The controversial plans for Hornsey Depot have been challenged and halted – leaving Haringey Council with a £15m hole in their budget.

It’s another example of the Labour-run council failing to listen to residents and opposition councillors – with disastrous results.

Along with many residents and the Haringey Lib Dems, I raised concerns that the Hornsey Depot application was deeply flawed.

That’s why so many residents objected, and that’s why the Lib Dem opposition councillors voted against the application.

But instead of listening to concerns, local Labour councillors ignored our pleas and ploughed on regardless.

This has now prompted a Judicial Review of the plans, which could delay the development for a long time to come.

It’s also created a financial mess. Haringey Labour prematurely factored £15m from the sale of the Hornsey Depot into their budget, to ‘underpin’ the council’s capital for projects like new school buildings. So now they have a £15 million gap in their budget.

Banking on money that isn’t assured is the height of risky planning – and sadly, it will be local residents who suffer the consequences now the money isn’t available!

And Haringey Labour only have themselves to blame. If only they had listened from the start and taken a short time to agree an application that is both suitable and acceptable to residents – this could all have been avoided.

Once again, Haringey Labour have proved that they simply cannot be trusted to act in the best interests of the residents of Haringey.