Proposed Podium - a bright idea or an impassable obstacle?

[Adrian Essex]

There is a hugely important planning application coming up. Berkeley Homes will, this autumn, apply to the London Borough of Hackney for permission to build phase 4 of the Woodberry Down Regeneration.

There are other mentions of this on this site.

Phase 4 Consultation / Strategy in name only

Phase 4 and Beyond - Ground Floor / Retail and Enterprise Strategy

How high is a Tower Block?

As part of the claim that the regeneration is community led a process has been undertaken known as "consultation". This took the form of various gatherings in and around the area, and an online survey conducted through a mechanism known as Commonplace.

The proposals which were consulted on are still online at the time of writing. You can see them here (Woodberry Down Commonplace).

The public responses to the proposals are also still online. You can see them here.(Woodberry Down Commonplace responses) 

I have downloaded and annotated these responses and attached them to this post Phase 4 responses for Woodberry Down Regeneration - Commonplace.docx

I've amended one of the consultation diagrams ot highlight what I see as a major problem. The area I've painted in black is private, open only to the residents of the blocks immediately around it, presenting an impassable barrier from the rest of the estate onto Seven Sisters Road, and a an area to which the rest of us will not be admitted. A community divided.

This table summarises the responses on the Commonplace to question 1.

1. What do you think about the emerging plans for phase 4?	Strongly Like	13
	Like	16
	Positive	18
	Mostly Positive	25	For - 72
	Neutral	28	Neutral - 28
	Mostly Negative	4	Against - 50
	Negative	4
	Dislike	16
	Strongly Dislike	26

 

This appears to be a naughty question. These are not emerging plans, they have emerged. "Emerging" is perhaps designed to plant the idea in our minds of a beautiful butterfly coming fully formed from the chrysalis. I suspect not. My fear is that these plans have aleaready been given the nod by some sort of pre-planning process, that the architects have already drawn up the plans and the qusntity surveyors have produced their estimates. Despite the loaded question, there are 72 responses in favour of the proposals, and 78 not in favour. That does not constitute approval by my counting.

And I am not alone in my fears for the podium. Here are some quotes:

"There should be walk-ways THROUGH the phase 4 blocks as there are now." from the local Labour Party submission, a version of which appears on their Facebook page

"The podium to be scrapped and replaced with a ground level heavily wooded garden with the retention of all existing trees and with access for all." From a motion submitted to, and passed with minor variations by, the WDCO board

"The private podium designed to put carparking under neath fails to meet the needs of the wider community" - an anonymous contributor to the Commonplace 

"The Central Square is not central. The podium private garden is not conducive to community building" - - an anonymous contributor to the Commonplace 

"And as the main public space, it [the central square] is too small, while the private podium park is too large." - an anonymous contributor to the Commonplace

While the formal consultation has closed it is not too late to make your views known. Here, for example, simply reply to this post. Perhaps you think the podium and the central square as proposed are just what we want.

Or send emails to our local councillors:

Contact Cllr Caroline Selman [e-mail]

Contact Cllr Sarah Young: [e-mail]

[CK]

Thank you for your hardwork.

I agreed and have written to the local councillors.  
It is essential that the main public space is larger while the private podium park reduces in size. This will ensure social cohesion and harmony, like the multiple uses Spring Park. In addition, more trees (at least doubling the current proposal) are needed to reduce pollution and improve mental well-being.