THE
WOOD GREEN
AUDIT
Wood Green Town Centre
How It Is And How It Should Be
By
THE PEOPLE OF WOOD GREEN
THE
WOOD GREEN
AUDIT
A STREET AUDIT OF WOOD GREEN TOWN CENTRE
from
Wood Green to Turnpike Lane Tube Stations
including the environs to within about 50 metres
Prepared by
PARKSIDE MALVERN RESIDENTS’ ASSOCIATION,
with general endorsement
and contributions (direct and indirect) from:
AVENUE GARDENS RESIDENTS’ ASSOCIATION
BURGHLEY ROAD AREA RESIDENTS’ ASSOCIATION
NOEL PARK NORTH AREA RESIDENTS’ ASSOCIATION
THE SANDLINGS RESIDENTS’ ASSOCIATION
WEST GREEN RESIDENTS’ ASSOCIATION
HARINGEY FEDERATION OF RESIDENTS’ ASSOCIATIONS
(As at 12.9.2006)
CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS…………………..……………….........3
AIMS AND CONTEXT……………………………………….…………….……………………........4
PART ONE: General Issues Occurring Throughout The Town Centre…………5
A. ‘Back-Endism’: The Town Centre’s Rear Elevations…………………………..……………….…....5
B. The Back Alley Problem.……..……………………………………………..………………………......5
B (appendix). The Back Alley Problem - General Conclusions and Suggested Action.. ………….. 8
C. The Lack of Public Toilet Facilities…………………………………………………...……………. ....9
D. An Open Space Network for Wood Green Town Centre..…..……………………..……….…….….9
E. Cycling on the Pavements……………………………………………………………………....….... 11
F. Bollards, Railings and Pavement Parking.………………………………………………..…………..11
G. Pelican Crossings…………………………………………………………………………..………......11
H. Trees - The De-Greening of Wood Green Town Centre…………………………..…………….….12
I. Street Clutter - The Lamppost Advertising Banners and Advertising Display Stands…………....12
J. The Pigeon Problem……………………………………………………………………..………….......13
K. Drainage………………………………………………………………………………..…..………........13
L. Underfoot Pavement Lights……………………………………..……………………..…………….....13
M. Signposts……………………………………………………..………………..……………………......14
N. Heritage and the ‘Local List’………………………………..………………..…………………….......14
O. Street Cleansing………………………………..……………………………….…………………........15
P. Pavement Renewal and Maintenance…………………………………..………………….………....15
Q. Crime, Anti-Social Behaviour, and Enforcement………..….………………………………………..16
R. Pavement Widening/Narrowing………………………………………………………….………….....17
PART TWO: Specific Site-related issues: ‘A Wood Green Walkabout’…………18
1. THE WOOD GREEN THRESHOLD.…..………………………………………………………….......18
2. WOOD GREEN ROAD JUNCTION AND CROSSINGS.…………………………………………....18
3. WOOD GREEN TUBE STATION.…….…………………………………………………………........19
4. SPOUTERS CORNER.………..……………………………………………………………………......19
5. THE HOLLYWOOD GREEN LEISURE COMPLEX..…….……………………………………….....20
6. LORDSHIP LANE.…………………………………………………………………………………........20
7. DEMOLITION OF THE CONGREGATIONAL CHAPEL.………………………………………........21
8. JOLLY BUTCHERS HILL……….…………………………………………………………………........21
9. THE BOUNDS GREEN ROAD/GREEN LANES JUNCTION…….………………………………....22
10. RIVER PARK HOUSE CORNER…………………………………………………………………......23
11. STATION ROAD AND THE ‘GOOSE AND GRANITE’ CORNER…….……………………….....23
12. THE MORRISONS FRONTAGE AND BUS STOP……..……………………………………….....23
13. BULLER ROAD AND REDVERS ROAD…..……………………………………………………......25
14. THE GLADSTONE AVENUE JUNCTION……..……………………………………………….......25
15. GLADSTONE TERRACE (FROM GLADSTONE AVE TO SHOPPING CITY)………………....26
16. THE BROADWAY PARADE…….………………………………………………………………......26
17. THE CENTRAL LIBRARY AND FORECOURT…….…………………………………………......27
18. THE NEW RETAIL/HOUSING DEVELOPMENT (PORTMAN HOUSE)……………………......28
19. THE NEW PELICAN CROSSING………………………………………………………………......28
20. THE SHOPPING CITY AREA……………………………………..…………..………………….....29
21. BOOTS CORNER AND THE ALEXANDRA ROAD JUNCTION…….……..…………………....31
22. THE LYMINGTON AVENUE MALL…..…………………………………….…………………........32
23. CHEAPSIDE TO MARKS AND SPENCERS…..……………………………….……………….....32
24. DOVECOTE AVENUE……..……………………………………………………….……………......33
25. ALEXANDRA ROAD TO COLERAINE ROAD…..…………………………………………….......33
26. BETWEEN MARKS AND SPENCERS AND WESTBURY AVENUE………………………….34 27.
COLERAINE ROAD TO TURNPIKE LANE……………………………………………………........35
28. THE TURNPIKE LANE JUNCTION……..……………………………………………………….36
29. TURNPIKE LANE…………………………………………………………………………………..36
30. DUCKETTS COMMON….………………………………………………………………………....37
31. TURNPIKE LANE TUBE STATION AND BUS STATION….…………………………………..37
32. THE LANGHAM ROAD/WESTBURY AVENUE ‘WEDGE’…..………………………………...37
33. LANGHAM ROAD ADJACENT TO THE BUS AND TUBE STATIONS………………………38
34. WESTBURY AVENUE……………………………………………………………………………..38
35. THE TURNPIKE LANE THRESHOLD..………………………………………………………….38
PART THREE: Summary of Suggested Changes in Parts One and Two.....39
S1. STRUCTURAL CHANGES TO THE ROAD AND FOOTWAY……..…………………………39
S2. STRUCTURAL CHANGES TO THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT AND POSSIBLE
REDEVELOPMENT………………………………………………………………………………........40
S3. PUBLIC REALM MAINTENANCE DEFICIENCIES…...………………………………………..40
S4. PRIVATE REALM MAINTENANCE DEFICIENCIES…………………………………………...41
S5. OPEN SPACE AND GREEN IMPROVEMENTS………………………………………………..42
S6. HERITAGE - LISTING SUGGESTIONS.………………………………………………………...42
S7. STREET LIGHTING...……………………………………………………………………………...43
S8. STREET CLUTTER………………………………………………………………………………...43
S9. PUBLIC ART SUGGESTIONS..…………………………………………………………………..43
S10. CRIME, ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR, AND ENFORCEMENT……..………………………..44
S11. CHANGES TO ETHOS, POLICY, AND ADMINISTRATIVE REGIMES….……..…………..45
INTRODUCTION
Like several on the Parkside Malvern Residents’ Association Committee, I have lived in
Wood Green for over 30 years and have been by turns angered, pleased, intrigued, and on
occasion utterly mystified by the changes wrought by the Council on our neighbourhood.
With the news that a ‘Wood Green Masterplan’ was in the offing and yet another wave of
changes imminent, it seemed to us that now was the time to draw a line in the sand, the time
to state unequivocally on behalf of local people both what we think of the Town Centre now
and what needs doing by the Council and others in the very near future. None of our ideas
and suggestions are utopian. They are simply what is needed for Wood Green to achieve its
full potential as a busy, viable and lively town centre that is also a safe and pleasant place in
which to live, visit and work.
Some facts.
1. London is the most cosmopolitan city on earth.
2. Wood Green/Noel Park is one of the most cosmopolitan areas in London.
3. According to a recent police statement, Wood Green High Road has the second busiest
footfall in London, second only to Oxford Street.
All of the above brings its problems of course, street crime, traffic and parking being the
foremost; but it also brings ‘vibrancy’. New York? Paris? Bangkok? Forget it. If you want
vibrancy, come to Wood Green!
Despite the problems, to us it is remarkable that the people of Wood Green get on with each
other so well, with very little history of racial violence and disruption. It is a shame therefore
that our own local Council has such a record of disregard for what should be one of the
jewels in its crown.
Just in case the following pages sound too much like a litany of whinges, there is something
which must be made absolutely clear. We like Wood Green (some of us even love it!). We
like its ethnic, social and environmental diversity, we like the general tolerance and
friendliness of its people, and of course we like its convenience for shops and public
transport. Only people who really care about the place would ever feel so passionately that it
could all be so much better.
Laurie Owen, Chair,
Parkside Malvern Residents’ Association.
(Hornsey Park Road N8, Malvern Road N8, Park Ridings N8)
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I would like to thank the following for their help, encouragement and contributions in
compiling this Audit:
All of the PMRA Committee.
Ulla Leffman, Burghley Road Area RA, N8.
Dave Morris, Haringey Federation of Residents’ Associations.
Simon Fedida, Avenue Gardens RA, N22.
Helen Steel, Woodlands Park RA, N15.
Ric Sajor and Colin Ward, residents of Carlingford Road, N15.
Carol Kennedy, Wood Green Town Centre Manager, who has done much good work with
very scant resources, particularly on the crime prevention front, and who must not feel that
this Audit is in any way an attack on her.
AIMS AND CONTEXT
Specific Aims

to identify the major deficiencies of design, maintenance, and
management in the streetscape of Wood Green High Road
and its immediate environs.
 to suggest specific improvements where appropriate
 to use the following prioritised criteria: 1. pedestrian safety in
relation to traffic 2. pedestrian safety in relation to crime 3.
aesthetic effect of the built and furnished environment on
shoppers, residents and visitors
Overall Aims

to achieve wherever possible a harmony between the
commercial needs of the Wood Green Town Centre retail
trade and the environmental needs of shoppers and local
residents
 to substantially improve the experience of living, shopping
and working in and around Wood Green Town Centre.
Wider Strategic Context

All of the above aims to be achieved within a wider strategy of
preventing, and where possible, reversing the current
migration of HGV’s and other traffic from the High Road onto
the surrounding residential streets, and of reducing the
impact of the Town Centre service vehicles on these streets.
 All of the above aims to be achieved within a wider strategy of
preserving and improving the vitality of all of Haringey’s retail
centres (ie: not just Wood Green, but also Tottenham High
Road, Crouch End, Muswell Hill, etc.).
 All of the above aims to be achieved within an overall strategy
of reducing general road traffic levels everywhere.
PART ONE
GENERAL ISSUES OCCURRING THROUGHOUT THE TOWN CENTRE
A. ‘Back-Endism’: The Town Centre’s Rear Elevations
Although technically outside the parameters of this audit, the issue of the rear elevations is
so important and so inextricably linked to all aspects of life in the Town Centre that it cannot
be ignored.
1. One of the worst features of the changes imposed on the people of Wood Green
over the last thirty years is that series of architectural and environmental
catastrophes constituted by the rear elevations of all the major new buildings and
complexes, on both sides of the High Road. These are the ugly and oppressive
rear views of the new developments, those which face directly onto the homes,
gardens and living spaces of thousands of local people. The Shopping City and
the Morrisons supermarket to the west and the Bury Road Car Park building to
the east are the most obvious examples, but the Hollywood Green complex is
almost as bad, showing that nothing has really been learned as yet.
2. This planning blight affects not only local residents. It is also a major PR blunder,
a massive disincentive for all those thousands of potential Wood Green shoppers
who get such a good view of this wretchedly negligent architecture as they
commute along Mayes Road, Hornsey Park Road, Lordship Lane, etc.
Suggested Action
3. This architectural cheapskatery must never be allowed to happen again. All new
developments must take fully into account their effect on all of the surrounding
communities and viewpoints, whether at the front, the back or the sides.
B. The Back Alley Problem
On both sides of the High Road, and parallel to it, runs a series of back alleys, all affected by
various degrees of maintenance blight, and many of which form the sole access to peoples’
homes. This Audit will deal with them here, as a group (in order from north to south), rather
than individually in Part Two.
1. The North Broadway Parade Back Alley (ie. north of the Gaumont Palace)
This cul-de-sac alley is dangerous, filthy, stinking and verminous, in constant use
as a rubbish dump, car park and street-drinkers toilet. That such an atrociously
maintained area should also have to serve as the sole entrance to several
peoples’ homes (nos. 11-19) is a scandal. Suggested Action
A complete overhaul and reconfiguring is essential here, with a complete ban on
vehicular access. The entrance to the alleyway desparately needs an upgrade. A
brick wall and arched gate would be an improvement on the concentration camp
style iron fencing now in place.
2. The South Broadway Parade Back Alley (ie. south of the Gaumont Palace)
This alleyway serves as a pedestrian link to Parkland Road and the Morrisons
rear entrance and car park area and, like its partner above (B.1.), is the sole
entrance to several peoples’ homes (nos. 3-8). Although not so squalid as its
partner, much could still be done to make it cleaner and more people-friendly.
The alleyway’s entrance onto the Library forecourt is frequently used as an illegal
car park by drivers who reach it by mounting the footway next to the Mr Bagel’s
cafe.
Suggested Action The alleyway’s entrance onto the Library forecourt needs to
be designed as an architectural extension of the Library. Kerbside bollards should
be placed along the High Road to stop cars driving onto the pavement to park in
the alleyway.
3. The Main Alley from the Library Forecourt to Caxton Road/Parkland Road
This is an important pedestrian link to the Cultural Quarter and the Heartlands
site. Although the alleyway pavement is at present receiving a long overdue
upgrade, all aspects of the passage, including the walls, need redesigning as a
welcoming, good quality pedestrian mall which complements the architecture of
the Library and suggests the likelihood of a worthwhile destination at the other
end.
Suggested Action The whole wide alleyway (not just the paving) and its
entrances should be designed as an architectural extension of the Library, and
should be given the attention merited by such an important pedestrian link to the
Heartlands site and the Cultural Quarter. Decorative screens/artwork should be
considered.
4. Gladstone Mews and the alleys behind Gladstone Terrace
This is a varied accumulation of bits of road and alleyway that has just
‘happened’, with no thought as to purpose or amenity value. The newest, and
therefore cleanest, section starts between the Shopping City and the new
retail/housing block and continues behind the new block to join up with Gladstone
Mews. The second section is a neglected pavementless road/alleyway (described
by a handscrawled sign as a ‘Private Mews’) which extends behind the High
Road shops. It is full of parked cars, retailers’ overflowing rubbish containers, and
fly-tipped refuse, and is the sole entrance to many people’s homes. At its end,
this fairly wide space narrows into a third section, a dilapidated
Suggested Action A pavement should be installed on the eastside of the socalled ‘Private’ mews. The lighting needs to be improved.
The mews and the cul-de-sac alleyway at its end should be cleaned and
renovated as befits a space which forms the entrance and front yard to so many
peoples homes.
