A Highgate councillor is calling on Haringey Council to scrap the ‘silly’ parking rules it has put in place for a grossly underused local car park, and has condemned possible plans to build on the site. Lib Dem councillor Neil Williams says that Haringey Council’s approach is the ‘worst of all worlds’ for local residents, and could result in the Council using the situation as an excuse for unwelcome ‘backland’ building on the N6 site, at Tudor Close, off the Archway Road.

The car park, which serves council flats off Tudor Close, has a great excess of parking spaces, which used to be available for general local use, says Neil Williams. That was until Haringey introduced a residents’ only parking scheme at the flats, which resulted in the majority of the spaces lying empty while local residents struggle to park their cars in neighbouring Hornsey Lane Gardens and Langdon Park Road. On a typical day, says Neil Williams, there might be ten cars in the car park, with three times as many empty spaces.

Cllr Williams says he expects the council to try to use their mishandling of the situation as a reason to build on the site, something revealed in a written answer to a question tabled by Neil Williams at the last full council meeting [see below]. He wants to see the parking issues and the use of the land properly reconsidered, with all local residents having a say.

He comments:

“As a result of Haringey’s handling of this situation, there is huge spare parking capacity on this site, which is just underused. The council has even indicated that they may now seek to use this as an excuse to build on the site, in what is already one of the most densely populated areas around the Archway Road.

“I want the council to explore all options for the use of the site. They could allow other local residents to park, they could consider charging for some spaces if the funds could be spent on estate improvements, or they could provide a play area for local kids. Anything would be better than the present situation, of just putting a stop to parking, and then trying to use this as an excuse to build on the site. I will be consulting with local residents in the coming weeks over the best solutions for the site.”

Text of Written Question 25 (28 April 2003)

To the Executive Member for the Environment from Councillor Neil Williams:

To ask the Executive Member for the Environment; will the council remove the ‘residents only’ parking restriction that it has put in place in Tudor Close, Highgate, and restore the status quo ante, whereby residents of the surrounding streets could use the car park, which is very underused by the residents of Tudor Close and is in an area of very high parking stress?

Answer:

An Estate Controlled Parking Scheme is in operation on this Housing Estate. This scheme was introduced to effectively manage and alleviate parking problems on this estate, following consultation with the residents of Tudor Close.

Any resident of Tudor Close who has a taxed motor vehicle registered at Tudor Close is entitled to a parking permit. There is no charge for a permit and no limit to the number of permit holders at any address.

The Housing Service would not wish to remove this parking scheme as this would lead to unregulated parking and severely impact on the ability of Tudor Close residents to park on their own estate.

The Housing Service are aware that there is a large area of unused space in the car park and we are looking at options for the use of this space. Options might include the sale of the land for a small residential development or the renting out of parking spaces to non-residents for a weekly charge.

Local Councillors and Tudor Close residents will be advised as soon as we have any more concrete proposals for this site.