Harinegy Council Housing Sale

Sutent

I got this e mail below today:<div><br></div><div><div style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: arial, sans-serif; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Alexandra Palace, St Ann's Hospital, and the Love Lane council housing estate are up for quick sale tomorrow morning: a Freedom of Information request has disclosed (below) the amazing list of sites which Haringey Council is taking to the "Sitematch" London speed-dating event with property developers at the Shard on Wednesday 2nd April. The list also includes public land and valuable community facilities around the borough.</span><span style="font-size: 24pt; font-family: Garamond, serif;"><u></u><u></u></span></p></div><div style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: arial, sans-serif; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-size: 24pt; font-family: Garamond, serif;"><u></u><u></u></span></p></div><div style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: arial, sans-serif; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Come down to the Shard, 32 Joiner Street, Southwark, SE1 9QU at 8.00 am on Wednesday 2nd April to protest.</span><span style="font-size: 24pt; font-family: Garamond, serif;"><u></u><u></u></span></p></div><div style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: arial, sans-serif; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-size: 24pt; font-family: Garamond, serif;"><u></u><u></u></span></p></div><div style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: arial, sans-serif; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Let's say no to this love-in between local authorities and property developers.  </span><span style="font-size: 24pt; font-family: Garamond, serif;"><u></u><u></u></span></p></div><div style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: arial, sans-serif; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-size: 24pt; font-family: Garamond, serif;"><u></u><u></u></span></p></div><div style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: arial, sans-serif; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Hands off our homes, communities and public spaces!</span><span style="font-size: 24pt; font-family: Garamond, serif;"><u></u><u></u></span></p></div><div style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: arial, sans-serif; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-size: 24pt; font-family: Garamond, serif;"><u></u><u></u></span></p></div><div style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: arial, sans-serif; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Developers pay £778.80 per person for 15-minute ‘speed-dating’ style meetings at Sitematch to make their quick pitch to buy these prime sites.</span><span style="font-size: 24pt; font-family: Garamond, serif;"><u></u><u></u></span></p></div><div style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: arial, sans-serif; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-size: 24pt; font-family: Garamond, serif;"><u></u><u></u></span></p></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: arial, sans-serif; text-align: justify; background-color: white;"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Tottenham Labour Councillor Alan Stanton says that Haringey’s sale of its housing estates means “social cleansing in the interest of profit, for developers, Arup, and other consultants”.  Cllr Stanton quips, "Take a chunk of Tottenham. Take two or three. We've plenty to dispose of, for next to nothing".  </span><span style="font-size: 24pt; font-family: Garamond, serif;"><u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: arial, sans-serif; text-align: justify; background-color: white;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-size: 24pt; font-family: Garamond, serif;"><u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: arial, sans-serif; text-align: justify; background-color: white;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">The Sitematch publicity artwork, designed by the artist Gene Cornelius, goes to town celebrating the ‘speed-dating’ theme. </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">See one of the images here:</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-size: 24pt; font-family: Garamond, serif;"><u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: arial, sans-serif; text-align: justify; background-color: white;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: Garamond, serif;"><a href="http://www.3foxfiles.co.uk/downloads/sitematch/estates_gazette_sitematch.pdf" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204);"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">http://www.3foxfiles.co.uk/<wbr>downloads/sitematch/estates_<wbr>gazette_sitematch.pdf</span></a></span></p></div>;

[Deleted User]

The user and all related content has been deleted.

Arkady

I'll look into it.  But it is essentially what the Labour council leaders were spending thousands doing on a yacht in Cannes the other week, so it's far from unlikely.

NorthNineteen

Sitematch are not an april fools.  The council I worked at disposes sites through it - has it's benefits and is much better than a council signing a sole agreement with one developer who then fleeces them.

Sutent

@Ben Thanks Ben<div>@N19 Thanks again </div>

Sutent

<font face="Arial, Verdana" size="2">http://www.sitematchlondon.com/borough/14/Haringey </font>;

marko

It's worth pointing out that Alexandra Palace isn't LBH's to sell - they are its trustee.  The trust is established by an Act of Parliament, and this severely restricts LBH's options.  They can also be sure of a Judicial Review if they start playing fast and loose with the terms of the trust - and I suspect even the existing proposals might get challenged. <div>One thing is certain, is that LBH can't really afford the upkeep, and the site is underused. <div><br></div><div><div>Plans to redevelop parts of Ally Pally have been around for a while and involve bringing derelict parts into more profitable use, in order to the long term future of the building and keep it maintained.  This isn't necessarily a problem.</div><div><br></div><div>I can't help feeling the best course of action would be to persuade the Corporation of London to take over the trusteeship  - they already manage several public amenities outside of the City, and are much better able to afford to do the job properly. </div></div></div>

ChangN4N6

Or it would make a very good luxury hotel. But the city corporation is good, they look after Hampstead Heath, Epping forest and bits of the barbican. Chang

Luirette

My first reaction: shock, outrage. The secrecy. The lack of transparency. Our Assets. My second reaction: okay, be reasonable, these will most probably be time bound leases, like shops on high streets. Companies leasing the space for their own purposes will pay to do up the buildings, which the council can't afford to do itself. Ally Pally is in a terrible state. There have been billboards up on Alexandra Palace for some time announcing the council's desire to have a hotel there. My third reaction: Will the best possible use of these spaces for the local community be taken into account when selling these leases? How does having an exclusive hotel benefit residents? What kind of companies are likely to take over the spaces and do we want them? My final reaction: Costas everywhere.

Sutent

Alexander Palace will be on the cross rail route. It is a goldmine

miss annie

Why do you think Haringey council can't get it to pay for itself? Could they hold more concerts and events there? It seems underused to me, it's a lovely concert venue.