Highgate Lib Dem councillor Neil Williams has expressed his outrage over a developer’s request to almost entirely demolish Elizabeth House in Highgate.

Cllr Williams wants Haringey Council to resist the application and has criticised the developer’s tactics over the scheme.

A Developer has applied for conservation area consent for the demolition of the building, saying that the existing planning permission for luxury flats requires that the building be almost entirely demolished. This is despite the fact that an earlier application to demolish the building was refused by Haringey Council.

Lib Dem councillor Neil Williams says that the building is valued in its current use as a hostel, which he says has more limited impact on local residents in Cromwell Avenue and Winchester Place. At present, relatively few cars are entering and leaving the property on the difficult to access site, which is in a sensitive spot in the Highgate bowl.

Cllr Williams comments:

“I am amazed that a developer now wants to demolish this building, as they had not asked for this when the present planning permission was granted. Given that demolition was earlier refused, it is very disappointing that they now feel they are entitled to push for the demolition of the existing building.

“I am sure there will be a considerable battle over this, and I will be pressing the Council to resist, as the removal of Elizabeth House was never the intention of the planning permission.”