Emergency accommodation plans approved

Councillors approved plans for a former education facility on Tottenham High Road reports Grace Howarth, Local Democracy Reporter

A drawing of plans for emergency accommodation on Tottenham High Road — 312 High Rd, drawing (credit Milan Babic architects)

A former education facility in Tottenham will be turned into short-term emergency accommodation.

The three-storey building at 312 High Road was previously used as a college training facility but is now semi-vacant.

The plan, which was brought forward by applicant, Newton Gatoff, to deliver 52 partially self-contained residences was given the go ahead by Haringey Council’s planning sub-committee last night (Thursday 9th).

Each room will have a studio layout, comprising a bed, kitchenette, and en-suite bathroom and range from 14 to 27sqm. All the residences will have windows. The ground floor will have 15 units, which will be fully accessible, as well as related staff facilities.

A roof extension will be added to the main building which will house 42 units in total, including the 15 on the ground floor. A car park which serves the building and is located at the back of the site will be redeveloped to include two one-storey buildings, housing the remaining ten units.

However, concerns were raised around the cost of the rooms which will be covered by the council as well as the potential increase in anti-social behaviour.

Councillor Makbule Gunes, the ward councillor for South Tottenham, while giving a deputation said the scheme could “increase anti-social behaviour” and claimed local residents were not “properly consulted”.

She said: “We need to have accommodation to accommodate single homeless vulnerable people but I think in South Tottenham we are worried that there is a disproportionate concentration [of emergency accommodation] and that’s difficult to manage.”

Planning agent, Jerry Bell, who was supporting the applicant, said: “In terms of the staffing there will be a manager, case workers, support staff, two security guards 24/7 and CCTV.

“All the staff undergo [training] in trauma informed care and emergency response protocols. So I think the applicant is well versed in providing this sort of facility, he has a lot of experience in it.”

Jerry also confirmed the occupants will come from Haringey.

Committee member Emine Ibrahim raised concerns around the rates the council would be paying to which Newton said they could be “anywhere between £45 to £55 a night”.

Cllr Ibrahim then calculated the council could be paying “around £1,600” a month for a room, which she described as a “hotel rate” or similar to the rent of a “one-bedroom flat”.

In response Newton said:“That [the rate] is an agreement that will be set between ourselves and Haringey and it is dedicated by Haringey in so far as the market conditions which exist.

“We’re not talking about something which is enormously expensive, we’re talking about something which is in keeping with the emergency housing market which exists in London.”

Committee member Lotte Collett asked if there were “additional costs” other than the costs of the room that Haringey had to pay.

She also asked if there were any areas that could be gardened by residents on the site as a “therapeutic possibility” and if “some form of apprenticeship” could be run at the on-site cafe so residents could “come in and get some work experience”.

Newton supported Cllr Collett’s suggestions calling them a “good idea” and confirmed it was only the nightly rate that the council will be charged.

Following a nearly hour and half discussion the committee voted to approve the plan.

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