5. Martins Walk
This busy alleyway has long been recognised by the Council as a crucially
important pedestrian link to the Cultural Quarter and the Heartlands site, and
because of this has received some regeneration money, leading to improved
lighting, good quality block paving and CCTV coverage. While this has led to
some lessening of mugging incidents, the urine-reeking and mugger-friendly
alcoves are still there, despite many promises to residents by the Council that
they would be blocked off with gated screens or railings. The underfoot pavement
lights are all defunct.
Suggested Action The improvements started here five years ago should be
finished - ie. the dangerous brick alcoves should be blocked off (preferably
bricked up, with the entrances to Boots and the electricity generator brought
forward), and the decrepit wooden fencing on the other side should be renewed
or screened off with something more durable. All areas affected by urination
should be washed down daily until a permanent blocking-off solution is put in
place. The underfoot pavement lights should be removed and replaced with
granite blocks to match the rest of the footway.
6. Hazel Mews
This is a low grade cul-de-sac alley with several residential entrances, used by
the High Road shops to park rubbish containers, and by other individuals as a
urinating and fly-tipping area.. The end of it is just a dumping ground, overgrown
with brambles and weeds. Ramshackle patchwork fencing extends down the
west side. Suggested Action The brambles etc. should be removed and a
weekly ‘deep clean’ instituted. A brick wall should be built in front of the
ramshackle fencing, as the fencing will never be satisfactorily maintained if left up
to the private owners.
7. Amber Mews This alley, with its entrance cluttered with rubbish containers,
pallets, etc. is a pavementless road which leads from Brampton Park Road to the
rear of McDonalds, where there is room for a few cars to park. The alley also
forms the sole access to some of the High Road flats, and as such it is quite
unacceptable that there is no footway here. McDonalds have erected a sign at
the entrance claiming it is a ‘Private Road’, a statement which is surely untrue,
being merely a ruse to enable convenient parking for McDonalds staff.
Suggested Action Shopowners who leave pallets and other rubbish outside their
rubbish containers should be prosecuted. (Covert mobile CCTV units could be
used to achieve this). The road should be bollarded off and completely
pedestrianised. The McDonalds ‘Private Road’ sign should be removed. A weekly
‘deep clean’ should be instituted.
8. Wallis Mews
This is a fairly well-maintained alley (linking Brampton Park Road with Courcy
Road) which serves as the sole access to some of the High Road flats, but
suffers from the usual problems of fly-tipping and urinating.
Suggested Action A weekly ‘deep clean’ should be instituted.
9. Lilac Mews
This is a long and squalid alley (linking Courcy Road with Coleraine Road), lined
with containers, and generally ill cared for by the adjoining High Road retailers,
for whom it is simply a rubbish dump. There have been several fires here.
Suggested Action Shopowners who leave pallets and other rubbish outside their
rubbish containers should be prosecuted. (Covert mobile CCTV units could be
used to achieve this). A weekly ‘deep clean’ should be instituted.
10. Walnut Mews This is a short cul-de-sac alley, reasonably well maintained, with
one residential entrance.
Suggested Action A weekly ‘deep clean’ should be instituted.
11. Alleyway behind 7-27 High Road (entrance by no.7, Cancer Research Shop)
This secluded alley is the sole entrance to many people’s homes above the High
Road shops. It is appallingly maintained, always strewn with rubbish, and is a
known magnet for criminal activities such as drug taking. As the owner of this
alleyway, the Council is directly responsible for these disgraceful conditions. The
doorway entrance to the alley has ‘13a’ graffitti’d on the brick walls, implying that
this is the only flat to be accessed from here.
Suggested Action A complete overhaul is essential here, including new paving.
Beat officers and PCSOs should always include this alley on their rounds. A
study should be made of the levels and types of criminal activities carried on
here, and CCTV (linked to the High Road system) installed if necessary. The
graffiti should be removed. A weekly ‘deep clean’ should be instituted.
12. Alleyway (east of the High Road) from Lymington Avenue to Dovecote
Avenue
This is a long, dismal, squalid, fly-tipped, crime-friendly slum created by the
Council when planning permission was granted to build the Page High/Bury Road
Car Park complex. It is lined on one side by the rear of the High Road shops with
all their attendant rubbish, and on the other by the brokendown back end of the
Bury Road Service Yard. Most of the rubbish comes from the High Road retailers.
The ambience is further degraded by large amounts of accumulated pigeon
faeces. With its innumerable filthy alcoves and cubby holes, and its ‘dog leg’
shape, this is a classic example of a ‘designed-in’ criminal and antisocial
behaviour hotspot. That this was allowed to happen in the full knowledge that the
alley also formed the sole access to several peoples’ homes above the High
Road shops, is contemptible. The Dovecote Avenue end of the alley, which is
particularly squalid, lies next to the entrances of the Bury Road Car Park and the
Page High appartments. What an extraordinary insult to Town Centre visitors and
Page High residents!
Suggested Action
An urgent study, with full residents’ participation, should be undertaken of ways to
reconfigure, clean up, and generally humanise this putrid space. The study
should then be promptly acted on. Meanwhile, CCTV cameras, linked to the High
Road system, should be installed to cover the whole alley. At present it is an ideal
bolt-hole and escape hatch for muggers, pickpockets, shoplifters, etc.
Shopowners who leave pallets and other rubbish outside their rubbish containers
should be prosecuted. A weekly ‘deep clean’ should be instituted.
B (appendix). The Back Alley Problem - General Conclusions and Suggested Action
1. The Town Centre’s back alley problem is serious and deep-seated, so serious
and so deep-seated that it seems to have been deliberately designed into the
modern Wood Green Town Centre as ‘a price worth paying’ for some future
commercial advantage.
2. The Council should set up a taskforce of Council officers, police officers and
residents’ representatives with the brief of studying and making
recommendations to resolve the problems of the alleyways’ structural and
aesthetic environment, as well as the on-going problems of cleansing and
maintenance. An assessment of lighting provision must also be included. The
taskforce must work in full participation with local Residents’ Associations (
ie.from the start to the finish of its duration). The taskforce’s recommendations
must be promptly acted on and a generous budget allocated for the purpose.
3. As an easy start to the process of improvement, all of the alleyways should be
officially named. This would clearly be helpful for both the emergency services
and the relevant Council Departments. The name-choosing should be done in full
consultation with local Residents’ Associations.
C. The Lack of Public Toilet Facilities
1. Dozens of spots (eg. alcoves, doorways, utility boxes) in the Town Centre seem
to have been designated as unofficial ‘pissoirs’, not only by selfish males but also
by lazy or desparate parents with small children. Walking through Wood Green,
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
and in particular its adjacent streets and alleyways, can thus become like running
a stench gauntlet, a truly nauseating experience.
At present there is just one staffed public toilet in the Town Centre, situated in the
Shopping City, and this is only open during shopping hours.
Street level public toilets are badly needed. Residents understand that there is
soon to be an automated public toilet installed in Lymington Avenue. This is a
welcome development but will barely scratch the surface of the problem, as
many, perhaps most, of the potential users will be too frightened to use it for fear
of being shut in, of the door opening unexpectedly, or of other kinds of
mechanical malfunction.
Both Wood Green and Turnpike Lane Tube Stations should have staffed street
level public toilets nearby.
Suggested Action
[see C.1.] All of these unofficial ‘pissoirs’ should be deep-cleaned (this means an
anti-bacterial washdown) at least once a week, with the worst spots receiving
daily treatment.
[see C.3.] As unstaffed public toilets are such an attractive target for thugs and
vandals, the provision of three or four well-staffed and well-maintained street
level public toilets, distributed at strategic points through the Town Centre, must
become a high priority. The cost of staffing and maintenance of at least one of
these toilets should be wholly supplied and guaranteed by the Council, while the
others could be supported by an entrance charge of 20p. The Council should buy
two or three of the smaller shops along the High Road for conversion into public
toilets, using compulsory purchasing powers if necessary.
[see C.3.] In any future Town Centre development, a staffed street level public
toilet with a High Road frontage should be insisted on, perhaps as part of an
S.106 agreement. The cost of staffing and maintenance could be met by a 20p
entrance charge if necessary.
[see C.4.] The existing public toilet at Turnpike Lane Station, periodically opened
and then closed due to vandalism, should be converted into a staffed public paytoilet (and extended if necessary). At Wood Green Station it would be appropriate
to purchase a nearby shop for conversion into a staffed public pay toilet. As
London Transport, to their shame, have never acknowledged a responsibility to
provide public toilets in every tube station, they or TfL should be approached for
funding.
[see C.2.] The Council should investigate whether it is possible to make it a
condition for all sit-down food and drink establishments that their toilets are
available for use (obviously responsible use) by the passing public.
D. An Open Space Network for Wood Green Town Centre
1. PPG17 (July 2002), quoted in para 1.12 of the GLA ‘Guide to Preparing Open
Space Strategies - best practice guidance of the London Plan’ [Greater London
Authority, March 2004] states that ‘open space should mean all spaces that are
of public value. The PPG17 typology illustrates the broad range of open spaces,
which includes elements of the townscape such as squares and areas of water
such as rivers. Consideration should also be given to the quality of linkages
between open spaces, including the promotion of a network of open spaces,
and the potential to use vacant and derelict land as temporary open spaces’
2. Wood Green Town Centre already has its own, officially unrecognised, hardsurfaced ‘network of open spaces’, comprising: - Spouters Corner, - the
Morrisons forecourt/bus stop (potentially!), - the Library forecourt, - Boots Corner,
- the Lymington Avenue mall, - Dovecote Avenue, - the Turnpike Lane
Station/Green Lanes forecourt. However, the care and attention spent on these
spaces individually is erratic, unfocussed, and uncoordinated. This is partly
because they have never been seen as a group or network.
3. Several of these open spaces have traditionally been used by a wide variety of
campaigning groups to set up stalls and distribute leafles, a situation of which
residents generally approve, providing of course that behaviour is neither
offensive nor aggressive and that the groups’ positioning causes no obstruction
to pedestrians. In recent weeks however, a number of these groups have been
subjected to unprovoked harassment and intimidation by the Council’s Heavy
Enforcement Team, despite the facts that the groups’ behaviour was neither
offensive nor aggressive and their stalls were most definitely not causing an
obstruction to the free flow of pedestrian traffic. These incidents were witnessed
by shocked local residents. Bearing in mind the frequent incidents of antisocial
conduct throughout the Town Centre which really do need ‘Heavy Enforcement’
(eg. pavement cycling, littering, illegal and dangerous parking, spitting on the
pavement, loud music from shops, aggressive and intimidating posturing from
groups of youths, illegal pavement stalls), this behaviour of Council employees is
clearly an unacceptable misuse of resources. The officers’ conduct was
furthermore a direct attack on those rights of political and religious expression
which are specifically protected by UK law, the European Convention, and the
United Nations.
Suggested Action
4. [see D.2.] The above group of itemised open spaces should henceforth be
strategically considered as a single balanced network. Each space should have
its own character and contribute something different to Town Centre life, but all
must be dominated by a strong people-friendly ethos, which means that they
must be safe, comfortable, attractive and welcoming. There should be plenty of
comfortable well-maintained seating, plenty of well-maintained and protected
trees, other types of greenery where appropriate, and an absolute ban on
vehicles. Where possible, the spaces should be made more family oriented with
perhaps a few childrens’ play areas, robust child-friendly sculptures, etc. (If
sculptures are considered, full public consultation is essential)
5. [see D.3.] Subject to the traditional and reasonable conditions of civilised
behaviour and non-obstruction, political and religious stalls and leafletting must
be allowed in all the Town Centre’s open spaces, and not corralled into those
small areas which the Heavy Enforcement Team choose to designate as ‘Free
Speech Areas’. Subject to these same conditions of civilised conduct, a tolerant
view should be taken of ‘genuine’ buskers (ie. those whose activity is not just
thinly disguised begging).
E. Cycling on the Pavements
1. In the last two decades the problem of anti-social adults and youths cycling on
public footways has grown much worse. Although the practice has spread
everywhere, it is particularly bad along the High Road due to the road narrowing
and pavement widening implemented in recent years. Pavement cycling is an
illegal activity which is dangerous and extremely intimidating for all pedestrians,
especially the elderly, the infirm, the visually impaired, and for those walking with
small children. Despite the widespread anger expressed by residents on this
issue at Area Assemblies and other such meetings, the Council and the police
have done absolutely nothing to alleviate the situation. On the contrary, by
building well-meant but ludicrously ineffective short lengths of road-to-pavement
cycle path next to some recently installed pelican crossings (eg. near Argos) the
Council has actually been encouraging this sociopathic behaviour. (See 19.2)
Suggested Action
2. [see E.1.] Even when it was made illegal several years ago, there was no
appreciable reduction in pavement cycling. This must either mean that the
perpetrators don’t know about the new law or don’t care because no-one is ever
prosecuted. Residents therefore suggest firstly that a strong poster campaign is
launched using the poster sites along the High Road, emphasising that the
practice is not only extremely selfish and dangerous, but also completely illegal.
Secondly, this ‘warn and inform’ campaign must be followed by a number of
‘exemplary’ highly publicised prosecutions.
F. Bollards, Railings and Pavement Parking
1. Vans and cars are frequently parked on the Town Centre pavements, causing
much damage to the paving stones and much inconvenience and danger to
pedestrians,. The worst offenders are the drivers of Securicor-type vans and
shopfitters’ vans, who often have the effrontery to park the whole of their vehicle
on the footway, with, what is more, the apparent blessing of the Highways
Department and the parking wardens. There has also been an increase in the
incidence of police vans and police cars parking unnecessarily on the pavement
when there is a perfectly adequate parking space only a few yards away on the
road.
2. Because of this irresponsible practice of pavement parking, residents recognise
that in many places kerbside railings or bollards are necessary. At present
however, there seems to be no consistent logic in the decisions as to which of
these options is chosen.
Suggested Action
3. [see F.1.] Strict and punitive enforcement is an absolute necessity here.
4. [see F.2.] Wherever possible bollards should be used in preference to railings, as
these are on balance less visually alienating.
5. [see F.2.] Bollards and railings should be of uniform and harmonious style, to
avoid the ‘cobbled together’ look of much of the present streetscape.
G. Pelican Crossings
1. At many of the Pelican Crossings along the High Road the light activation delay (ie:
the gap between pressing the button and the red light activation) is much too long, up
to 50 seconds in some cases. This causes pedestrians to become impatient and
question whether the lights are working, which tempts them to take risks. This also
means of course that by the time the ‘green man’ is activated the pedestrians have
often already crossed and so no-one is actually waiting, which causes unnecessary
delay and irritation to the drivers, thereby endangering all road users.
2. There is seldom enough time for even able-bodied pedestrians to cross before the
lights start to change, let alone the elderly, the infirm and those walking with small
children. Suggested Action
3. [see G.1.] The light activation delay at all Pelican Crossings should be between five
and ten seconds.
4. [see G.2.] At least five seconds should be added to the time allowed for pedestrians
to cross before the lights start to change.
