Local Liberal Democrats have stepped up their efforts to stop a controversial planing application for a concrete batching plant on the Cranford Way Industrial Estate in Hornsey.

Cllr Laura Edge (Stroud Green ward), has set out in detail her objections, and has also welcomed the decision to hold a further ‘planning control’ forum in September to hear residents’ concerns about the issue.

In a letter of objection to Haringey Council over the proposals, Cllr Edge says that the plant would disrupt the lives of local residents. She says that while some materials will be brought to the plant by train, the concrete itself will be transported to surrounding building sites on local roads.

London Concrete has stated in its application that this would result in an estimated 56 additional lorry movements each day. Roads that access the site, such as Church Lane and Tottenham Lane, are residential and are already heavily congested, say the Lib Dems. Furthermore, there is no guarantee that the number of lorries entering and leaving the site will not grow in time.

The Lib Dems says the nature of the industrial estate would be fundamentally altered, as at present only light industries, such as warehousing and distribution, occupy the site, and the arrival of such a heavy industry on the site would only encourage further applications.

The Lib Dems have a further major concern – the potential that dust will be emitted from the site. Cllr Edge is concerned that local kids with asthma could face a plume of dust from the site that could make their condition worse. The site is just a few hundred yards away from the playground and basketball court in Chettle Court and in a densely populated area with several schools and a very high proportion of young children.

Cllr Laura Edge comments:

“I believe that the proposed site is in no way suitable for a cement batching plant. There must be other locations nearer transport hubs and further away from a densely populated residential area.”

Cllr David Winskill, Lib Dem Planning Spokesperson, adds:

“Haringey Council should reject this application. The local community is united in opposition to these plans and their concerns are real. We will continue to pursue this issue at the next planning forum and until these plans are stopped.”