Bowes and Bounds Connected
A Community Network for Bowes Park and Bounds Green
Wood Green Police Station
As I'm sure many of you are aware, this red brick building from 1906 has been vacant some time. The initial plans for demolition and a 40 cell holding centre were thrown out by Haringey and by popular demand - the new building proposal was a monstrosity.
Since then, it has been quiet for a while and even our MP is unable to tell us what is going on.
However, the police are up to something: a large crane has assisted the removal of all the many temporary buildings within the station grounds. Further signs of preparationfor - what?.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Kate Franzmann on -
The secrecy surrounding this project is quite astonishing. After the first ill thought plan was put in front of the public there were several meetings held involving the police, councilors, and stakeholders (mainly residents but some other people from further afield) The police were informed by Haringey's elected Councilors that, before any more plans were formulated, they should talk to the local people who would be most affected by the changes. Since then absolutely nothing has been heard from the police, there has been no consultation as to the needs of the community and I fear that we will once again, at the last moment, be shown yet another development which takes no regard of what local people wish.
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Permalink Reply by Richard McKeever on
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Hi Michael
You might get definitive statement of the plans for Wood Green Police station by submitting a Freedom of Information request. Its not as daunting as it sounds - the Website www.WhatDoTheyKnow.com will guide you through the process.
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Permalink Reply by Michael Cordwell James on
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Thanks Richard for the very useful link; meanwhile the police have announced a short consultation period for local residents to look at the new plans for converting the old police station into the borough's Custody Centre. Bowes and Bounds Green residents should definitely go along and have a look at how one of the more characterful buildings in the neighbourhood will be affected.
The police will be holding a public exhibition on Friday 6th from 4pm to 8pm and Saturday 7th May from 10am to 4pm.
This will give local residents an opportunity to comment on the proposals before the application is submitted to Haringey Council. The public exhibition will be held on the former Wood Green police station site at 347 High Road N22 4HZ. You can access the site via the rear gate in Nightingale Road. Details about the Custody Centre plans and the exhibition will be available on www.met.police.uk/haringey from 6th May. You can also find out more, or let the police know what you think, by writing to Wood Green Consultation, c/o Tottenham Police Staion, 398 High Road, Tottenham N17 9JA or emailing woodgreenpolicestation@met.police.uk
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Hi Michael
I attended the exhibition on Saturday - it was a bit light on detail, but overall the proposal looks reasonable enough ... keeping the facade of the building overlooking the park is good and the architect's drawing seem to indicate a modern expansion of the facilities in sympathy with the original architectural style....
What did you think?
I asked permission to photograph each of the exhibition panels so I have a record of what was displayed.
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Yes we did too, very friendly police officers who were able to field all questions we could think of throwing at them,but nevertheless, building details are really no more in-depth than a pretty watercolour. When this is submitted for planning application we will have to take a closer look.
Relieved though, that patrol cars will not be whizzing in and out of here and that the frontage is preserved.
Good that you got some record of what they chose to show us!
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Permalink Reply by Kate Franzmann on
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Chief Inspector Dickenson came and spoke to the Committee of the Bowes Park Community Assocaiations and had listened to our concerns about the paucity of information and pictures of the Nightingale Road side of the building and the West side and brought an artists impression regarding these aspects. The Nightingale Road facade is visually broken into two sections by glass which is set back from the brickwork. This will mean that instead of an enormous wall of continuous brick the building will be softened somewhat. The back building however, is very tall and extends above the height of the original police station. Given that the site slopes considerably and they are extending the working area into the roof this is pretty large. However I do not it will be too unpleasant for local residents and a million times better than the previous monster they were wanting to erect. Good news that the cars will not be roaring up and down Nightingale Road, bad news that 200 plus people will work there and few car parking places available but C I Dickenson promised to work with us in trying to secure restricted parking along Nightingale if that is what residents want.
I think all those who have been part of this campaign should consider this a bit of a victory and take a gentle pat on the back.
Michael Cordwell James said:
Yes we did too, very friendly police officers who were able to field all questions we could think of throwing at them,but nevertheless, building details are really no more in-depth than a pretty watercolour. When this is submitted for planning application we will have to take a closer look.
Relieved though, that patrol cars will not be whizzing in and out of here and that the frontage is preserved.
Good that you got some record of what they chose to show us!
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The planning application has been submitted, ref HGY/2011/1094. At first glance the new building seems to tower over the old one much more than in the artist's impressions displayed at the recent consultation.
Most importantly, a Development Management Forum is being held to discuss the application at the Cypriot Centre in Earlham Grove on Monday, 4 July, at 7pm.
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Permalink Reply by Hugh from Harringay Online on
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Here's an image of the building that stood before the Edwardian one.
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Thanks for the postcard Hugh, fascinating! May I post it on our FB page for Friends of Woodside Park please?
https://www.facebook.com/Friends-of-Woodside-Park-219106644917319/
Best wishes,
Michael
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Yes of course. Please do.
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That's a nice photo of the house you have on your FB page. What's the story behind the house? I take it that's a fairly early photo.
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The History of Woodside House
Woodside House was built as a private residence in the ‘Italianate’ style around 1865, when nearby White Hart Lane was a country lane winding towards the village of Tottenham. The house has been known by other names, including Westbury House and Earlham Grove House.
Former occupants included philanthropist Catherine Smithies (1785-1877), who founded the Band of Mercy animal welfare group which later merged with the RSPCA. Uniformed RSPCA officers formed a guard of honour at her funeral, and she is commemorated by an obelisk and drinking fountain on Bounds Green Road.
Her son Thomas Bywaters Smithies (1817-1883), a publisher and campaigner for Temperance and the welfare of the ‘Working Man’, also edited “The British Workman”. The Tottenham Herald reported that:
when Thomas Smithies died… the working men of England lost one of their best friends.
In 1893 the house was bought by the Wood Green Local Board of Health. In 1892 it housed the area’s first public library, and in 1913 a single storey extension was added to house a new council chamber for Wood Green Urban District Council.
The building also housed the local police courts. The cells are now a kitchen.
Woodside House remained as the town hall for Wood Green until 1958. Since that time it has been used mainly for Adult Services.
Connecting the communities of Bowes Park and Bounds Green in north London.
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