An objector's poster on Inderwick Road
I have just returned from tonight’s planning meeting, where the committee voted 5 to 4 in favour of building a new admin block for Hornsey Girls School right up to the pavement of Inderwick Road. I think this was a very poor planning decision, which will ruin the character of this residential road, where all the other buildings are set back behind gardens. You only need to look round the corner on Weston Park to see the only other nearby example of where a one story building has been built up to the pavement - and its a complete eyesore.
Its a real shame because everyone wants to see investment in Hornsey Girls School and everyone agreed with 95% of the proposal. The objectors were only asking for a small change – for the admin block to be set 1-2 meters back to allow trees and greenery to be planted between the wall and the road – and compromise should have been possible.
Indeed, I tried to bring forward a compromise whereby we defered the decision to a later meeting and asked the architects to revise their proposal. However, the Labour Councillors present voted this motion down, and the committee then divided on party lines with the 5 Labour councillors pushing the proposal through and the 4 Lib Dems opposing. This is really sad as I know several Labour councillors thought the proposal ought to be changed, but decided not to break ranks.
It is very dissapointing that some councillors aren’t willing to listen to residents and take on board their concerns – when this is what they are elected to do.
December 3rd, 2008 at 9:21 pm
Thank you Richard for being a voice of reason; I am really shocked that the Labour councillors have voted in favour of the plan. It will have a devastating effect on the visual and physical environment.
April 24th, 2009 at 10:24 pm
I am against the idea.Mainly becuase of the noise that will be created from a whole solid twelve months of building! I understand that this is a fantastic chance for my school (as I am a pupil, at present) however, there is nothing in hornsey that needs to be updated as urgently as this. The building work is starting on monday, and I’m not looking foward to the prospect, especially considering the stories in the media about these projects running out of money and being left half finished.