H. Trees - The De-Greening of Wood Green Town Centre
1. In 1999, fifteen of the twenty-one mature trees in Wood GreenTown Centre
were chopped down without any consultation with local people. These trees
formed an essential environmental counterbalance to the de-humanising
effect of the busy traffic, the concrete and brick surfaces, and the hard-nosed
commercialism, all of which are the inevitable by-products of a modern city
shopping centre.
2. Residents were told that the destroyed trees would be replaced with 47
rowan, cherry and pear trees. Even if this promise had been carried out, the
new smaller varities would have been no substitute for the magnificent trees
which had been torn down. The promise however was not carried out, and at
the latest count the Town Centre has no more than eleven new trees planted
since the arboreal blitzkrieg of 1999.
Suggested Action
3. [see H.1 ] In future, representatives from local Residents’ Associations must
be given full rights of participation in all decisions and decision-making bodies
which significantly affect the Wood Green Town Centre streetscape.
4. [see H.2.] A major new programme of tree planting should be started. For
aesthetic as well as ecological reasons, the new trees should include some
larger varieties amongst the smaller varieties.
I. Street Clutter - The Lamppost Advertising Banners and On-Pavement Advertising
Display Stands
1. An epidemic of forty-one lamppost advertising banners has broken out in Wood
Green Town Centre. This is in blatant contravention of the Council’s own policy
against unnecessary street clutter, as stated in the recently agreed ‘Streetscape
Manual’. As part of the urban scene, these banners act like an environmental
migraine, interrupting vistas and acting to reduce architectural variety and
historical character. To inflict these lamppost banners on the whole of the Town
Centre with absolutely no local consultation is unacceptable.
2. The recently installed free-standing on-pavement illuminated advertising stands
are also a wholly unnecessary addition to Wood Green’s street clutter. The
supposed benefits of any rental revenue to the Council are certainly cancelled out
by the negative effect these large obstructions have on all aspects of the Town
Centre’s environment. They also flout the Council’s declared commitment to
energy saving.
Suggested Action
3. [see I.1.]The lamppost banners should be removed.
4. [see I.2.]The advertising stands should be removed. Failing this, those stands
causing most obstruction should be removed and the rest used exclusively to
advertise locally organised events, local facilities, and locally relevant resident-led
campaigns.
J. The Pigeon Problem
1. Numerous areas throughout the Town Centre are used as pigeon feeding points.
Whatever one’s views on the presence of feral pigeons in our town centres, there
is no doubt that the widespread but illegal practice of feeding these birds with
dumped bagfuls of seed or bread encourages them to congregate in large
numbers, and furthermore attracts rats and other vermin. The footway at these
feeding points (eg. outside Morrisons) becomes encrusted with slippery
unhygienic pigeon droppings, and large patches of the area’s grassed open
spaces (eg. Ducketts Common) are rendered worn and infertile. The excrement
from so many pigeons dirties and degrades the fabric of local buildings,
necessitating rows of ugly anti-pigeon spikes to be fixed to ledges and perchpoints.
Suggested Action
2. [see J.1.] The worst affected pavements must be deep-cleaned (this means an
anti-bacterial scrub and washdown) on a frequent and regular basis.
3. [see J.1.] Strict enforcement of the anti-litter laws is probably the only answer. A
thorough ‘warn and educate’ campaign should be launched, followed by a
number of exemplary well publicised prosecutions if the repeated warnings prove
ineffective.
K. Drainage
1. In wet weather, deep puddles appear at many places along the High Road, both
on footway and road, due to the poorly maintained drains. This has worsened
since the pavement widening schemes were introduced.
Suggested Action
2. [see K.1.] Thames Water must be energetically badgered at the highest level into
implementing a thorough overhaul of the Wood Green drainage system
L. Underfoot Pavement Lights
1. Over the last five years Wood Green has seen a rash of underfoot pavement
lights wherever a new ‘improvement’ is installed. Regardless of whether they look
good or bad, and setting ecological considerations aside, these lights are clearly
a farcical design choice without an accompanying commitment to maintain them
and an operational mechanism in place to monitor and replace them when
necessary. In the area covered by this audit, residents counted 65 underfoot
pavement lights of which a total of 7 are still working. Residents are not aware of
a single instance of a broken light being renewed or repaired in the five years or
so of this design fad.
Suggested Action
2. [see K.1.] If a permanent monitoring and repair mechanism is not put into place
forthwith, we urge that all these lights are removed and paved over. They will
otherwise remain as a perpetual reminder of the myopic laxity of Wood Green’s
streetscape planning.
M. Signposts
1. Finger-style pedestrian signposts have been placed at a number of the junctions;
a good idea, in theory. The information contained on these signposts however, is
inadequate, out of date, and on occasion somewhat mysterious.
2. The single most common direction sought by visitors from local people is to the
Tube Stations. There is no such information on the signposts. Does this mirror
the policy of the Las Vegas casinos in having no visible windows or exit signs?
3. The Council ‘One Stop Shop’ referred to on the signage no longer exists.
4. The final direction to the ‘Cultural Quarter’ points south along Alexandra Road,
which if tenaciously followed for five miles would indeed take the culture-hungry
visitor very close to the London South Bank Centre!
5. On the Dovecote Avenue signpost the ‘fingers’ are periodically turned round by
mischief-makers.
Suggested Action
6. [see M.2.] Both Tube Stations should be signposted, with clear information as to
which is the nearer.
7. [see M.3.] The information should be updated as and when necessary. Is there
anyone responsible for this?
8. [see M.4.] The ‘Cultural Quarter’ should be signposted all the way to the
Chocolate Factory complex (ie: at the Alexandra Road/Martins Walk junction and
the Mayes Road/Coburg Road junction).
9. [see M.5.] The signposts should be modified so that it is impossible to turn round
the fingers without specialist equipment.
N. Heritage and the ‘Local List’
1. There is very little evidence in the Town Centre that Wood Green’s social and
architectural heritage is ever given more than a glance by the Council’s Planning
Department whenever developers put forward a new planning application. Ever
since the demolition of the magnificent old Wood Green Library in 1973 to make
way for the River Park House monstrosity, right up to the recent demolition of the
Lordship Lane Congregational Chapel, a culture of developer-led philistinism
seems to determine Council attitudes to local heritage. This must change while
there still remain buildings and frontages worth preserving.
Suggested Action
2. [see N.1.] Local Residents Associations and heritage groups such as the
Hornsey Historical Society must be consulted, along with the Council’s own
heritage experts, with the object of drawing up a definitive list of Wood Green
Town Centre buildings and frontages worthy of preservation and/or restoration.
These must be included in the Borough’s ‘Local List’ and an unequivocal
commitment given by the Council’s Leadership and all the relevant Chiefs of
Departments to thoroughly honour both the spirit and letter of Haringey Council’s
heritage policy.
O. Street Cleansing
1. 1. Although the Town Centre’s street cleansing regime has shown a marked
improvement in recent years there are still areas of serious concern.
2. After trading on Sundays the streets are left rubbish-strewn until Monday
morning.
3. The shops’ wheeled rubbish containers are not emptied often enough, which
encourages the shops to leave their excess rubbish on the pavements.
4. In many of the adjoining residential streets, the street cleaners frequently come
on the day before the rubbish and recycling carts, which means that rubbish left
or spilt onto the road and footway by the dustmen is often left there for a week.
Suggested Action
5. [see O.2, O.3.] Rubbish must be collected and the streets cleaned as soon as
possible after trading on every day. This should apply not only to the High Road
but also to the immediately adjoining residential streets.
6. [see O.4.] In the wider residential area, the streets should be cleaned as soon as
possible after the weekly rubbish collections rather than the day before.
P. Pavement Renewal and Maintenance
1. On 28th March 2006 the Wood Green Town Centre Management submitted a
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
detailed Environmental Report to Laurence Pratt at the Highways Dept on the
state of the pavements along the High Road between the Wood Green and
Turnpike Lane junctions. As well as listing 100 sites containing ‘minor’ faults, this
report included separate sections (with photographs) listing 26 sites containing
paving faults which were ‘considered a public safety risk’ and required ‘immediate
attention.’
On 23rd June 2006, three months later, Parkside Malvern Residents’ Association
carried out a follow-up survey of the faults itemised in the above report. Virtually
none of the 100 sites containing ‘minor’ faults had been repaired. Of the 26 sites
identified as a ‘public safety risk’ (ie. those containing ‘dangerously loose’,
‘dangerously broken’ or ‘dangerously uneven’ paving stones) only one, outside
Argos, had been repaired. This represents a severe dereliction of civic duty by
the Highways Department.
When paving stones are replaced the new slabs are never in the same colour
and material as the existing ones. Residents have been informed that this is
because the company which made the original stones has gone out of business.
Even when repairs are carried out, the work is often so shoddy and careless that
it barely rates as an improvement. The replacement stones frequently seem too
thin and fragile for their purpose.
Suggested Action
[see P.1, P.2, P.3, P.4.] A complete and thorough overhaul of the pavements in
whole of the wider Town Centre area (ie. in the area covered by this audit, not
just the High Road itself) must be undertaken as a matter of urgency. Greater
effort must be made to match the colour and texture of the new stones with the
old. The quality of both the materials and the workmanship must be rigorously
overseen by suitably qualified and professionally motivated Council officers.
[see P.3.] When the next complete repaving of the Town Centre is done,
guarantees should be obtained that there will be no shortage of replacement
stones for at least a decade ahead. The Council must only use good quality
construction companies with a proven track record and reputable suppliers
known to be on a sound financial basis.
[see P.1, P.2, P.3, P.4.] Systems and funding should be put in place to ensure
that the more permanent features of the streetscape such as paving, street
lighting, bollards, railings, bus stops, crossing points, benches are frequently
monitored and promptly repaired.
Q. Crime, Anti-Social Behaviour, and Enforcement
1. Residents recognise that a busy shopping centre like Wood Green will always tend to
attract such mid-to-low range criminal activities as mugging, pickpocketing,
shoplifting and begging. Realistically, this means that containment and reduction will
always be the target rather than complete eradication. It is to be applauded therefore
that over the past decade there has been a modest but noticeable reduction in street
muggings. Residents are also pleased to note that over the same period there has
been a significant decrease in the amount of street begging, especially of the
‘aggressive’ variety. These improvements are probably the result of increased CCTV
coverage and a good working relationship between police, PCSOs, community
wardens, shop security staff and the Wood Green Town Centre management.
2. The working relationship between the police and local Neighbourhood Watches has
however been extremely patchy. This seems to be due to a very variable level of
individual police commitment and competence, as well as the eternal problem of
fluctuating budgetary provision. Some Neighbourhood Watch Co-ordinators have
found it extraordinarily difficult to persuade their designated police contact officers to
return telephone calls. With the new Noel Park Safer Neighbourhood Team in place,
residents look forward to a more fruitful relationship.
3. Despite the modest reduction noted above [see Q.1 ] in some types of crime, Wood
Green Town Centre is still a place where many people, especially the elderly, feel
very nervous and unsafe. This is largely because of the increase in other types of
low-level crime and anti-social behaviour, for example:
· adults and youths cycling on the pavement
· aggressive posturing by groups of youths
· loud and aggressive behaviour by large groups of schoolchildren after school
· street littering
· fly-tipping
· Problem: shopowners who leave rubbish outside their rubbish containers,
particularly in back alleys
· dog fouling
· public spitting
· public urination
· pigeon feeding
· illegal parking, especially by vans and cars on pavements
· driving the wrong way down one-way streets
· illegal pavement stalls
· loud music from shops and the UKCG church (next to Sainsburys) directed onto the
street
4. There are still far too many areas in the Town Centre, especially in the back alleys
[see B. and B(appendix) ], which either attract serious criminal activities such as drug
dealing and drug taking or act as escape routes for muggers, shoplifters etc.
Suggested Action
5. [see Q.2 ] Designated police contact officers must always return calls made to them
by Neighbourhood Watch Co-ordinators.
6. [see Q.3 ] To achieve an ambience in which people feel safer and more relaxed,
police officers, PCSOs, community wardens and Council enforcement officers must
put far greater efforts into reducing the continual aggravation caused by this antisocial behaviour and low-level criminality. The following action is suggested:
· Problem: pavement cycling. Action: poster and media campaign, followed by
exemplary prosecutions.
· Problem: aggressive posturing by groups of youths. Action: visible police presence.
· Problem: noisy and aggressive behaviour by large groups of schoolchildren
after school. Action: visible police presence and liaison with schools.
· Problem: street littering. Action: poster and media campaign, plus exemplary
prosecutions.
· Problem: fly-tipping. Action: enforcement by fines and exemplary prosecutions.
· Problem: shopowners who leave rubbish outside their rubbish containers,
particularly in back alleys - Action: enforcement by fines and exemplary prosecutions.
· Problem: dog fouling. Action: poster and media campaign, plus exemplary
prosecutions.
· Problem: public spitting. Action: poster and media campaign.
· Problem: public urination. Action: poster and media campaign, plus exemplary
prosecutions.
· Problem: pigeon feeding. Action: poster and media campaign, plus exemplary
prosecutions.
· Problem: illegal parking, especially on pavements . Action: enforcement by police,
PCSOs, and parking wardens.
· Problem: driving the wrong way down one-way streets. Action: enforcement by
police.
· Problem: illegal pavement stalls. Action: enforcement by PCSOs and Council
officers, especially on Saturday and Sunday. At present Sunday is a day of anarchy,
with illegal traders given a completely free run.
· Problem: loud music from shops and the UCKG church directed onto the street.
Action: enforcement by PCSOs and Council officers.
7. [see Q.4 ] Town centre CCTV coverage must be increased to include the most crimeaffected back alleys [see B.and B(appendix) ].
R. Pavement Widening/Narrowing
1. Bearing in mind that Wood Green Town Centre has the second busiest footfall in the
whole of London, it seems bizarre that the Highways Department is at this very
moment actually narrowing the pavement at various places along the High Road!
Suggested Action
2. Instead of narrowing pavements, the Council should be widening them. The priorities
for pavement widening are: a. the eastside footway between Whymark Avenue and
Westbury Avenue, b. the eastside footway between Gladstone Avenue and Shopping
City, c. the footway at the northside Lordship Lane bus stop.
PART TWO
SPECIFIC SITE-RELATED ISSUES
‘A Wood Green Walkabout’
1. THE WOOD GREEN THRESHOLD
Wood Green Tube Station and the whole Green Lanes/Lordship Lane/Station Road
Junction area is a crucially important entrance to Wood Green Town Centre. If Wood
Green and (eventually) Haringey Heartlands is going to prosper by attracting more
shoppers and visitors, then at least half will have to come through this area. So what
kind of message does the streetscape send out to all these existing and potential
customers?
Although some efforts have been made in recent decades to improve conditions here,
particularly on the pedestrian safety and crime prevention front, the changes still fall
well short of what is required for a high quality London shopping centre and, as the
following pages will show, have been marred in many places by a serious lack of coordination and maintenance follow-up.
