Spurs bid to raise housing scheme density rejected

Tottenham Hotspur’s development plans have been dealt a blow after councillors refused permission for an 867-home scheme drawn up by the club.

Spurs’ bid to build several tower blocks near its stadium in Tottenham High Road, the tallest being 32 storeys, was thrown out during a meeting of Haringey Council’s planning subcommittee on Monday.

The Premier League outfit already has permission to develop the site but wants to increase the height of some of the blocks and provide 221 more homes. Its latest proposals featured towers up to 27, 29 and 32 storeys at two adjoining sites, known as The Depot and Goods Yard, in High Road and White Hart Lane respectively.  

The Depot currently houses a large B&M Home Store, five smaller retail units and a surface level car park, while Goods Yard is mainly made up of hardstanding and is currently used as a temporary car park.

The committee voted to reject the latest scheme for the redevelopment of the twin sites, however, after raising concerns over the height, density and design of the buildings, their impact on heritage and the amount of public space proposed. 

Speaking during the meeting, Georgia, a resident of neighbouring Rivers Apartments, said it was “outrageous” that council planners felt the updated design of the scheme justified “breaking” principles set out in the High Road West Masterplan and increasing density to “excessive levels”.

She claimed light and privacy in her block would be “impacted negatively” by a decision to move a high-rise building closer to the apartments, claiming the developer was “maximising overshadowing”. Georgia added: “Our residents do not consider staring at a dark, red wall is a good relationship, as the planners have suggested that it should.”

Richard Serra, head of planning at Tottenham Hotspur, claimed the proposed development would be “very high quality” and said the new plans had allowed the club to increase the amount of green space.

He told councillors the scheme would provide 296 affordable homes – 74 more than under previous plans and representing 34% of the total – with 77 of these offered to the council. Richard added that the club believed the overall impact of the tall building near Rivers Apartments would be “generally acceptable and remain compliant with policy”.

But he failed to win over the majority of committee members, who had criticised the club’s proposals during a debate lasting around three hours. The density of the scheme, which according to planning officers’ report would be above the definition of ‘higher density’ development in City Hall’s London Plan, was criticised by Liberal Democrat committee member Luke Cawley-Harrison.

Cllr Cawley-Harrison also pointed out that the report said the towers would have a “seriously negative impact” on the wider setting of the Grade 2-listed The Grange in White Hart Lane, despite it going on to conclude they would cause “less than substantial harm” to the setting and significance of the building.

Labour committee member Peter Mitchell pointed out that the borough’s quality review panel – a team of independent experts set up to oversee major developments – had warned the planned 8,870 square metres of publicly-accessible open space was below the council’s requirements.

Councillors also questioned whether the club would come back with another planning application, given it already had permission to build on the site. Richard Serra assured them it would not, describing the current proposals as “sensible” and “as good a scheme as we can deliver at the moment”.

After the debate, Cll Cawley-Harrison proposed a motion to refuse the scheme. Six committee members voted in favour, with four voting against.

The decision will now be referred to Mayor of London Sadiq Khan, who may use his powers to ‘call in’ the planning application.