Agenda item

[Report of the Assistant Director for Planning.To be introduced by the Cabinet Member for Economic Development, Social Inclusion, and Sustainability.]The Cabinet will be asked to approve the Wood Green Area Action Plan for consultation in Feb-March 2017.

The Cabinet Member for Economic Development, Social Inclusion and Sustainability introduced the report which requested review and approval of the “preferred option” Area Action Plan for Wood Green set out in appendix B. This would be the key planning document governing the regeneration of the Wood Green (including Haringey Heartlands) area, providing a statutory framework for the determination of all new development proposals within the area.

The Cabinet Member advised that the Wood Green AAP was being renewed to take forward economic opportunities offered by potential inclusion of Wood Green station in the Cross Rail route which would help make Wood Green the heart of North London. The AAP set out plans for: growing manufacturing in the area, expanding the town centre offer, providing an office based offer for more businesses and workplaces to locate to the borough, in turn creating more jobs town centre and including 8000 new homes.

Councillor Doron was invited to present Regulatory Committee comments on the AAP. Cabinet noted the following:

• Important to be ambitious with green space and take a good look at incorporating green buildings in plans and a sustainable drainage systems.
• Haringey felt to be lacking the sense of place.-Wood Green area action plan offers positive opportunity to address this issue.
• Concerning to hear the current trends of a declining retail offer in the Town Centre and welcomed scale of ambition.
• The current maps in the agenda pack were very small and officers would need to make sure these were accessible and seen by residents.
• Strong re- assurance needed for residents potentially involved in a decant process where demolition of homes is taken forward. Council need to provide this assurance strongly and clearly.
• How the potential loss of the supermarket is discussed in the documentation–some re-assurance on this to residence. Concerns on wording / language on Lordship Lane area investment, leading to concerns that this part of Wood Green is potentially ignored.
• Addressing issues on the traveller’s site to gain maximum value for the Civic Centre site.
• Turnpike Lane has a strong identity for specialist Asian shops and it was suggested the AAP take this into consideration.

In response to questions from Councillor Newton, the following information was noted.

• 40% of affordable housing will be low rents.
• Important to look at how many nearby boroughs have pools and what can be reasonably be achieved. Funding limited – a zero sum- so Planning Committee and Cabinet would need to consider how this fits in with the priorities of the regeneration i.e. housing, employment or leisure space and also considering whether there is better access to open swimming offer
• Surprised if government looking at productivity as a zero sum , government likely to  look at growing all infrastructures. The plan was about an economic heart in North London.
• Plan not solely reliant on Crossrail 2, the Piccadilly line upgrade also helps make the case for enhanced density levels.

Councillor Goldberg stressed the importance on consultation with tenants on housing in Wood Green, in particular Housing Association tenants affected by potential demolition and decant .It was important that the consultation focused on getting the views of residents on the thekind of area that they want to live in. Housing Associations in Wood Green retail area had not expressed dissatisfaction with the initial proposals and the Council proposed moves with the accommodation. However the housing plans for Wood Green would be continue to be consulted upon.

RESOLVED

1. To consider the findings of the Wood Green AAP & Investment Framework consultation report, as set out in Appendix A.

2. To approve the “preferred option” Wood Green Area Action Plan (“AAP”) for statutory public consultation, as set out in Appendix B. The AAP sets out the following vision: ‘Wood Green will be north London’s most prosperous and liveable town centre. It will combine outstanding places for people to shop, socialise and create, with a wide range of businesses. It will be a focus for opportunity and growth, a productive economic capital for Haringey where people can come together, exchange ideas and create new services and products.’

3. To note that the statutory preferred option proposes c7,700 net additional housing units, and 4,000 new jobs, together with improvements to the retail offer in the town centre, public realm improvements and associated community and social infrastructure thus unlocking the potential that the provision of Crossrail 2 brings to Wood Green. This is an increase of 3,400 units from the Site Allocations which is currently at Examination in Public, and expected to be adopted in 2017.

Reasons for decision

The AAP creates a positive, statutory, basis for determining planning applications within Wood Green and provides a means to unlock the further regeneration potential delivered by Crossrail 2. Once adopted, the AAP will:

·         Safeguard Wood Green’s Metropolitan town centre status, by enabling an expansion of town centre floorspace, particularly for comparison retail uses, expanded and enhanced leisure uses, and the creation of an improved evening economy;

·         Revitalise the centre by increasing demand for town centre uses through the creation of 4,000 new jobs and 7,700 new homes;

·         Enable a range of new pieces of urban realm including the creation of a new town square on the site of a new Crossrail 2 station entrance, which will act as the centre point of a regenerated Wood Green;

·         Enabling the use of Council-owned land to act as a catalyst for regeneration by creating a positive planning framework enabling regeration in Wood Green;

·         Establish enhanced north/south connections through the centre, enabling residents to have better access to services within the centre;

·         Co-ordinating new infrastructure in the regenerated town centre, to support the area’s increasing population;

·         Establish a set of sound planning principles to guide investment within the area.

There are currently dependencies that are required to be resolved prior to the completion of the AAP document. These are summarised as:

Alternative options considered

As set out in the Issues & Options Consultation Report, a number of “options” for the redevelopment of Wood Green were considered, and consulted upon. The Council has previously approved for submission a set of Site Allocations for Wood Green totalling approximately 4,300 net additional homes, which are at an advanced stage of preparation, and should be considered a baseline minimum for the quantum of development to be included in the AAP.

As set out in the consultation report, there is support for a high level of intervention, supporting co-ordinated and significant growth in Wood Green, when linked to a new Crossrail station.