2. WOOD GREEN ROAD JUNCTION AND CROSSINGS
1. Although the pedestrian crossing facilities have been much improved over their
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
condition 30 years ago, when they were non-existent, they are still far from ideal.
Because of the road widths and traffic density, vehicles are often left stranded in the
open central area well after the lights have changed, which means that they can still
be driving over the pedestrian crossings even when the ‘green man’ is showing.
Impatient drivers are frequently seen forcing their way through crowds of crossing
pedestrians. This is especially true of the eastbound Lordship Lane crossing and the
southbound Wood Green High Road crossing.
There is a longstanding problem here of cars illegally turning right from Station Road
into Wood Green High Road.
Objectionable new street clutter [see Part One I ] - lamppost advertising banners.
Suggested Action
[see 2.2.] A thorough review is needed of all the pedestrian crossing arrangements at
this junction, with the overriding aim of improving pedestrian safety.
[see 2.3.] Increased enforcement measures need to be put in place to prevent these
illegal right turns? Does the signage need improving? Would flashing signs be
appropriate?
[see 2.4.] Remove lamppost banners.
3. WOOD GREEN TUBE STATION
1. This is a very fine example of the classic 1930s Bauhaus-inspired tube station
designs of Charles Holden but has suffered from inadequate maintenance for many
decades.
2. Turnpike Lane Tube Station, also designed by Charles Holden, is a Grade 2 listed
building and partly because of this has received a multi-million pound restoration and
refurbishment. Wood Green Tube Station is an equally fine building which deserves
similar consideration but will never be properly treated until it too becomes Grade 2
listed.
Suggested Action
3. [see 3.2.] Haringey Council and its officers must energetically seek Grade 2 listed
status for Wood Green Tube Station.
SPOUTERS CORNER
1. This broad piazza, with its magnificent old plane tree, has considerable potential as a
community activity space but has never received any serious design attention, nor
are residents aware of any current plans to make this now sterile space contribute
positively to the life of the Town Centre.
2. The farce of the appearing and disappearing Police Box must be commented on as it
exemplifies so well the Town Centre’s lack of properly organised long term
stewardship. After three ineffectual years, it was demolished in April 2006. Even its
removal was the cause of local derision because of the gap of two months between
the erection of scaffold screens around it and its final demolition. Residents realise
that this largely unstaffed half-baked gesture towards community policing may not
have been entirely the Council’s fault, but its presence was never more than a joke,
encouraging cynicism about the Council’s ability and will to fund and carry through
even its better ideas.
3. The ludricously dilapidated, bollard-surrounded, ex-Christmas tree space, with the
battered electrical box at its centre, is even more of a local joke than the Police Box.
4. There are numerous odd scraps of utility street furniture strewn about the space with
no thought as to placement or appearance, and certainly no thought as to the downmarket message this sends to potential shoppers. There are no less than three
different styles of rubbish bin (not counting the Macdonalds bin), as well as the large
rusty electrical utility box sited near (but not near enough!) to the cinema.
5. The newish bus stop is already looking dirty and down-at-heel.
6. Objectionable new street clutter [see Part One I ] - lamppost advertising banners.
Suggested Action
7. [see 4.1.] A study should be made of possible community uses, preferably both
frequent and regular, for the piazza.
8. [see 4.3.] A permanent solution needs to found for the ex-Christmas tree space. The
preferred solution would be for a permanent conifer to be planted here which can be
decorated and lit up every Christmas. If, as residents have been told, the subsoil is
indeed full of rubble and concrete from the site’s long demolished public toilet, then
the tree should be planted in a raised bed. Alternatively a piece of public art should
be commissioned in active consultation with local residents.
9. [see 4.4.] The owners of the rusty utility box near the cinema must be made or paid
to replace it and then re-site it unobtrusively so that it doesn’t dominate the space in
such an absurd fashion.
10. [see 4.4.] Renew, standardize and re-site the rubbish bins.
11. [see 4.5.] The bus stop should be thoroughly cleaned at frequent and regular
intervals, and renovated as necessary.
12. [see 4.6.] Remove lamppost banners.
5. THE HOLLYWOOD GREEN LEISURE COMPLEX
1. Whereas on the High Road frontage of this Complex some attempt has been made
to echo imaginatively in glass the classic shape of Wood Green Tube station, with at
least some partial success, the lack of consideration given to the other three sides is
scandalous, especially bearing in mind that the building stands right on the edge of
the renowned conservation area of the Noel Park Estate?
2. These 6-storey high walls form three monotonous, featureless and oppressive cliff
faces. The blind wall overhanging Lordship Lane is a particular affront to the tens of
thousands of Tottenham people who use this busy thoroughfare every day, as well
as to the residents living in the Victorian houses opposite The appallingly ugly service
area in Redvers Road gapes like an open metal wound in the flat stone walls. Was
this ever a real part of any real architect’s real design?
3. Even worse, in Buller Road (see also Part Two 13 ), developers and planning officers
have in effect colluded to create an all-too-predictable crime hotspot. In its short life,
this newly configured gloomy street has become a notorious canyon of violence and
drug-dealing, already notching up one murder. With a new development expected on
the other side of Redvers Road, local residents wait nervously to see if the same
mistakes are going to be made again. Is another dismal canyon going to be created
to further blight the area?
4. The Showcase Cinema occupies a prestigious site, important to Wood Green’s
image. It is therefore unfortunate that the cinema’s proprietor could do no better than
erect such incongruous, primitive and low-tec ‘forthcoming attractions’ signs at the
entrance. The signs should at least have been curved, to follow the shape of the
glass frontage.
Suggested Action
5. [see 5.1.] Lessons must be learnt. Officers and Councillors must insist that any future
development is sensitively designed on all sides, with full consideration given to to
the social, aesthetic and environmental effect of any new building on those living and
working at its back or sides.
6. [see 5.2.] The blank wall overhanging Lordship Lane could be much improved by
imaginative decoration. Why not a weatherproof art work depicting some aspect of
Wood Green’s past? Why not a bas-relief depicting moments of cinematic history? All
of this must be done in active consultation with local residents
7. [see 5.4.] Pressure should be brought to bear on the cinema’s management to
upgrade their signage to West End quality.
6. LORDSHIP LANE
1. The Berners Road junction has both maintenance and pedestrian safety issues.
At busy periods, cars park right across the pedestrian crossing point on both
sides, forcing pedestrians to walk into the Lordship Lane traffic flow.
2. The Berners Road junction pavement buildout into Lordship Lane only has two
flimsy kerbside railing posts to keep vehicles off. Both have been knocked about
by cars etc.
3. Throughout the day the pavement at the Lordship Lane eastbound bus stop is
frequently blocked by hoards of people waiting for buses, often resulting in
chaotic and angry scenes.
4. Objectionable new street clutter [see Part One I ] - lamppost advertising banners.
Suggested Action
5. [see 6.1.] At the Berners Road junction the single yellow lines should be
immediately replaced by double yellow lines, and consideration given to other
possible measures (preferably road narrowing) to prevent cars from parking
across the pedestrian crossing points.
6. [see 6.2.] In such a vulnerable position, the railing posts should be replaced by
heavy duty bollards.
7. [see 6.3.] An urgent study needs to be made of ways of properly managing this
overcrowded bus stop area. Would an extra bus stop and some pavement
widening be feasible and effective?
8. [see 6.4.] Remove lamppost banners.
7. DEMOLITION OF THE CONGREGATIONAL CHAPEL
1. Six months after the destruction of the 1864 Congregational Chapel at 725-733
Lordship Lane, Wood Green’s oldest large building and a grand example of the
period’s Chapel architecture, no Council officer has come forward to admit
responsibility for this act of civic vandalism and explain why it was done so
precipitously and with absolutely no local consultation.
2. This lack of transparency raises extremely worrying questions about the relationship
between Haringey’s planning officers and powerful developers like Paul Simon, the
eventual purchaser of the site.
3. All three of Paul Simon’s massively over-intensive planning applications for this site,
including the 16 storey tower block, were drafted in consultation with officers from the
Council’s Planning Department.
Suggested Action
4. [see 7.1.] Responsibility for the demolition should be taken by the officers involved, a
full explanation demanded from them, and sanctions taken if the explanation is
unsatisfactory or unforthcoming.
5. [see 7.2.] If necessary, Council policy should be changed so that local residents,
local Ward Councillors and local Residents Associations are given at least three
months written notice of any demolition which is going to significantly affect the
townscape.
6. [see 7.3.] Planning Department officers must be made to recognise that they are
employed above all to serve the existing residents of Haringey, who have made it
very clear that the current headlong drive towards intensification is utterly
unacceptable. Officers must therefore resist the ‘town cramming’ desires of powerful
developers by all possible means and with all possible force.
8. JOLLY BUTCHERS HILL
1. At the 25 metre wide entrance to the Bus Garage, the pavements and pedestrian
crossing points are a hazardous unsightly patchwork, in places completely ravaged
by buses driving onto the pavement and crushing the kerbstones down to gutter
level.
2. The siting of the northbound bus stop, a mere five yards away from Bus Garage turnin, is dangerous. Pedestrians crossing the turn-in when a bus is parked at the stop
cannot see when a second bus is suddenly going to swoop round the first one to
enter the Garage. Equally, a crossing pedestrian cannot be seen by the turning bus
driver. Why was the bus stop sited here? Residents suspect that the only real reason
was to facilitate an easy end-of-shift driver change-over.
3. Why is the large BT box 22 sited transversely almost exactly in the middle of the
footway, causing maximum inconvenience to pedestrians?
4. Since ‘The Three Jolly Butchers’ pub was renamed ‘Monaghan’s Tavern’, there has
been little visible indication of the colourful and historic name of this little hill.
5. The existing pedestrian crossing point at the Watsons Road junction is appallingly
sited, in the most dangerous possible place. Vehicles tend to cut into this side road at
very high speed.
6. The pointless bit of slip road ouside Monaghan’s Tavern and Levenes Solicitors is
used only for parking and reduces the whole area to a car-blighted mess.
7. Opposite the Bus Garage, at the base of the ugly electricity sub-station building there
is a strangely ramshackle seating area. There are two adjacent benches; one is very
old and broken, while the other, in excellent condition, is a gift dedicated to the
memory of ‘Dolly Pope’. These are book-ended by two lengths of rusty scaffold-pole
railings. The neglected state of this well-used seating area is not only offensive to
local people, but must be especially offensive to those relatives or friends of the late
Dolly Pope who so generously donated the bench to the people of Wood Green in
her memory.
8. Objectionable new street clutter [see Part One I ] - lamppost advertising banners and
on-pavement advertising display stands.
Suggested Action
9. [see 8.1.] The road and footway surfaces at the Bus Garage entrance must be
thoroughly overhauled and remodelled to give maximum priority to pedestrian safety.
Arriva should make it crystal clear to their bus drivers, either by signage or other
means, that pedestrians have absolute priority here.
10. [see 8.2.] The bus stop must either be repositioned to a safer place, or completely
removed.
11. [see 8.3.] The BT box must be sensibly re-sited.
12. [see 8.4.] Consideration should be given to some way of preserving the ‘Jolly
Butchers’ name, perhaps by a commissioned art work. A wrought iron screen with a
‘Jolly Butchers’ theme, reflecting in style the wrought iron friezes in Wood Green
Tube Station ticket hall, could be affixed to the large blank wall of the elecricity substation, or perhaps an imaginatively designed plaque or mosaic on the same theme.
13. [see 8.5.] The pedestrian crossing point must be moved back away from Green
Lanes to the pavement immediately in front of Monaghan’s Tavern.
14. [see 8.6.] The slip road should be paved over, completely pedestrianised, and the
whole area made into a pleasant welcoming space with benches, trees and other
greenery.
15. [see 8.7.] This shamefully neglected seating area must be upgraded immediately,
retaining, of course, the ‘Dolly Pope’ bench.
16. [see 8.8.] Remove lamppost banners and display stands.
9. THE BOUNDS GREEN ROAD/GREEN LANES JUNCTION
1. 1. Although strictly speaking just outside the limits of this audit, the urgency of the
pedestrian safety issue at this junction makes its inclusion imperative. Bearing in
mind that there are two primary schools and one secondary school within five
minutes walking distance, it is quite scandalous that there have never been any
pedestrian lights at the crossing points of this junction.
2. Objectionable new street clutter [see Part One I ] - lamppost advertising banners.
Suggested Action
3. [see 9.1.] At long last, some pedestrian lights are at this moment being installed at
the junction. However, this does not apply to the southern nor the northern east/west
crossing points. This situation is entirely unacceptable and residents demand that all
three crossing points are furnished with pedestrian lights.
4. [see 9.2.] Remove lamppost banners.
10. RIVER PARK HOUSE CORNER
1. River Park House itself is a dingy depressing monolith, many people’s candidate for
the worst 20th Century building in Haringey. The situation is of course beyond
remedy now, but this is all the more reason why the corner’s inadequate street
lighting should not be allowed to make the area so dark and forbidding at night.
2. At ground level, especially near the eastbound bus stop, the building is an unkempt
shambles of broken and dirty louvred ventilation outlets. This unpleasantness is
exacerbated by the building’s designed-in down-draughts.
3. The problem of the pavement surface, which is multi-level and hillocky, has never
been properly addressed in the several decades since Alexandra House was built.
Suggested Action
4. [see 10.1.] The street lighting needs to be greatly improved.
5. [see 10.2.] The ground level and upper ground level walls of River Park House need
to be completely redesigned to improve their current look of ambient misery. The
building needs an active frontage. Any redesign should therefore include a section of
new retail spaces. A redesign of the building should also include an adjustment to its
facade to ameliorate the down-draughts.
6. [see 10.3.] The pavement levels and surface to be sensibly reconfigured.
11. STATION ROAD AND THE ‘GOOSE AND GRANITE’ CORNER
1. The ineptly named ‘Goose and Granite’ pub is a good, if unspectacular, example of
Victorian pub architecture and is especially to be prized in an area where so much
fine historic architecture has been brutally obliterated.
2. The footway between this corner and the Station Road Housing Offices is in an
atrocious state, and has clearly not been renewed for several decades.
3. The pavement at the junction is severely broken up in places.
Suggested Action
4. [see 11.1.] Local Listing status should be given to the pub frontage.
5. [see 11.2, 11.3.] Renovate footway.
12. THE MORRISONS FRONTAGE AND BUS STOP
1. Seen from the other side of the road, the diminutive building at the end of the
covered mall extension which forms the entrance to Morrisons supermarket does
nothing to fill the yawning void between The Goose and Granite pub and the three
storey terracing of the Broadway Parade.
2. The supermarket frontage (the pavement under the extended porch) has for years
been a rubbish-strewn, ill-maintained blot on the streetscape for which the Safeway
management refused to take any responsibility. Early signs are that the new
Morrisons management is taking a more civic-minded approach. Have they formally
acknowledged that the area is indeed their responsibility, or is this just a honeymoon
period?
