Local Lib Dem Lynne Featherstone is calling for an urgent inquiry into the fiasco surrounding the Queen’s Lodge site on Queens Avenue, N10. Cllr Featherstone has written to Haringey Council’s Chief Executive to demand a full investigation.

The former rest home at Queen’s Lodge has been subject to a number of different planning applications over the last 18 months, which Cllr Matt Davies (Lib Dem, Fortis Green) has been following closely and constantly raising residents’ concerns with Haringey Council’s Planning Department. The long-running saga took a turn for the worse last week with the collapse of a significant section of the wall of the original building.

As early as September 2003, Cllr Davies put residents’ fears over the deep excavation at this site to the Council and warning signs of the impending disaster were clear. Lib Dem ward colleague Cllr Stephen Gilbert has also been demanding answers from the Council since the collapse and Councillors Gilbert, Featherstone and Davies met with local residents last weekend to survey the damage at the site.

“Following the disastrous collapse of part of what was left of Queen’s Lodge, I am calling on the Council to launch a full enquiry into this disaster,” said Cllr Featherstone. “Local residents feel this was a disaster waiting to happen and Haringey had plenty of opportunities to act on the warnings made by Matt Davies.”