Wards Corner protests force developer climbdown

Posted: July 29, 2008

 

On Saturday 19th July, 500 residents, market traders, local shopkeepers, campaigners and passers-by formed a human chain around the whole Wards Corner block by Seven Sisters tube in order to say No to evictions, No to demolition, and YES to restoration as set out in the Community Plan created by local people.

Following the protest, the private developers pulled out of the planning hearing scheduled to rule on their application at the Civic Centre on Thursday July 24th. This has been seen by campaigners as a great victory for people power.

Loads of people had already turned up to the Civic Centre to make their objections heard, so, rather than be left “all dressed up with nowhere to go”, they “partied on the Town Hall steps”, before heading back to Tottenham (via the Haringey Independent Cinema film night).

Wards Corner is a 1902-1908 building at the junction of Seven Sisters Road and Tottenham High Road, N15 5BT. The Wards Corner Community Coalition came together to block a development by Grainger, which plans to demolish the Edwardian buildings and those in three adjacent streets, and build eight-storey blocks of flats and retail space for chain-stores and a national supermarket. WCCC decided instead that they wanted to improve the area and build on the vibrant and multi-cultural character of Seven Sisters, developing an alternative plan. This process has brought the communities together, sharing the skills and knowledge they possess.

For more information, see their website. Including dates of upcoming organising meetings.

wardscorner.wikispaces.com

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