3. On the pavement under the southern end of the porch and beyond, there is a thick
encrustation of pigeon droppings, making the surface underfoot both slippery and
unhygienic. This is partly due to the bags of food rubbish that are frequently dumped
nearby, and partly to the anti-social custom of pigeon feeding.
4. The alleyway between Morrisons and the Minimarket is a dirty eyesore, with the
Minimarket waste bins often overflowing and with parked cars often blocking the
footway. All this serves to increase the area’s mood of chaotic squalor.
5. The problem of street drinkers using the bus stop seats has long been a problem due
to their frequently aggressive behaviour, their reluctance to use the rubbish bins, and
their unwillingness to use the public toilets in the Shopping City. A marked
improvement has occurred since the area was made into an alcohol-free zone, but
the problem still remains. Residents fear that only when and if the adjacent
Minimarket stops selling alcohol will the issue go away.
6. For well over a year now, the four light poles and other lighting associated with the
bus stop here have been completely dead, making the whole area even more of a
miserable dingy place at night. The whole bus stop is already in a filthy and
neglected state. Has no-one noticed any of this? Does anyone care?
7. Thousands use this bus stop every day to go to Palmers Green and beyond, many
travelling from work after using the tube. When the above problems are experienced
by these potential Town Centre customers, it must all seem like a striking record of
shoddy maintenance and negligent stewardship by Haringey Council and others.
They will therefore of course not be eager to return to the area as regular shoppers,
cinema-goers, etc.
Suggested Action
8. [see 12.1.] The Morrisons covered extension and porticoed frontage could be
sensitively redeveloped to 3-4 storey office space over ground floor retail, while
broadening out and enhancing the public space around the bus stop.
9. [see 12.2.] Formal acknowledgement should be sought from Morrisons that it is
indeed their responsibility to clean, light and maintain the area under their porticoed
frontage.
10. [see 12.3.] Morrisons must be urged to wash down and disinfect their pavement here,
and the Council must do the same to the public footway. Furthermore, anti-littering
laws must be strictly enforced to deter the pigeon-feeders.
11. [see 12.4.] Consideration needs to be given to ways of improving the space between
Morrisons and the Minimarket. A brick wall and arched gate would certainly be an
improvement on the concentration camp style iron fencing now in place.
12. [see 12.4.] Parking on the driveway must be prohibited, with strict enforcement. If
possible the driveway itself should be converted into normal pedestrian-only footway
and protected by bollards.
13. [see 12.5.] Can the Minimarket be dissuaded from selling alcohol?
14. [see 12.6.] Immediate action must be taken to restore the bus stop lighting to full
working order.
15. [see 12.6.] The bus stop should be thoroughly cleaned at regular intervals, and
renovated as necessary.
13. BULLER ROAD AND REDVERS ROAD
1. These two roads are a bus-infested botch, not fit for human through-travel, let alone
habitation. Rather than use some of the space created by the brutal destruction of
the Council-owned Congregational Chapel to take the buses off the residential
streets and into a purpose-designed terminus or lay-over, the Council chose to ignore
its responsibilities to local people and pocket a presumably fat cheque from Paul
Simon, the developers.
2. At present, Buller Road scarcely warrants the name of ‘road’. In an area which
actively encourages late night drinking by young people, it was breathtakingly
irresponsible to create such a dark half-blind alley only a few yards away.
3. The southside footway is urgently in need of a thorough overhaul. The kerbstones all
the way along have been driven down to gutter level by buses and cars, making it
very dangerous for pedestrians, especially for the elderly and disabled, who use this
path a lot. Why was this very visible example of civic neglect not dealt with when the
footpath opposite was built?
4. Gladstone House is a visually important Art Deco building, but has become extremely
shabby and is badly in need of renovation and redecoration.
5. The Gladstone House service area is a squalid dumping ground. The two large
wheeled waste containers are often pushed onto the pavement to allow a car to be
parked there, forcing pedestrians into the road.
6. Objectionable new street clutter [see Part One I ] - on-pavement advertising display
stand.
Suggested Action
7. [see 13.1.] Is it too late to ameliorate the Council-created bus saturation of these
streets? An urgent study with full and active resident participation needs to be made
of the options still left open. If there is a solution or even a half solution to the
problem, then the Council has an overriding duty to fully fund it.
8. [see 13.2.] The first priority is to improve the Buller Road street lighting. A year after
the murder, why is this road still a dark and forbidding place at night?
9. [see 13.3.] The southside footway needs a complete overhaul, with the addition of
bollards and high kerbs to prevent buses and cars mounting the pavement.
10. [see 13.4, 13.5 ] Pressure needs to be exerted on the owners of Gladstone House to
renovate, decorate and otherwise properly maintain their property. Local Listing
status should be conferred.
11. [see 13.6 ] Remove the display stand.
14. THE GLADSTONE AVENUE JUNCTION
1. It seems extraordinary that, during decades of gradual improvements to pedestrian
safety along Wood Green High Road, this extremely wide and dangerous junction
has actually been allowed to become considerably more dangerous. It is
commonplace here to witness drivers executing ‘U-turns’, ‘O-turns’ and even ‘figureof-8-turns’ while pedestrians are still crossing the road. From the pedestrian’s point of
view, cars seem to attack from at least five different directions.
2. The historic stone drinking and cattle trough erected in the 19th century by the
‘Metropolitan Drinking Fountain and Cattle Trough Association’ is in some need of
restoration. It has been knocked sideways from its proper central position on the
pedestals, is badly in need of professional cleaning, and is missing a metal (?)
descriptive plate on its western end.
3. There are four different styles of bollard at this single junction - another example of
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5.
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8.
shambolic streetscape stewardship.
Objectionable new street clutter [see Part One I ] - on-pavement advertising display
stand. Suggested Action
[see 14.1.] Whatever else is or is not done to improve Wood Green Town Centre,
making this junction safe for pedestrians must be an absolute priority. Road
narrowing is essential here.
[see 14.2.] A full professional restoration of the cattle trough is needed, with a new
descriptive plate affixed.
[see 14.3.]Decide on a bollard style, and then stick to it.
[see 14.4.] Remove display stand.
15. GLADSTONE TERRACE (FROM GLADSTONE AVE TO SHOPPING CITY)
1. This eastside row of good quality mid-Victorian frontages, originally known as
Gladstone Terrace and built as part of the Noel Park Estate, is generally well
maintained, with the former NatWest bank, at the Gadstone Avenue junction, being a
particularly handsome building.
2. Despite some reasonably pleasant architecture on both sides of the road, this length
of footway is not comfortable to walk along; the impression created is one of being
forced through a pressurised conduit towards the Shopping City.
3. Objectionable new street clutter [see Part One I ]- lamppost advertising banners.
Suggested Action
4. [see 15.1.] Is this part of the Noel Park Conservation Area? If not, it should be; but if
this is not possible then Local Listing status should be conferred.
5. [see 15.2.] The pavement along this stretch would benefit from widening, a logical
step forward as the road here is unnecessarily wide. A wider pavement with a few
benches and trees would greatly improve the area’s ambience, giving it a more
relaxed and people-friendly character.
6. [see 15.3.] Remove lamppost banners.
16. THE BROADWAY PARADE
1. The former Gaumont Palace cinema is an Art Deco Grade 2 listed building. However,
its classic frontage is at present completely disfigured by the large crude and ugly
‘Club KO’ sign and some associated broken-down neon decoration. During the
compilation of this survey the club’s proprietors painted the whole frontage black, a
despicable attack on one of the few surviving treasures of Wood Green’s heritage.
2. The Gaumont Palace stands at the centre of Broadway Parade, a pleasantly curving
1930s terrace, which is itself of good enough quality to merit protection against future
redevelopment.
3. The humped pedestrian crossing point just south of the Gladstone Ave junction is
useful, but dangerously confusing. Neither drivers nor pedestrians know what the
crossing protocol is.
4. Outside the KFC restaurant, a tree is still missing from its circular planting bed even
though it was damaged and removed years ago. The remaining hole is a hazard for
pedestrians.
5. Objectionable new street clutter [see Part One I ] - lamppost advertising banners.
Suggested Action
6. [see 16.1.] The Club KO proprietors must be forced to remove their present signage,
replace it with something smaller and less gaudy, and redecorate the building in
historically appropriate colours. Residents expect the strongest possible response
from the Council’s enforcement officers.
7. [see 16.2.] Local Listing status for Broadway Parade should be conferred.
8. [see 16.3.] The humped pedestrian crossing point should be changed into a Zebra or
Pelican Crossing.
9. [see 16.4.] The missing tree should be replaced.
10. [see 16.5.] Remove lamppost banners.
17. THE CENTRAL LIBRARY AND FORECOURT
1. Although the Central Library is architecturally a not unpleasant building, within a
2.
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7.
8.
couple of years of its construction the tiles which once covered the entire east-facing
balconied elevations above ground level started to drop off, and they continued to
drop off to such an extent that they all had eventually to be ripped off, presumably for
health and safety reasons. This remains as a very visible and damning indictment of
the Council’s lack of commitment to responsible Project Management at that time.
That this happened in the first place was bad enough, but that the balcony walls were
then left for the ensuing decades up to the present looking as if they were afflicted
with an aggressive skin disease is quite beyond belief. This is after all Haringey’s
Central Library, occupying a prime prestigious site in the heart of Wood Green Town
Centre, which the Council professes to be one of the finest shopping centres in North
London.
Physically, the Library’s forecourt/piazza has gone through many half-hearted
transformations, and still isn’t quite right, despite all along having the bonus of a
delightful mature acacia tree to work around. The present multicoloured patterned
blockwork works very well as far as it goes, but why was it not designed and
extended to cover the whole space, right up to the new pelican crossing?
At present this is a well used community space, affording a good proselytising
opportunity for a multiplicity of campaigning groups. Residents generally welcome
this and, despite the occasional instances of hate-mongering, feel that this space
contributes significantly to the much sought-after goal of urban ‘vibrancy’.
The amenity value of the forecourt is marred by three very obtrusive and obstructive
huge banner posts, carrying one banner each to advertise the Library and associated
Shopping Arcade. Visually, these posts amount to massive overkill. The single post
carrying several banners which these posts replaced was preferable.
The two alleyways on either side of the library seem to have just ‘happened’.
Because neither has been designed as part of the space, they give a makeshift look
to the whole area.
Spacially, the two storey building between the library and the Shopping City looks like
a temporary pimple, further emphasising the area’s visually makeshift character.
Objectionable new street clutter [see Part One I ] - lamppost advertising banner and
on-pavement advertising display stand.
Suggested Action
[see 17.1.] Re-tile or re-clad the balcony walls, this time using good quality materials
in the hands of competent professional tradesmen, rigorously overseen by a
competent Project Manager and backed up by legally enforcible cast iron
guarantees.
9. [see 17.4.] Remove all three banner posts, and replace with either a sensibly
designed signpost or a single banner post carrying three banners.
10. [see 17.5.] Serious consideration needs to be given to ways of architecturally
upgrading the two alleyways.
11. [see 17.7 ] Remove lamppost banner amd display stand.
18. THE NEW RETAIL/HOUSING DEVELOPMENT (PORTMAN HOUSE)
1. This new building is architecturally and environmentally deficient in several ways.
2. To the street the building presents a ‘bog standard’ square-box profile and footprint,
without sculptural character.
3. The high vertical frontage overhangs the street like a white cliff face, an effect only
partially relieved by the two-storey-high plate glass windows.
4. No attempt has been made to architecturally link the two styles of the Shopping City
and the adjacent Victorian frontages. The impression given is that the building has
been air-lifted in from an entirely different development.
5. Aesthetically, the building is two storeys too high. With its square shape, three
storeys would have given a much more natural transition between the two adjacent
heights. The effect conveyed is one of ‘town cramming’.
6. If the building really had to be this high, why weren’t the upper three floors stepped
back to avoid the looming ‘canyon’ effect?
7. An opportunity has been lost here to open out the space as a refreshing contrast to
the womb-like Shopping City, and to architecturally echo the space of the Library
forecourt opposite.
8. The back and side elevations are gaunt and featureless, sadly proving that ‘backendism’ (see Part One, A) is alive, well, and still comfortably ensconced in Haringey’s
Planning Department. . Suggested Action
9. [see 18.1-8] Learn the lessons!
19. THE NEW PELICAN CROSSING NEAR THE LIBRARY
1. The new Pelican Crossing between the library and the Shopping City is a welcome
improvement to the area’s connectivity, and is much appreciated by residents and
shoppers.
2. In light of the previous point, it is especially disappointing that the crossing designers
should have seen fit to build the two adjacent short lengths of cycle path on the
footway. These were presumably intended to enable cyclists to use the crossing
legally. In the two years since the crossing was installed however, not a single cyclist
has been sighted using the cycle paths for this purpose. Instead these absurdly
ineffective tracks are increasingly being used as an easy way for the more selfish
cyclists to transfer from the road to the pavement, on which they then continue their
journey, dodging aggressively between frightened pedestrians. Furthermore,
because it is in a channel lower than the pavement, the eastside cycle path is a
significant hazard for the elderly and visually impair
Suggested Action
3. [see 19.2.] Residents are very much in favour of a properly designed cycle path
system which forms part of a coherent Transport and Highways strategy and does
not in any way threaten pedestrian safety, but these tokenistic fragments of cycle
path should be removed and paved over immediately before the one on the east side
causes serious injury to an elderly person. The west side cycle path area should be
built up and incorporated into a widened footway. The green ‘cyclists can cross’
indicators should also be removed from the pedestrian lights.
20. THE SHOPPING CITY AREA
1. The Shopping City was built in the mid-1970s, and its oppressive appearance has
never been popular with local residents. While the use of brick as opposed to
concrete was generally welcomed, why was plain dark red with a dark red mortar
chosen as the colour in preference to something lighter and more in keeping with the
paler and more varied tones of the adjacent Victorian and Edwardian houses in the
High Road? The unadorned layers of open-sided car parks are a hangover from the
once trendy ‘Brutalist’ school of architecture. And ‘brutal’ indeed is their visual
message.
2. For both pedestrians and drivers there is a very real Health and Safety problem with
the multi-storey car parks which overhang the pavements to the north of the road
bridge. Objects are frequently thrown over the car park walls onto the pavement
below. One of the worst incidents occurred about two years ago, when a
supermarket shopping trolley was thrown from an upper level onto the pavement just
outside the Breakbar cafe, an act which could clearly have had fatal consequences.
In an earlier year during very cold weather a large lump of solid ice was thrown from
the car park at a bus, breaking the driver’s windscreen. During the preparation of this
audit, a person committed suicide by jumping off the top level car park and crashing
onto the pavement only a few yards away from where the shopping trolley had
landed earlier. This tragedy occurred at a busy time of the day, and it was therefore
only chance that prevented two deaths instead of one.
