WARNING ON BACKLANDS – MAYOR KEN TELLS HARINGEY

18.11.02

London Mayor Ken Livingstone has written to the Leader of Haringey’s Labour controlled council on the controversial issue of backland developments. The move follows a meeting with local councillor and GLA member Lynne Featherstone.

Ms Featherstone had raised the issue with Mayor Livingstone because she says that both local developers and Haringey Council are using the London Mayor’s requirement for more housing, and especially social housing, as an excuse to grant permission to backland developments, however inappropriate they are.

Ken Livingstone has reminded Haringey that his plan is about quality and not quantity: “London must get the quality as well as quantity of new housing it deserves,” he has told Haringey.

Lynne Featherstone comments:

“I only hope that this timely reminder from the Mayor will stop Haringey continuing to grant permission to cram in any new building anywhere. Sadly, it has come too later for the Aubrey Road development which went through last week, but hopefully this will help save the Priory Avenue backland site, which is the next on the hit list.

“I hope this letter will help strengthen Haringey’s resolve to stick to its own urban development plan, which should not allow for this sort of development.”

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