past as an excuse for passing more and more poor quality, high density housing in the area …let us use the future as a reason for saying no, this will harm the people who live here, your proposals are of no benefit to Bowes Park whatsoever. Let’s all of us work together to get that English Heritage money flowing in to Myddleton Road because if managed correctly it will make a world of difference.
It is also vital we engage with the certain landlords on the street because when we have spoken to them they don’t seem to have any idea of the damage they are doing to the Bowes Park community. They also don’t realise the huge potential of the properties they own…by train, we are twenty minutes from the City of London and the same from Shoreditch, the creative centre of London. Bowes Park could and should be the next big emerging area of our capital but a handful of cynical, short-sighted landlords don’t, or won’t, see this potential and have their foot to the throat of Myddleton Road. This is choking the life out of a whole area.
Do we throw our hands in the air and leave the future of Myddleton Road and, more importantly, the wider community of Bowes Park in the clutches of a handful of landlords who live far away from the boundaries of Haringey. We have put too much into The Step to walk away just yet and over the coming months we will be doing absolutely everything we can to put Myddleton Road and Haringey Council in the media spotlight…its blighted and bungled past and present, as well as its future potential.
Because it is a story worth telling and a street worth fighting for.
Let us know what you think by posting on our discussion on the Bowes and Bounds Forum.
Yours in hope
Nell and Mat
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Suellen edgar on
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Great information thanks. my comments and objections submitted.
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Permalink Reply by Toby Nation on
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All,
I've just commented on this - it still seems open.
But have we ever taken any formal advice about the conversion of these flats to help us make a more coherent or legally sound argument?
A (not so) quick look at the Haringey local plans and planning regs suggests there is guidance that applies to the building of conversion properties in a conservation area, but frankly I'm no expert in planning regs.
It seems as part of the Myddleton Road fight back we could do with some professional / knowledgeable advice. Any thoughts...?
I've copied my response to the application below - along with some some pretty geeky links to docs which apply to planning guidance. The Planning Policy Guidance is particularly useful as a starting point for finding relevant regs but applications type.
Toby
DENSITY
The conversion of this property into smaller flats would be at odds with Haringey’s own guidance around housing density including HSG11 (conversions in conservation areas) and SP2.
Not only would this proposal impact on the range of housing in Bowes Park by seeing the loss of a decent-sized family housing, it would add to the issues caused by HMOs on Myddleton Road (parking, rubbish disposal problems).
This flat would contribute further on on-going issues caused by high density HMOs in Myddleton Road. As Haringey Housing SPD 2008 states (par 9.3) the road already has a high number of conversions and as such consideration should be given to guidance in par 9.1 – in particular “To prevent an over-concentration of conversions/HMOs which would harm the character or amenity of an area.” And
Furthermore for Myddleton Road par 9.4 applies, it states: “the Council will normally resist applications for conversions and HMOs in streets where conversions and/or HMOs already equal 20% of the properties.”Key Links
Policy Finder
http://www.haringey.gov.uk/policy_finder_2013.pdf
Housing Supplementary Planning Docs
http://www.haringey.gov.uk/2008_adopted_housing_spd.pdf
Local Plan
http://www.haringey.gov.uk/index/housing_and_planning/planning-main...
Unitary Development Plan Saved Policies
http://www.haringey.gov.uk/udp_saved_policies_post_local_plan_adopt...
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Permalink Reply by Daniel Cowan on
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I agree. I think responses to planning applications should try to be based on the planning policies where they can. If the council does not base it's decision on policy reasons the applcant is likely to win on appeal anyway.
I have a bit of knowledge in this area as I am a structual engineer working for a large firm of consultants and we are kept up to date with planning policy developments generally as well as on our projects, but I am certainly not an expert.
I have also been trying to get up to speed with Haringey's policies, of which you seem to have given links to the most important ones. When I have time, I would be willing to find / put together a primer on relevant planning policies for Myddleton Road and then see if we can get a planning officer to review it.
However, if there is anyone else who has more knowledge of planning policies, then they may be able to provide more insightful advice and we could certainly look to get some formal advice.