3. From a car park on the east side, a large square-section metal ventilation pipe seems
to have disgorged copious amounts of black oil onto the red brickwork. Is this an
ongoing problem? Why hasn’t it been dealt with and the brickwork cleaned up?
4. Well over a year ago the old brown kerbside railings started to be replaced with the
new stainless steel capped railings which feature elsewhere in the High Road. The
contractors started with the railings outside Argos and then stopped after a few
yards. The gap between the old and the new was patched up by a section of
junkyard railing, fixed at a drunken angle to the two ends with untrimmed nylon ties.
And this is how it has remained ever since.... an extraordinary example of civic sloth,
in the very heart of the Town Centre!
5. About two years ago the original over-the-pavement soffit lights were stripped out
and replaced with smart blue neons, all that is except for the stretch from Boots
corner to the southernmost Shopping City entrance. Along this stretch the old lights
were stripped out, the bare concrete soffit was painted white, but no new lights were
installed. On the stretch of soffit that continues up Alexandra Road and into Martins
Walk, the old shabby lights were left intact, as they were also on the lower soffit of
the Pizza Hut corner on the other side of the bridge. Residents understand from the
Shopping City Management that this refurbishment was not completed because they
ran out of the new light fittings! This and the railings fiasco mentioned above (4) both
typify the half-baked parsimonious mindset which has blighted so much of Wood
Green Town Centre.
6. The blue-grey decorative logos and plastic gizmos which have been added to the
Shopping City exterior in recent years look pallid, flimsy and cheapskate.
7. The humped pedestrian crossing point just south of the bridge is useful, but
dangerously confusing. Neither drivers nor pedestrians know what the crossing
protocol is.
8. Up until 1999, on each of the raised pavements just north of the Shopping City bridge
there was a good-sized healthy tree, planted when the complex was first built. These
trees greatly ameliorated the dreary functionalist facades of the development. Why
were they removed in their prime and not replaced? There was also a fine-looking
selection of trees on the pavements to the south of the bridge. Why were these
removed in their prime and then only partially replaced with smaller and less
handsome varieties?
9. Along the east kerbside between the bridge and the Alexandra Road junction lights,
there is a peculiar staccato sequence of double section fencing with single section
spaces between. This seems like an ill-considered ad hoc solution to a recognised
pedestrian safety problem. Why weren’t the less ugly and less alienating stainless
steel bollards used here, to match similar stretches elsewhere in the High Road?
10. The Breakbar cafe has repeatedly applied to the Council to place a few tables on the
very wide pavement on either side of its entrance. This is a reasonable request which
would improve the look and the ambience of the whole area. Despite the great width
of the pavement here, all their applications have been refused on the grounds of
obstruction. The owners have been told that this is Council policy and that this ruling
will apply to any other such application, anywhere along the High Road, and no
matter how wide the pavement. Since then the Council has allowed the erection of
one of the new free-standing advertising boards immediately opposite the cafe. This
causes far more obstruction to the pedestrian flow than the tables would have done
and is typical of the muddled intransigence which has too often prevented progress
and improvement in the Town Centre.
11. At night the footways under the bridge are dark and unwelcoming. This is exactly
what not is not required at the main street level entrance to the Cineworld Cinema
and the adjacent first floor restaurants.
12. Does the unused paved area between the railings and the road, outside Lloyds TSB,
have a purpose?
13. On a positive note, residents very much appreciate the growth in the number of
coffee bars in this area. They do much to humanise some of the more de-humanising
aspects of such a large shopping centre, and have become an invaluable amenity for
many local people, as well as shoppers.
14. Objectionable new street clutter - lamppost advertising banners and on-pavement
advertising display stands [see Part One I ].
Suggested Action
15. [see 20.2.] As a matter of urgency, in order to prevent future serious injuries to
pedestrians and motorists, the open sides of the car parks should be filled in either
with metal mesh fencing or unbreakable plate glass windows. The latter would be far
more aesthetically acceptable, though of course more expensive.
16. [see 20.3.] The ugly metal ventilation pipe should be moved back out of sight from
the pavement and the black oil marks cleaned off the brickwork.
17. [see 20.4.] The railings refurbishment must be finished off immediately.
18. [see 20.5.] The soffit light refurbishment must be finished off immediately.
19. [see 20.6.] Consideration should be given to replacing the cheap-looking logos etc,
using a design format which communicates an upmarket ‘high quality’ message.
20. [see 20.7.] The humped pedestrian crossing point should be made safer by
changing it to a Zebra or Pelican Crossing.
21. [see 20.8.] The two removed trees north of the bridge should be replaced.
22. [see 20.9.] Stainless steel bollards should be used to replace the gapped fencing.
23. [see 20.10.] The advertising stand should be removed and the cafe allowed to put
out tables.
24. [see 20.10.] Many times Councillors and Council officers have expressed the wish for
the Town Centre to move upmarket, with better quality shops and a more relaxed
‘cafe culture’. One of the sure signs of a better quality area has always been, of
course, cafe tables on the pavement. In many places throughout the Town Centre
the pavements are wide enough for this to be appropriate and desirable, and it is
absurd that cafes should be thus prevented by anachronistic red tape and
bureaucratic intransigence. If this means changing Council policy, then Council policy
must be changed.
25. [see 20.11.] Residents have been told that the over-the-road bridge soffit lights are
switched off because bus drivers complained that the glare from them impaired their
vision. If this is the case, then improved street lighting should be installed over the
footways, directed away from the road.
26. [see 20.12.] Could this unused paved area be turned into a motor cycle or pedal
cycle parking bay?
27. [see 20.14.] Remove lamppost banners and display stands.
21. BOOTS CORNER AND THE ALEXANDRA ROAD JUNCTION
1. Throughout the day, and especially at busy periods, this eastern end of Alexandra
Road is plunged into lawless anarchy by those motorists too lazy to use the car parks
or find a legal parking space. At any busy period there are nearly always cars parked
on the double yellow lines near the pedestrian crossing, and sometimes even on the
crossing itself. There are frequent noisy disputes, with motorists jostling aggressively
to use these illegal parking spaces. Alexandra Road is a one-way street, but
residents report that there has recently been a big increase in motorists driving the
wrong way, seemingly in search of parking close to the High Road.
2. With vehicles coming from front and behind, and often caught between the traffic
lights due to congestion, the Alexandra Road pedestrian crossing is particularly
dangerous. The ‘green man’ is a very unreliable indicator of whether or not it is safe
for pedestrians to cross
3. Along the Alexandra Road section of the Shopping City building, the brick alcoves
are used many times a day as public urinals, making that stretch of footpath a squalid
stench-ridden health hazard. The problem extends also into Martins Walk. Despite
many requests by individual residents and Parkside Malvern Residents Association
to both the Council and the Shopping City Management, no effective measures have
ever been taken to improve the situation. Bearing in mind that these alcoves are only
a few yards from the busiest part of the Town Centre and very visible from there, why
has no priority been given to this?
4. The pavement in Alexandra Road alongside the Shopping City is a patchwork mess
and badly in need of renovation.
5. About five years ago a pair of twenty-foot-high neon light poles were erected in the
open space in front of Boots. The neon lights functioned for less than a year and then
died, and have been dead ever since. Who put them up? Why are they still here?
6. Objectionable new street clutter [see Part One I ] - lamppost advertising banners.
Suggested Action
7. [see 21.1,2.] Road narrowing/pavement buildout measures should be put in place as
a means of making the Alexandra Road crossing less hazardous for pedestrians. It
could then be extended up Alexandra Road to the stretch of double yellow lines, thus
making it impossible to park there.
8. [see 21.3.] As a permanent solution these alcoves, which should never have had
planning permission in the first place, should be bricked-up and any associated doors
brought forward. Until the above permanent solution can be implemented, these
urine-soaked alcoves need to be thoroughly washed down and disinfected every day.
Notices should be attached to the walls advising the offenders of the illegality of
public urination and reminding them that there are public toilets in the shopping
centre.
9. [see 21.4.] Renovate the paving.
10. [see 21.5.] The twin light poles should be removed. All ideas for new features of the
streetscape such as this should be rigorously vetted for weakness in terms of
sustainability and ease of maintenance.
11. [see 21.6.] Remove lamppost banners.
22. THE LYMINGTON AVENUE MALL
1. Although the recent repaving and remodelling of this pedestrianised end of Lymington
Avenue is certainly an improvement on its previous condition, could not the space have been
used more imaginatively? Did it have to be so empty and sterile?
2. The southside blank brick wall (with the bench and shabby utility boxes nearby) at present
tends to cancel out the recent visual improvements. Suggested Action
3. [see 22.1.] The introduction of one or two circular raised coniferous shrubberies, similar to
those in Dovecote Avenue, would considerably improve the visual environment here.
4. [see 22.2.] A semi-circular raised shrubbery could be placed in front of the blank brick
wall.
23. CHEAPSIDE TO MARKS AND SPENCERS
1. This section of historic frontages, on the east of the High Road, from Lymington Avenue
up to and including the fine Marks and Spencers building, and with the once-famous Wood
Green Empire Theatre at its centre, is a magnificent stretch of mainly Edwardian retail
architecture which must be protected at all costs if Wood Green is to retain credibility as a
leading shopping centre.
2. Outside the Ethel Austin shop a tree is missing from its circular planting bed, which has
since been (temporarily?) filled in with tarmac.
3. The wider sections of the eastside pavement in this section are prone to serious flooding
in wet weather due to inadequate drainage.
4. Objectionable new street clutter [see Part One I ] - lamppost advertising banners.
Suggested Action
5. [see 23.1.] A strong commitment should be given by the Council at the highest level to
preserving these fine frontages. Local Listing status should be conferred.
6. [see 23.1.] The old Wood Green Empire Theatre should be commemorated by a welldesigned plaque affixed to a nearby frontage. It could contain perhaps a mosaic or bas-relief
illustration showing the Theatre’s appearance in its heyday.
7. [see 23.2.] Replace the tree.
8. [see 23.3.] Overhaul the drainage system.
9. [see 23.4.] Remove lamppost banners.
24. DOVECOTE AVENUE
1. Dovecote Avenue, with its daily fruit, vegetable and flower stalls, represents a lively
and pleasing break in the row of shop frontages. The two raised coniferous
shrubberies are a potentially successful example of street landscaping. The daytime
effect however is spoilt by the looming presence of the stallholders’ parked vans,
which of course have to be driven illegally over the footway and the pelican
crossing’s waiting area in order to get there. Is this an public amenity space or a
private car park? It cannot surely be both. Much still needs to be done to rid this little
piazza of its somewhat grubby and threatening ambience, especially at night and
when the stall is not there.
2. The northside wall, with the concreted-in window, is a major factor in making the
space unnecessarily depressing.
3. The Wood Green Snooker Club windows and signage are extremely filthy.
4. The signpost fingers are frequently tampered with, and the information (ie ‘One Stop
Shop’) is out of date. Suggested Action
5. [see 24.1.] The stallholders’ vans should be parked in the Bury Road Service Yard
which is only a few yards’ walk, via the back alleyway, from Dovecote Avenue. If
necessary, special arrangements should be made to ensure the stallholders have
their own dedicated parking space in the service yard, conveniently situated as close
to their stalls as possible.
6. [see 24.2.] The northside wall of Dovecote Avenue could be covered by a decorative
screen, mural, or other artwork to give a more upbeat feel to this amenity space.
7. [see 24.3.] Pressure should put on the Snooker Club to clean and renovate their
windows and signage.
8. [see 24.4.] Update the signpost’s information, and permanently fix the fingers.
25. ALEXANDRA ROAD TO COLERAINE ROAD
1. With a small number of glaring exceptions, the over-the-shop frontages on this west
side of the High Road consist of uneventful but pleasing Victorian terracing which
harmonises well with the grander buildings of Cheapside opposite.
2. The two most objectionable of the exceptions mentioned above are firstly the
McDonalds Restaurant building, which lies like a gaping hole in the architectural
integrity of the Cheapside area, and secondly the Carphone Warehouse building
(no.69), with its appalling over-the-shop frontage of what at first sight appears to be
nailed-on corrugated iron. The McDonalds ‘hole’ pre-dates that company’s
occupancy of the building, and their architect did at least try to minimise its negative
effect by cladding the set-back upper frontage with plate mirror glass to reflect the
historic Wood Green Empire Theatre frontage opposite.
3. The presence of McDonalds encourages much illegal parking on both sides of the
road. For many this has become something of a ‘drive-in’ restaurant, with motorists
parking illegally, buying their meal, and then eating it in their car before eventually
dumping their rubbish on the pavement and driving off.
4. Brampton Park Road is an unhappy mix of small shops and residential housing, with
mess from the shops and illegal parking causing much distress to residents.
5. On the northside corner of the Brampton Park Road junction residents are alarmed to
see that the road narrowing introduced only a couple of years ago is now being
partially reversed. Whatever the reason for the recent bits of road widening in the
High Road, why on earth was it also necessary to widen the Brampton Park Road
pedestrian crossing point? This road is a very short cul-de-sac and so the junction is
mainly used by drivers entering to find an illegal parking space and then exiting when
they can’t. Why is the Highways Department encouraging this activity and thereby
endangering pedestrians?
6. The stallholders on the corners of Courcy (fruit and veg) and Coleraine (fish) Roads
are a valued local amenity, but the Council provision of after hours cleaning up is
inadequate. On Saturday evenings, the Courcy Road wheeled rubbish containers are
often overflowing, causing the road to be a mess on Sundays. After work the
fishmonger’s ice is left to melt into the drains, causing unpleasant smells to linger.
The residents were promised years ago by the Council that the area would be
regularly washed down using a special vehicle, but this has never happened.
7. The lamppost outside Clarks shoe shop is sited almost in the centre of the relatively
narrow pavement, causing a very obvious obstruction.
8. On both sides of the Coleraine Road footway there is a ludicrous twenty yard tarmac
no-man’s-land between the High Road paving stones and the Waldegrave
Road/Coleraine Road paving stones. What happened here?
9. Objectionable new street clutter [see Part One I ] - lamppost advertising banners and
on-pavement advertising display stand. Suggested Action
10. [see 25.2.] Pressure should be brought to bear on shopowners like Carphone
Warehouse to maintain and decorate their property to a minimum standard and in a
style dictated by the architectural environment. Is there any way of legally introducing
a penalty fine tacked onto the business rate for the worst offenders in this kind of
environmental vandalism?
11. [see 25.3.] The High Road in the McDonalds area needs much stricter parking
regulation enforcement. Could the loading bay outside McDonalds be reduced in
length?
12. [see 25.4.] Brampton Park Road needs much stricter enforcement of both parking
and environmental health regulations.
13. [see 25.5.] The Brampton Park Road pedestrian crossing point must be restored to
its previous narrower width.
