Councillors back plans for Highgate care home site

ACO Development’s plans for Denewood Road were approved by the council’s planning sub committee on Thursday reports Grace Howarth, Local Democracy Reporter

Plans for eleven homes in Highgate have been approved despite objections around increased traffic and overlooking.

Haringey Council’s planning sub-committee has given applicant ACO Development Ltd the go ahead to build eleven, two to three storey, family homes, on the site of a now demolished care home on Denewood Road.

At the meeting yesterday (October 9th) planning officer, Roland Sheldon, said due to the lack of affordable housing the developer would contribute £1.7million to ‘offsite affordable housing’ which will cover the cost of four homes.

But the application has received around 50 objections online and just one comment in support with concerns raised including reduced daylight and sunlight in neighboring homes as well as the proximity of the site’s bin store.

Committee member and Liberal Democrat councillor Scott Emery asked officers to comment on concerns that “several” of the habitable rooms in neighbouring 2A Denewood Road were “not counted” in the daylight and sunlight assessment.

Cllr Emery also asked if there were alternative layouts for the bin store which would be “right up against the wall” of the adjacent Courtyard House.

Roland said the daylight and sunlight assessment had since been “subject to some updates” to include “windows that weren’t in the initial assessment” but acknowledged there were “three windows” that fell “marginally below” assessment standards.

In terms of the bins, he said it would be “harder” to arrange collection “in the site” so it was better “on balance” to have the bin store “outside the site” against Courtyard House.

Committee member and Labour councillor Reg Rice asked why, after permission for 13 homes was granted in 2021, the homes had never been built.

Roland said: “The site has subsequently been sold on from the original developer to the current owner and applicant, so I’m not sure the reasons why they didn’t proceed with the development.”

Objections from neighbouring residents, Mark Prevezer and Leslie Reynolds, were heard during the meeting.

Mark called the report “flawed” saying Terrace A, which consists of three terrace properties, on looking Denewood Road, was “too far forward” and would result in “loss and light and privacy”.

The eleven homes will be grouped, with three homes in Terrace A, four in Terrace B, and four in Terrace C.

Mark said the “large, noisy and smelly” bin store was “only two metres away” from Courtyard House when guidance recommended “at least five metres”.

Leslie said the “large, imposing brick wall” of Terrace C would be “overbearing and block natural light” to 2A Denewood.

She said the scheme was “clear evidence of over-development” as the road was designated a “low-density street” and the additional residents would “put pressures” on local services and “add to traffic chaos”.

Alun Dawson, a development director at Eagle Street, spoke on behalf of the applicant alongside Charlotte McManus, a planning consultant at Newmark.

Alun said changes had been made to the previous plan for 13 homes including added screening and the removal of a basement car park. Instead the site will have eleven car parking spaces including a disabled space.

Charlotte added the bin store would have a “solid roof” to “avoid odours”.

Committee member and Labour councillor Kaushika Amin asked about the consultation process which residents had criticised.

Alun said introductory letters were sent to three community stakeholders, “over 150” surrounding addresses were notified about the consultation, and there were two meetings with community stakeholders, and two meetings with neighbours.

Following an hour and a half discussion three members abstained and seven voted in support of the scheme, with no one voting against.

Local news needs your support

We are proud that we were at the forefront of reporting on the recent local elections. We can’t do this without the support of our readers.

Independent news outlets like ours – reporting for the community without rich backers – are under threat of closure, turning British towns into news deserts.

If our coverage has helped you understand our community a little bit better, please consider supporting us with a monthly, yearly or one-off donation.