There has been another planning application for 100 Myddleton Road this week. I will post details on the new page that has also been set up for this I think:
http://www.bowesandbounds.org/forum/topics/building-control-on-mydd...
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Permalink Reply by Caroline Simpson on -
I am very glad that people are still commenting.
re comments on planning applications; my feelings have always been that if you have the expert knowledge etc then use it, but what is most important is to comment at all, and if you have objections, state them clearly, even if not in formal planning jargon with back ups etc. The planners employed by the council know all the rules and regs, and the jargon etc, we do not have to quote chapter and verse unless we know it.
So dont be scared!
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Totally agree with Caroline that every view counts. It's absolutely the case that the more people who comment the better - it's not our job to convert common sense in policy speak. That's what planning officers get paid for...!
However, I do also think arming ourselves with the best advice can help ensure those same officers are doing their job and not just nodding stuff through without properly consideration of the unique nature of neighbourhood.
Daniel - it sounds like you're well informed but perhaps we should put our heads together as part of the wider Myddleton Road group to think specifically about how to challenge planning apps.
I know one of our local councillors sits on the Planning Committee and while he cannot advise on specific applications perhaps he can use his knowledge (or contacts) to help guide us.
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Permalink Reply by Holly Shales on
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Nell I back your call and I am whole heartedly with you on the regeneration of MR, what we need is for everyone from the traders to property owners, the Local Authority and our councillors to come together and open up a realistic dialogue on what can regenerate the area, and what we as the local people can do to support business such as yours.
Since my move to Bounds Green about 6 and a bit years ago I have seen much change for the better the street is more organised, BPCA do a brilliant job as a result of their hard work we have the Myddleton Rd Gardens and the Community Gym, the step was a fantastic addition to the Road, but is it enough? No more needs to be done, but this can only be achieved when we have everyone on board and working together.
look forward to seeing you at the meeting.
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Permalink Reply by Caroline Simpson on
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There is already a Neighbourhood Plan. That was and still is an Action Plan really.
see http://www.haringey.gov.uk/index/housing_and_planning/planning-main...
or download here.
Much of this still needs to be done.
Maybe also needs a 'Review' so long as that doesnt take ages and ages.
- Attachments:
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Permalink Reply by Lindsey Berthoud on
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Thanks Caroline, downloaded and skim read - really helpful.
Was there ever an update to the schedule, reporting on actions achieved? That list might help the community meeting next week. Dare I ask, is there any one person responsible for the plan at Haringey?!
Strikes me there are elements local people can drive forward, like raising awareness of the conservation area and promoting civic pride, pushing for public art, and, as talked about elsewhere here, reporting crime, rubbish etc.
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Permalink Reply by Richard McKeever on
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Caroline I think this is a fascinating document.
Now a decade old it was written in the context of a very different national government policy framework and an unrecognisable financial and economic situation in local government. However the current coalition government's "localism" agenda probably means there is space for a commuity-led response to some of the issues of concern.
I agree with Lindsey that a very strong part of the response is to identify which of the aims and activities can be taken forward by residents, business, the Community Association and the wider local community without the need of further LB Haringey involvement. Beyond this futher tiers of activity may require LB Haringey permission - and finally those that need resources from the council.
I think anyone expecting significant council resources or any new money to be expended here will be disappointed - but there is much that coud be done to improve the street with a simple implementation of current council regulations, supporting concerted community action in a much loved - and sadly neglected road.
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Permalink Reply by Kari Koonin on
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There won't be a case for pedestrianisation until the road has a lot more businesses in it and a lot more footfall (and NOT the kind generated by people populating illegal bedsits!). But it would be great...
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Permalink Reply by Carolyn Brown on
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I have managed to raise my objections and comments to one of the application, unfortunately I was unable to comment on the others as the site crashed. This has been in the last 10 mins. Has anyone else experienced this sudden crash?
Carolyn
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Permalink Reply by Holly Shales on
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Hi Carolyn
The site seems to be fine, try again.
Holly
Connecting the communities of Bowes Park and Bounds Green in north London.
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