14. [see 25.6.] The wheeled rubbish containers used by retailers and stallholders along
the High Road, must be emptied after trading on Saturdays, in addition to the existing
arrangements.
15. [see 25.6.] The fishmonger’s stall area must be washed down by the Council after
every day’s trading. (The fishmonger himself has no access to running water).
16. [see 25.7 ] Move the lamppost outside Clarks closer to the kerb.
17. [see 25.8 ] Complete the paving of Coleraine Road.
18. [see 25.9.] Remove lamppost banners and display stand.
26. BETWEEN MARKS AND SPENCERS AND WESTBURY AVENUE
1. This eastside stretch of High Road frontages is generally of a low grade ramshackle
character, with those to the south of British Home Stores being in particularly bad
shape.
2. The long low building which houses British Home Stores etc is not old, but the rough
dark grey cladding is looking much the worse for wear, and always did look the
cheapest option.
3. The bus stop just north of the Whymark Avenue junction has been left stranded in
mid-pavement by the road narrowing, causing unnecessary obstruction to
pedestrians on this busy footway. The bus stop to the south of Whymark Avenue
causes even more obstruction because the footway is too narrow here and the bus
stop is very busy.
4. The wider sections of the eastside pavement in this section are prone to serious
flooding in wet weather due to inadequate drainage.
5. Objectionable new street clutter [see Part One I ] - lamppost advertising banners and
on-pavement advertising display stand.
Suggested Action
6. [see 26.1.] The stretch of eastside frontages to the south of British Home Stores is
the only sizeable section of Wood Green Town Centre which could be said to be in
urgent need of redevelopment. However.... any such redevelopment would need to
be of modest scale and sensitively designed to fit in with the surrounding area. A new
development which substantially exceeded the height of the three storey frontages
opposite would be completely unacceptable to the overwhelming majority of local
people. Such a development would destroy the unique, high quality ambience
created by the classic Turnpike Lane Tube Station, the well designed Bus Station,
the improved Ducketts Common and the good quality frontages opposite, and would
therefore be fiercely resisted by Haringey residents far and wide.
7. [see 26.2.] The replacement of the present cladding on the British Home Stores etc
building with a decent quality pale marble, with some upgrading of the upper line of
fenestration, would immeasurably improve the look of what is not, after all, a badly
proportioned building.
8. [see 26.3.] The bus stops should be re-sited closer to the kerb.
9. [see 26.3.] If the block from Whymark Avenue to Westbury Avenue is redeveloped,
the chance should be seized to widen the pavement by setting the shops further
back.
10. [see 26.4.] Overhaul the drainage system.
11. [see 26.5.] Remove lamppost banners and display stand.
27. COLERAINE ROAD TO TURNPIKE LANE
1. This row of westside frontages is of excellent quality, varied, full of interesting detail,
and pleasantly set off by the three fine mature plane trees.
2. One of the most interesting details, the set of three domed lead-roofed bay windows
which take up half of the above-shop frontage of the Burger King restaurant, is sadly
in need of much repair.
3. Objectionable new street clutter [see Part One I ] - lamppost advertising banners and
on-pavement advertising display stand.
Suggested Action
4. [see 27.1.] This good quality stretch of frontages should be given Local Listing status.
5. [see 27.2.] If the cost of restoration of the bay windows is beyond what could
reasonably be expected of a retailer in a non-listed building, is there a funding source
available which would enable the Council or the Burger King management to
commission a full restoration?
6. [see 27.3.] Remove lamppost banners and display stand.
28. THE TURNPIKE LANE JUNCTION
1. Over recent decades the pedestrian crossing facilities have generally been much
improved.
2. However, the eastbound Turnpike Lane light-controlled pedestrian crossing is three
lanes wide, which is unacceptable for such a busy junction. Negotiating a crossing
this wide is very unnerving, even for the young and able-bodied.
3. The junction has no less than four different styles of railings, excluding those around
Ducketts Common.
4. Objectionable new street clutter [see Part One I ] - lamppost advertising banners.
Suggested Action
5. [see 28.2.] Narrow the crossing to two lanes. Any consequent slowdown in the traffic
flow must be considered a necessary inconvenience, for pedestrian safety is
paramount.
6. [see 28.3.] Sort out the ridiculous railings situation. The same style must be used
throughout the wider Town Centre area (ie. the area covered by this study).
7. [see 28.4.] Remove lamppost banners.
29. TURNPIKE LANE
1. Although Turnpike Lane, with its unique and colourful ambience, is indisputably part
of the wider Wood Green shopping centre and makes a valuable contribution to the
area’s total retail offer, it has never been treated as such by the Council.
2. The new Pelican Crossing near the Willoughby Road junction has no ‘green man’
indicators visible while the pedestrians face forward to cross the road and none are
visible while they are actually crossing the road. This is confusing and therefore
dangerous for the pedestrian users, who should be aware of the traffic lights’ current
status for the whole duration of their crossing.
3. The southside entrance of the above-mentioned Pelican Crossing also serves as the
driveway to the rear of Capital Accomodation, an extraordinary piece of planning
lunacy!
4. There are often piles of rubbish heaped untidily onto the footway by some retailers,
causing a hazardous and unpleasant obstruction for shoppers.
5. In the long stretch between the Willoughby Road junction Pelican Crossing and the
Alexandra Road junction Pelican Crossing there are no pedestrian crossing facilities.
As a result, hundreds of times a day pedestrians who want to cross Turnpike Lane
take their lives into their hands by dodging through the very busy traffic.
6. Objectionable new street clutter [see Part One I ] - lamppost advertising banners.
Suggested Action
7. [see 29.1.] In future there must be no plans or studies of Wood Green Town Centre
without Turnpike Lane included as a vitally important adjunct to it.
8. [see 29.2.] The Pelican Crossing should be modified by adding the two ‘green man’
indicators as suggested.
9. [see 29.3.] Permission (if it exists!) for Capital Accomodation to use the Pelican
Crossing entrance as a driveway should be withdrawn immediately.
10. [see 29.4.] Ways should be looked at of re-addressing the admittedly thorny problem
of retailers’ waste accumulation.
11. [see 29.5.] There need to be at least two more pedestrian crossings in this long
stretch of road.
12. [see 29.6.] Remove lamppost banners
30. DUCKETTS COMMON
1. This is a fine-looking park with many magnificent trees. In the last decade it has in
some respects been significantly improved from a condition of considerable neglect.
Particularly successful are the very well used basketball courts which replaced a
couple of poor and under-used tennis courts which were inappropriate for the needs
of the area.
2. The perimeter railings are badly in need of re-painting.
3. Bizarrely, the seating and the rubbish bins seem to have been placed as far apart as
possible. Is this going to improve the litter situation?
4. Pigeon feeding is a particularly serious problem on the Common, causing at least
one large patch of grassland to become bare and presumably infertile.
5. Some drivers use the entrance opposite Hampden Road to park their cars on the
Common.
6. There is not enough seating in the southern half of the Common.
7. The general level of day-to-day maintenance is still poor. Suggested Action
8. [see 30.2.] Paint the railings.
9. [see 30.3.] Move the rubbish bins close to the benches.
10. [see 30.4.] Warn the pigeon feeders and then prosecute them if they persist.
11. [see 30.5.] Re-instate the rising bollard which once stood at the Hampden Road
entrance.
12. [see 30.6.] Install more seating (with adjacent rubbish bins, please!) in the southern
half of the Common.
13. [see 30.7.] Improve general level of day-to-day maintenance
31. TURNPIKE LANE TUBE STATION AND BUS STATION
1. The Tube Station is an inspirational example of the classic 1930s tube station
designs of Charles Holden and residents are delighted that it has at last received a
well-deserved restoration and face-lift.
2. Residents welcome the fairly recent good quality remodelling and refurbishment of
the Bus Station, and note with pleasure that considerable effort has been made to
harmonise the design and materials with the classic Tube Station next door.
3. Much could easily be done to make the wide paved space between the Tube Station
and Green Lanes more welcoming and people-friendly.
Suggested Action
4. [see 31.3.] Plant two or three trees and install a few benches.
32. THE LANGHAM ROAD/WESTBURY AVENUE ‘WEDGE’
1. The prominently placed two storey detached house, at the near point of this
triangular cluster of shops, has charm and character and should be retained, despite
the restaurant’s ugly flue pipe which disfigures it at present.
2. The group of shops on this little ‘island’ seems successful and lively, and the scale of
the block is about right for its position between the Tube and Bus Stations and the
Westbury Avenue shops opposite. However, the buildings are generally shabby and
ill-kempt.
Suggested Action
3. [see 32.2.] A modest upgrading, cosmetic rather than structural, of this area is
appropriate, but only if the present range of shops can be retained.
33. LANGHAM ROAD ADJACENT TO THE BUS AND TUBE STATIONS
1. The area has a number of on-going problems, including: - litter and fly-tipping criminal activity - vehicles exiting from Langham Rd onto Westbury Ave ignoring the
‘no entry’ sign - cars, vans and minicabs parking illegally
Suggested Action
2. [see 33.1.] West Green Residents Association, in partnership with the West Green
Neighbourhood Office, has been granted funds which will enable the designing-out of
most of these problems. Their proposed scheme includes the following structural
changes: - closing off the Westbury Avenue/Langham Road junction - realigning the
Westbury Avenue kerb and paving over part of the existing Langham
Road carriageway to create a distinct and attractive pedestrian zone with trees and
seating
- developing a cul-de-sac on Langham Road for cars to enter and exit easily.
These proposals will greatly improve the area by making it safer and more
welcoming.
34. WESTBURY AVENUE
1. The northside pavement by the shops is in a very bad way. This is because 75% of
the footway width is owned by the shopkeepers as forecourt, and clearly they do not
see its proper maintenance as their responsibility. In fact, the public footway here is
only 1.5 metres wide, which is totally inadequate.
Suggested Action
2. [see 34.1.] The outer 50% of the shops’ forecourt width should be compulsorily
purchased by the Council. This would still leave a reasonably large area for the
shops to mount their display stands, shelving, etc.
35. THE TURNPIKE LANE THRESHOLD
Unlike the Wood Green Threshold, the Turnpike Lane Threshold starts promisingly;
most of the basic components are good, and there are no monstrosities like River
Park House to contend with.
Turnpike Lane Tube Station, the Bus Station, Ducketts Common, and the Victorian
frontages on the High Road’s west side should all combine to create a positive lead-in
to Wood Green Town Centre. They should, but they don’t.
Any initial good feeling is soon dispelled, leaving the visitor with an impression of
general shabbiness. This is largely because of the depressing effect of the first 50
metres of poor quality eastside frontages, which sends out a downmarket message
compounded still further by the Council itself with such highly visible failures of civic
management as the ‘pick’n mix’ kerbside railings, the ill-maintained Ducketts
Common railings, the badly sited bus stops and the general neglect of Turnpike Lane.
PART THREE
SUMMARY OF SUGGESTED CHANGES IN PARTS ONE
AND TWO
S1. STRUCTURAL CHANGES TO THE ROAD AND FOOTWAY
From North to South
1. The Bounds Green Road/Green Lanes junction - pedestrian lights to be installed at
the southern and northern east/west crossing points on Green Lanes. [ref: Part Two
9.3 ]
2. The Watsons Road/Green Lanes junction to be reconfigured and made pedestrianfriendly. The car park/slip road outside Monaghan’s Tavern and Levenes Solicitors to
be paved over and completely pedestrianised. [ref: Part Two 8.13, 8.14 ]
3. The road and footway surfaces at the Arriva Bus Garage entrance to be thoroughly
overhauled and remodelled. [ref: Part Two 8.9 ]
4. The River Park House Corner pavement levels to be adjusted. [ref: Part Two 10.6 ]
5. The Lordship Lane eastbound bus stop area to be redesigned, with some pavement
widening, and a possible extra bus stop. [ref: Part Two 6.7. Part One R. ]
6. The driveway between Morrisons and the Minimarket to be completely
pedestrianised and protected by kerbside bollards.[ref: Part Two 12.14, Part One B1]
7. The Buller Road southside footway to be thoroughly overhauled, with high kerbs and
kerbside bollards. [ref: Part Two 13.9 ]
8. The Gladstone Avenue/High Road Junction to be completely redesigned and made
safe and pedestrian-friendly. Road narrowing is essential here. [ref: Part Two 14.5 ]
9. The humped pedestrian crossing point just south of the Gladstone Ave junction to be
changed into a Zebra or Pelican Crossing. [ref: Part Two 16.3, 16.8 ]
10. Widen the eastside footway between Gladstone Avenue and the Library Pelican
Crossing. [ref: Part Two 15.2, 15.5. Part One R. ]
11. Remove and pave over the pointless and hazardous fragments of cycle path
connected to the new Pelican Crossing near the Library. The west side cycle path
area to be built up and incorporated into a widened footway. [ref: Part Two 19.3 ]
12. Convert unused paved area outsideLloyds TSB into a motor cycle or pedal cycle
parking bay. [ref: Part Two 20.12, 20.26 ]
13. The humped pedestrian crossing point just south of the Shopping City bridge to be
changed into a Zebra or Pelican Crossing. [ref: Part Two 20.7, 20.19 ]
14. The Alexandra Road/High Road junction to be narrowed and otherwise made more
pedestrian-friendly. [ref: Part Two 21.7 ]
15. The Brampton Park Road/High Road junction to be narrowed to its previous width.
[ref: Part Two 25.13 ]
16. The pedestrian crossing over the eastbound Turnpike Lane junction carriageway to
be narrowed from three to two lanes. [ref: Part Two 28.5 ]
17. At least two more Pelican Crossings to be installed on Turnpike Lane. [ref: Part Two
29.5, 29.11 ]
18. The Westbury Avenue/Langham Road junction to be blocked off and the whole area
redesigned and made pedestrian-friendly. [ref: Part Two 33.2 ]
19. Part of the northside Westbury Avenue footway, owned by the shops as forecourt, to
be compulsorily purchased in order to facilitate the widening and renovation of the
public footway. [ref: Part Two 34.2 ]
S2. STRUCTURAL CHANGES TO THE BUILT
ENVIRONMENT AND POSSIBLE REDEVELOPMENT
From North to South
1. Street level public pay toilet near Wood Green Tube Station to be created by
purchasing one of the shops near to the station and doing the necessary conversion.
