A Lib Dem councillor has saved the Haringey taxpayer £8,500 by intervening in a planning committee hearing, stopping residents from being short-changed over a controversial development.

Lib Dem councillor for Crouch End David Winskill was at the last planning committee meeting giving support to the Gladwell Road campaign against a back land development when a Hornsey ward application came up.

Developers wanted to demolish a garage workshop in Harvey Mews and replace it with five two or three-bedroomed houses. The officers had recommended approval and, in the absence of any of Hornsey’s Labour councillors to comment on the plan, Councillor Winskill spoke.

He voiced concern that this would be the loss of the sixth garage workshop in the Hornsey/Crouch End area in the past two years and that it would mean a loss of amenity for residents, jobs and loss off training opportunities for young people.

Cllr Winskill also protested at the modest amount of Section 106 money that the developer had been asked to give Haringey to pay for educational resources: “I did my sums and realised that £16,500 on offer was a tiny amount when the asking price for these properties is going to be in the region of £2million!”

He pointed this out to the Chair of Planning who agreed and suggested that the decision be deferred until a new agreement with the developer could be reached. However, fearing a long delay, the developer agreed on the spot to up the amount to £25 000.

David Winskill comments:

“This was a fantastic result but a lucky one. Getting planning permission on land increases its value enormously. If elected next May the Lib Dems will be looking to see how we can get more cash to spend on our communities.”