Plans to build 32 homes on a disused industrial site in Wood Green have been given the green light – despite offering no affordable housing.
The residential scheme will see two buildings, of up to six and five storeys, built behind houses at 157-159 Hornsey Park Road.
The first block will contain 21 homes, of which three will be wheelchair accessible, and the second block eleven homes. Along with the residential offering, there will be 96 square metres of commercial floorspace and a children’s play area.
In lieu of affordable homes, applicant James Fox offered to pay up to £600,000 to the council.
But residents criticised the lack of affordable housing and the narrowness of access to the site.
They also raised concerns over the site’s inclusion in the borough’s Local Plan, as an area for future development, deeming wider plans “vague”.
Speaking at a planning sub-committee meeting on Monday Marcus Ballard, a local resident, said: “It [the development] is wedged at the back of houses in Hornsey Park Road, behind [supermarket] Iceland, a towering development.
“There is no ‘masterplan’ for this site. Reading the officers report you find all sorts of misleading statements that probably lead the committee to believe this site has been masterplanned but the masterplan in the application is little more than one page.”
John Miles, a resident of Hornsey Park Road, said: “We’re told the 32 properties will contribute to much-needed housing stock. Much needed by whom? We’re told none of them will be affordable.”
He added it would have been “a good site” for “maybe 15 or 16 properties with additional and desperately needed open space”.
In response to these concerns Valerie Okeiyi, a case officer, explained that after an independent viability assessment was carried out the initial agreement was for “six shared ownership units” equating to 18.75% affordability.
However, the applicant demonstrated that registered providers were not “willing” to take on the six units and neither was the council.
She said: “The lack of interest in acquiring affordable housing units is considered to be an exceptional circumstance which would allow the council to consider an alternative, through a payment in lieu.”
The council confirmed this payment would go to the council’s housing delivering team.
Stephen Davey from Stephen Davey Peter Smith Architects spoke on behalf of the applicant in terms of access, saying there was a “desire and requirement” to provide a public route from Hornsey Park Road through the development to Brook Road.
Maurice Richards, the council’s head of transport and travel, said in terms of a construction management plan the council would “make sure” the impact on residents in Hornsey Park Road was “minimised”.
He added the council had acquired £15,000 as part of this plan to ensure access was “managed”.
The development is intended to be largely car free, with the exception of three disabled parking spaces.
Following the debate, the committee voted unanimously to approve plans.
