Stop Estate Demolitions! Lobby the Full Council Meeting

Posted: June 7, 2014

Tottenham Town Hall, Town Hall Approach Road, Tottenham, London N15 4RY
6.30pm, Monday 9 June
Bring your neighbours and friends

Tenants and residents are objecting to Haringey Council’s planned ‘estate reviews’, to sell off, demolish and redevelop many of our Council housing estates around the borough [*See details at the end]. There have already been large residents’ meetings on some of the estates and people are saying ‘We Will Not Be Moved!’.

Please come along to this important Lobby. Your family, friends and neighbours are all welcome. Let’s put our case to the newly elected-Councillors, and speak out about the future of Haringey.

The Council wants dense new private high-rise housing developments, as part of their plans for ‘gentrification’, especially in Tottenham. This would push up house prices and rents, so that local people can no longer afford to live in our own areas. And they want to allow developers to build over many of our green spaces on estates.

Haringey Council leaders flew out in March to meet property developers at a huge real estate trade fair in Cannes, in the South of France. Why should we allow such greedy private interests to shape housing policy here in Haringey?

The Council wants market and near-market rents, and time-limited tenancies as a favour to the private developers: no more new permanent tenancies for anyone under 60!
Nine London Councils took London Mayor Boris Johnson to court to try to stop these unaffordable near-market rents. But Haringey would not join this important legal challenge. This is not good enough.

Council Housing has the best housing rights, and the most affordable rents – and belongs to the whole community. We demand improvements to our existing properties, as promised when ‘Homes For Haringey’ was set up 9 years ago.  We will not be moved about from one place to another. Hands off our estates, and our Secure Council Tenancies!

Haringey’s proposed changes are unacceptable, but are not inevitable.

The campaign has started and we call on all tenants and residents to get organised and speak out.

Improvements not demolitions! Together, we can win!

For more information contact Paul Burnham, Haringey Defend Council Housing (paul959burnham@nullbtinternet.com or 07847 714 158)

We are supported by Haringey Federation of Residents Associations 

We are part of the national organisation, Defend Council Housing 

www.defendcouncilhousing.org.uk

WHO WILL BE AFFECTED? 

According to official Council documents, if you live in one of these estates the Council is considering demolishing your home, and ‘redeveloping’ the estate to include private housing:

  • Helston Court/Culvert Road, N15;
  • Turner Avenue / Brunel Walk, N15;
  • Tangmere, Willan Road, N17;
  • Imperial Wharf, N16;
  • Leabank View/LemsfordClose, N16;
  • Watts Close, N15;
  • Larkspur Close, N17;
  • Barbara Hucklesbury Close, N22;
  • Northumberland Park, N17 [900 homes, including Waverley Rd, Blaydon Close, Haynes Close, Thornley Close, etc].     

And there’s more:

  • Park Grove / Durnsford Road N11 [possible demolition or sale to new landlord];
  • Tunnel Gardens / Blake Road N11 [possible sale to new landlord];
  • Hillcrest N6 [Possible use of housing land for private sector development];
  • Noel Park N22 [Transfer of some homes to private sector housing association landlord];
  • Chesnuts/Hamilton/Tamar Rd, N15 [Options review on transfer to a private sector housing association landlord.]

WHAT CAN WE DO?  

  1. Put up an IMPROVEMENTS NOT DEMOLITIONS poster in your window or local shops [we can provide]
  2. Distribute campaign leaflets/posters to your block/estate/street
  3. Talk to your neighbours about these issues word of mouth is important!
  4. Alert your local Residents/Tenants Association (where there is one) to the threats. Urge all estate residents to attend their meetings to demand the Council complete all outstanding Decent Homes works.
  5. Start a local Residents Action Group on your estate to spread information and campaign… build up a list of local contacts opposed to demolitions, liaise with us (HDCH), do your own leaflets, bulletins, posters etc. Work out what additional improvements you as residents really want (eg concierges, repairs, play areas, landscaping, better services and facilities etc).
  6. Beware Council consultations – they are often biased. Write on them Improvements not demolitions, or organise your own genuine consultation.
  7. Sign the WE WILL NOT BE MOVED pledge. In Love Lane area last year, 4,000 people signed a petition in a local shop to oppose demolitions. We have now produced a pledge for those affected.
  8. Attend and most importantly speak out / distribute campaign leaflets at any local Homes for Haringey or Council event – there’s no point in attending unless you raise your demands loud and clear, and let everyone know about the campaign
  9. Demand of every Councillor (and candidate before the election) that they support the campaign bring it up every time you see them or at any local event. Same with David Lammy MP.
  10. Contact local community groups, shops, businesses and trade union branches to seek active support.
  11. Give us your contact details so we can keep you informed, and liaise with you

Category: Uncategorised
Tags: