Townsend Yard Campaign
January 2023 update

Our petition is gaining traction – Please sign now if you have not already – and if you have, please share it again with your local contacts – we have seen no signs of any activity by Haringey on this issue and so must keep the pressure up.

For the background to our campaign click here and our column in the Ham & High (26 January), by Jenska Harrington Gould, (text below) explains the current situation.

‘To Highgate, where the long running saga of the development of mews houses in Townsend Yard, just off Highgate High Street continues. There seems to be something of a war of attrition going on between the developer, the London Fire Brigade and Haringey planning and building control, and it is one that Haringey’s planners and building control seem at risk of losing.

There have been continued breaches of construction site rules with a litany of problems including working outside agreed hours, blocking access to Townsend Yard and holding up traffic while over-sized lorries unload or attempt to manoeuvre.

Finally, in early December, the developer was served with a Breach of Condition Notice by Haringey after a string of complaints from the Highgate Society and users of the road. Mead, the builder was given until January 5 to comply with the Construction Management Plan.

Second, and more importantly in the long term, there is still no sign yet of revised plans which will give Fire Brigade access to Shepherd’s Cottage. In December 2021, the Fire Brigade submitted a report to Haringey pointing out that they require access for their fire tenders via Townsend Yard to Shepherd’s Cottage (36a Highgate High St). In Summer 2022 the builder indicated to the property owner, Jane Hill, that some access would be provided – however despite many approaches to Haringey Council and continued campaigning by the Highgate Society and other local people, there has been no confirmation of this, or revised plans submitted. Even a visit by Cabinet Member for planning, Dana Carlin has produced no action.

This is an intolerable situation for the homeowner as she fears for her own safety and that of the historic listed cottage.

An underlying problem with this proposed development is that the developer, Townsend Yard Ltd represented by its director Sean Meadows, has refused throughout to speak to the community.  We think it would help Haringey planners to make a rule that applications like this one will only be considered after there has been community consultation.

We continue with our campaign. Please sign our petition – there is a link on our website; www.highgatesociety.com.’

Please sign the petition. (Click here) When signing (i) please add a short comment (ii) make sure your post code is correctly shown and (iii) forward this email to your friends and neighbours asking them to sign.