Redevelopment of ex-racing car factory in Hornsey moves up a gear

The Lotus site scheme includes four new blocks up to 16 storeys tall with a design that utilises “racing green” to celebrate the history of the cars once built there, reports Joe Ives, Local Democracy Reporter

Concept images of the former Lotus factory's redevelopment (credit HTA Design) — Concept images of the former Lotus factory’s redevelopment (credit HTA Design)

Student flats, community space and a “racing green” colour scheme have all been promised at the site of a former Lotus racing car factory in Hornsey.

Haringey Council’s planning subcommittee gave feedback to pre-application proposals for the redevelopment in Tottenham Lane at a planning subcommittee meeting on Monday (8th).

An architect described the scheme as an opportunity to transform a historic but “empty brownfield site with no employment on it”.

The plans, put forward by developer Fifth State with HTA Design, would see the former Lotus showroom and stables in Tottenham Lane repurposed to house a café and community facilities.

All other buildings on the site would be demolished and replaced with four new buildings, ranging from nine to 16 storeys in height, “set in a new landscaped public square”.

Parts of the design would utilise “racing green” to celebrate the history of the cars formerly produced by Lotus on the site.

The new buildings would include 518 new student rooms, 35% of which would be affordable, with shared amenity spaces and lounges. There would also be a gym, games area and laundry, as well as a “podium garden space” and roof terrace for students.

Speaking at Tuesday’s meeting, Rhea Shepard, an architect for HTA Design, said there is “significant local need” for the student accommodation promised by the development and claimed there are just under 8,000 students in the area “with only about 650 bed spaces”.

Around 10% of the rooms would have wheelchair access for students with disabilities. Currently, however, only one parking space is planned for Blue Badge holders, an arrangement that committee vice chair John Bevan said “doesn’t seem to be logical”.

The plans evoke the site's past as a Lotus factory in the 1950s (credit HTA Design) — The plans evoke the site’s past as a Lotus factory in the 1950s (credit HTA Design)

Simon Toplis, architect and partner at HTA Design, responded, saying “car ownership amongst students is very low”.

Toplis added that, having spoken with transport officers and the Greater London Authority, he “wouldn’t expect any students to have a car”, especially as the site would have good public transport links nearby. Nevertheless, the planning committee asked the designers to reassess this aspect of their proposals.

The site is home to a former Lotus showroom and offices. A report published by council officers say the structure was built “from around 1957” – around the time the company first competed in Formula One.

Toplis argued that the site’s connection to Lotus makes it “a fantastic asset for the borough”, especially, he said, as the location is currently an “empty brownfield site with no employment on it”.

He said the plans would transform the site with new housing and public realm as well as employment opportunities, community spaces and a café.

His colleague, Reah Shepherd, added that the new public spaces would help provide “a real opportunity to enhance Tottenham Lane”.

At the meeting, Cllr Bevan noted that the plans had gone to the local authority’s quality review panel three times – something that “hardly ever happens,” he said.

“That panel has still got a lot of concerns, so when you come back here you need to have them all addressed,” Cllr Bevan warned, adding: “I would urge you to try and accept and deal with all the issues that they raise.”

It was agreed that the proposals, including the disabled parking space provision, would be re-evaluated before being presented to councillors again.

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