Townsend Yard emergency access update

Our campaign on Townsend Yard has made some progress. Last month we reported that we saw a passageway beginning to take shape to provide emergency fire access to 36A Highgate High Street. It was a small win, but a win nevertheless. See here.

The developer has belatedly submitted a planning application for the changes involved in constructing this passageway. We are now campaigning to make sure that as a minimum there is access to that passageway for emergency use by the resident of 36A as well as by the fire brigade. It’s not much use otherwise. Amazingly this aspect is not covered in the developers application.

To reach the passageway the occupier of 36A will need an opening in her garden wall and a gate in the 1.8m high garden fence to house No. 1. They will also need an irrevocable right of way to use the passageway which must remain unobstructed at all times as a means of escape in the event of fire, . We also think the owner should have the right of access, by prior approval, to use the passageway for bulky items which otherwise cannot use the narrower front passage onto the High Street.

Haringey have allowed the developer to build over the entirety of the Townsend Yard site without replacing the turning area that existed previously. So we have also highlighted that this is the last opportunity to correct past mistakes and ensure a proper turning space for fire engines and other vehicles. In particular there is no refuse strategy and we understand Veolia are not prepared to reverse into Townsend Yard.

Finally we want a condition requiring that the two lime trees on the site must be retained.

Please follow this link for our letter to the Haringey planning department.

30 September 2023