[ref: Part One C.4, C.8 ]
2. The ground and upper ground levels of River Park House to be reconfigured to
accomodate new retail spaces. The facade of the building to be adjusted to minimise
down-draughts. [ref: Part Two 10.1, 10.2, 10.5 ]
3. The Morrisons covered mall extension and porticoed frontage to be sensitively
redeveloped to 3-4 storey office over ground floor retail, while broadening out the
public space around the bus stop. [ref: Part Two 12.1, 12.8 ]
4. The entrance to the alleyway between Morrisons and the Minimarket to be
reconfigured. [ref: Part Two 12.11 ]
5. The walls and entrances of the main alley from the Library Forecourt to Caxton
Road/Parkland Road to be redesigned. The entrances to its ‘partner’ alley on the
other side of the library also to be redesigned. [ref: Part One B.3, B.2 ]
6. The Library’s balcony walls to be re-tiled or re-cladded. [ref: Part Two 17.1, 17.8 ]
7. The open sides of the Shopping City car parks (overhanging the High Road) to be
meshed or glazed. [ref: Part Two 20.2, 20.14 ]
8. All those alcoves around the Shopping City affected by public urination to be bricked
up. [ref: Part One B.5, Part Two 21.3, 21.8 ]
9. Brick wall to be built in front of ramshackle fencing in Hazel Mews. [ref: Part One B.6
]
10. Street level public pay toilet, preferably in the area between the Alexandra Road and
Coleraine Road junctions, to be created by purchasing one of the smaller shops and
doing the necessary conversion. [ref: Part One C.3, C.4, C.6, C.8 ]
11. The British Home Stores etc. building’s upper facade to be re-cladded with marble.
[ref: Part Two 26.2, 26.7 ]
12. The stretch of eastside frontages to the south of the British Home Stores etc. building
to be redeveloped. The development to be of modest scale (ie: three storeys of street
frontage, possibly with a fourth stepped back) and designed to fit in with the
surrounding area. As part of the development, the footway betwen Whymark Avenue
and Westbury Avenue to be widened to allow much freer pedestrian flow between
shops and bus stop. [ref: Part Two 26.1, 26.6, 26.3, 26.9. Part One R. ]
S3. PUBLIC REALM MAINTENANCE DEFICIENCIES
General
1. Back Alleys - address the severe maintenance deficiencies found in back alleyways
throughout the area. [ref: Part One B and B(appendix)]
2. Pavements - renovate paving to high standard throughout. [ref: Part One P ]
3. Underfoot pavement lights (incl. those at bus stops) - repair or remove. [ref: Part One
L]
Specific - From North to South
4. Jolly Butchers Hill - upgrade seating area opposite the Bus Station. [ref: Part Two
8.7, 8.15 ]
5. Jolly Butchers Hill - re-position or remove the hazardously sited bus stop outside the
Bus Station. [ref: Part Two 8.2, 8.10 ]
6. Station Road - renew footway between junction and Housing Offices. [ref: Part Two
11.2, 11.3 ]
7. ‘Goose and Granite’ Corner - renew pavement at corner. [ref: Part Two 11.3, 11.5]
8. Lordship Lane/Berners Rd junction - replace bollards. [ref: Part Two 6.2, 6.6 ]
9. Spouters Corner - action required to resolve the ex-Christmas tree space problem.
[ref: Part Two 4.3, 4.8 ]
10. Spouters Corner - renew, standardise and re-site rubbish bins.[ref: Part Two 4.4,
4.10]
11. Spouters Corner - renew and re-site utility boxes. [ref: Part Two 4.4, 4.9 ]
12. Spouters Corner - renovate bus stop. [ref: Part Two 4.5, 4.11 ]
13. Buller Road - improve street lighting. [ref: Part Two 13.2, 13.8 ]
14. Morrisons forecourt - renovate bus stop and fully restore its lighting. [ref: Part Two
12.6, 12.14, 12.15 ]
15. Morrisons forecourt - regularly disinfect and wash down footway pigeon faeces. [ref:
Part Two 12.3, 12.10 ]
16. Gladstone Avenue junction - restore historic cattle trough. [ref: Part Two 14.2, 14.6 ]
17. Broadway Parade - replace missing tree outside KFC restaurant. [ref: Part Two 16.4,
16.9 ]
18. Shopping City - re-site ventilation pipe and clean brickwork below. [ref: Part Two
20.3, 20.15 ]
19. Shopping City - finish off railings refurbishment. [ref: Part Two 20.4, 20.16 ]
20. Shopping City - finish off soffit lights refurbishment. [ref: Part Two 20.5, 20.17 ]
21. Shopping City - replace gapped fencing with bollards. [ref: Part Two 20.9, 20.21 ]
22. Alexandra Road junction - remove light poles. [ref: Part Two 21.5, 21.10 ]
23. Alexandra Road - renovate northside paving. [ref: Part Two 21.4, 21.9 ]
24. Dovecote Avenue - modify signpost. [ref: Part Two 24.4, 24.8 ]
25. Dovecote Avenue to Whymark Avenue, eastside footway - overhaul drainage
system. [ref: Part Two 26.4, 26.10 ]
26. Outside Ethel Austin shop - replace tree. [ref: Part Two 23.2, 23.7 ]
27. Complete the paving of Coleraine Road. [ref: Part Two 25.8, 25.17 ]
28. Turnpike Lane junction - renew and standardise kerbside railings. [ref: Part Two 28.3,
28.6 ]
29. Ducketts Common - paint the railings. [ref: Part Two 30.2, 30.8 ]
30. Ducketts Common - re-instate rising bollard at Hampden Road entrance. [ref: Part
Two 30.5, 30.11 ]
S4. PRIVATE REALM MAINTENANCE DEFICIENCIES
. From North to South
1. Hollywood Green Showcase Cinema - management to be urged to upgrade their
signage to West End quality. [ref: Part Two 5.4, 5.7 ]
2. Morrisons forecourt - formal acknowledgement to be sought from Morrisons that it is
their responsibility to clean, light and maintain the area under their porticoed
frontage. [ref: Part Two 12.2, 12.9 ]
3. Morrisons forecourt - Morrisons to be urged to regularly disinfect and wash down the
pigeon faeces from their forecourt. [ref: Part Two 12.3, 12.10 ]
4. Gladstone House - exert pressure on the owners of Gladstone House to decorate
and properly maintain their property, especially with regard to the service area. [ref:
Part Two 13.4, 13.5, 13.10 ]
5. Gaumont Palace - force Club KO proprietors to remove their present signage,
replace it with something smaller and more tasteful, and redecorate the building in
historically appropriate colours. [ref: Part Two 16.1, 16.6 ]
6. Dovecote Avenue - urge Wood Green Snooker Club’s proprietors to clean and
renovate their windows and signage. [ref: Part Two 24.3, 24.7 ]
7. Carphone Warehouse frontage - urge management to renovate their over-the-shop
frontage to a good and architecturally fitting standard. Apply financial sanctions if
possible and appropriate. [ref: Part Two 25.2, 25.10 ]
8. Burger King frontage - management to be approached with a view to exploring ways
of funding a full historical restoration of the over-the-shop frontage with its three
domed lead-roofed bay windows. [ref: Part Two 27.2, 27.5 ]
S5. OPEN SPACE AND GREEN IMPROVEMENTS
General
1. Formal recognition to be given to Wood Green Town Centre’s ‘Urban Open Space
Network’, and a study made, with full residents’participation, of ways to improve,
harmonise and humanise the spaces. [ref: Part One D 1-5 ]
2. A major new programme of tree planting to be started, using large as well as small
varieties. [ref: Part One H.1-4 ]
Specific - From North to South
3. Jolly Butchers Hill - plant new trees with other greenery as part of the suggested
pedestrianisation of the area outside Monaghan’s Tavern and Levenes Solicitors.
[ref: Part Two 8.6, 8.14 ]
4. Spouters Corner - make study of possible community uses of space, plant new
Christmas tree in raised bed, sort out rubbish bin and utility box mess, and renovate
bus stop. [ref: Part Two 4.1-12 ]
5. Morrisons forecourt - completely pedestrianise and renovate whole area up to
Minimarket, including bus stop. [ref: Part Two 12.1-15 ]
6. Broadway Parade - replace missing tree outside KFC restaurant. [ref: Part Two 16.4,
16.9 ]
7. Shopping City - replace the two removed trees just north of the bridge. [ref: Part Two
20.8, 20.20 ]
8. Lymington Avenue mall - install new raised shrubberies and renew utility boxes. [ref:
Part Two 22.1-4 ]
9. Outside Ethel Austin - replace missing tree. [ref: Part Two 23.2, 23.7 ]
10. Dovecote Avenue - completely pedestrianise and make more welcoming and peoplefriendly. [ref: Part Two 24.1-8 ]
11. The Westbury Avenue/Langham Road junction to be blocked off and the whole area
redesigned and made pedestrian-friendly, with trees and seating. [ref: Part Two 33.12]
12. Turnpike Lane Tube Station, Green Lanes forecourt - plant two or three new trees
and install benches to make space more people-friendly. [ref: Part Two 31.3, 31.4 ]
13. Ducketts Common - move rubbish bins closer to benches, and install new benches in
south half of Common. [ref: Part Two 30.3, 30.6, 30.9, 30.12 ]
14. Ducketts Common - improve general level of day-to-day maintenance. [ref: Part Two
30.7, 30.13 ]
S6. HERITAGE - LISTING SUGGESTIONS
From North to South
1. Grade 2 Listing status to be sought for Wood Green Tube Station. [ref: Part Two 3.13]
2. The ‘Goose and Granite’ pub to be granted Local Listing status. [ref: Part Two 11.1,
11.5 ]
3. Gladstone House to be granted Local Listing status. [ref: Part Two 13.4, 13.5, 13.10 ]
4. Gladstone Terrace frontages to be included in the Noel Park Conservation Area or
granted Local Listing status. [ref: Part Two 15.1, 15.4 ]
5. Broadway Parade frontages to be granted Local Listing status. [ref: Part Two 16.2,
16.7 ]
6. Section of eastside frontages from Lymington Avenue up to and including the Marks
and Spencers building to be granted Local Listing status. [ref: Part Two 23.1, 23.5 ]
7. Section of westside frontages from Coleraine Road to Turnpike Lane to be granted
Local Listing status. [ref: Part Two 27.1, 27.4 ]
S7. STREET LIGHTING
1. Buller Road - street lighting to be improved. [ref: Part Two 13.2, 13.8 ]
2. River Park House corner - street lighting to be improved. [ref: Part Two 10.1, 10.4 ]
3. Under the Shopping City bridge - over-the-footway lighting to be improved. [ref: Part
Two 20.11, 20.24 ]
4. Lighting provision in the back alleys to be assessed. [Part One B(appendix) 2 ]
S8. STREET CLUTTER
1. Remove new lamppost advertising banners. [ref: Part One I.1, I.3 ]
2. Remove new on-pavement advertising display stands. [ref: Part One I.2, I.4 ]
3. Re-site utility boxes near Bus Garage and at Spouters Corner. [ref: Part Two 4.9,
8.11 ]
4. Re-site lamppost outside Clarks shoe shop. [ref: Part Two 25.7, 25.16 ]
5. Remove light poles outside Boots. [ref: Part Two 21.5, 21.10 ]
6. Remove the three banner poles in Library forecourt. [ref: Part Two 17.4, 17.9 ]
S9. PUBLIC ART SUGGESTIONS
General
1. All public art commissions must involve full and active local resident participation in
the decision-making process. They must also be weatherproof and, as far as
possible, vandal-proof.
2. Consideration should be given to commissioning robust child-friendly sculptures in as
many as possible of the open spaces comprising the Wood Green Town Centre
‘Open Space Network’, with full local consultation. [ref: Part One D.4 ] From North
to South
3. Wrought iron screen, mosaic, or plaque, all with a ‘Jolly Butchers’ theme, to be
commissioned for the wall of the electricity sub-station on Jolly Butchers Hill, with full
local consultation. [ref: Part Two 8.12 ]
4. Bas-relief or other artwork to be commissioned for the blank wall of Hollywood Green
which overhangs Lordship Lane, with full local consultation. [ref: Part Two 5.2, 5.6 ]
5. Spouters Corner - if a conifer (the preferred option) is not planted in the ex-Christmas
tree space, a piece of public art should be commissioned to go there, with full local
consultation. [ref: Part Two 4.8 ]
6. Main alley from Library forecourt to Caxton Road/Parkland Road - decorative screen
or other artwork to upgrade alley, with full local consultation. ref: Part One B.3 ]
7. Plaque commemorating the historic Wood Green Empire Theatre, to be
commissioned and affixed to a nearby wall, with full local consultation. [ref: Part Two
23.1, 23.6 ]
8. Dovecote Avenue - decorative screen, mural, or other artwork to be commissioned to
cover the northside wall, with full local consultation. [ref: Part Two 24.2, 24.6 ]
S10. CRIME, ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR, AND
ENFORCEMENT
1. Back Alley Crime. Following the recommendations of the suggested taskforce,
upgrade and reconfigure the alleyways and extend Town Centre CCTV coverage
to those alleyways most affected by crime. [ref: Part One B(appendix), 2 ]
2. To reduce the amount of anti-social behaviour and low-level criminality in the
Town Centre, the following action is suggested:
· Problem: pavement cycling. Action: poster and media campaign, followed by
on-the-spot fines or exemplary prosecutions.
· Problem: aggressive posturing by groups of youths. Action: visible police
presence.
· Problem: noisy and aggressive behaviour by large groups of schoolchildren
after school. Action: visible police presence and liaison with schools.
· Problem: street littering. Action: poster and media campaign, plus on-the-spot
fines or exemplary prosecutions.
· Problem: fly-tipping. Action: enforcement using mobile CCTV followed by fines
or exemplary prosecutions.
· Problem: shopowners who leave rubbish outside their rubbish containers,
particularly in back alleys - Action: enforcement by fines and exemplary
prosecutions.
· Problem: dog fouling. Action: poster and media campaign, plus on-the-spot
fines or exemplary prosecutions.
· Problem: public spitting. Action: poster and media campaign.
· Problem: public urination. Action: poster and media campaign, plus on-the-spot
fines or exemplary prosecutions.
· Problem: pigeon feeding. Action: poster and media campaign, plus on-the-spot
fines or exemplary prosecutions.
· Problem: illegal parking, especially on pavements . Action: enforcement by
police, PCSOs, and parking wardens.
· Problem: driving the wrong way down one-way streets. Action: enforcement by
police.
· Problem: illegal pavement stalls. Action: enforcement by PCSOs and Council
officers, especially on Saturday and Sunday. At present Sunday is a day of
anarchy, with illegal traders given a completely free run.
· Problem: loud music from shops, stalls, and the UCKG Church directed onto the
street. Action: enforcement by PCSOs and Council officers.
[ref: Part One Q ]
S11. CHANGES TO ETHOS, POLICY, AND ADMINISTRATIVE
REGIMES
1. Representatives from local Residents’ Associations must be given full rights of
participation in all decisions and decision-making bodies which significantly affect the
Wood Green Town Centre streetscape. This would have prevented some of the most
unpopular and counter-productive changes to the streetscape such as the ‘arboreal
blitzkrieg’ of 1999 and the lamppost advertising banner deluge of 2006. [ref: Part One
H.3, I.1 ]
2. Systems and, most importantly, funding must be put in place to ensure that the more
permanent features of the streetscape (eg. paving, street lamps, bollards, railings,
bus stops, crossing points, benches) are frequently monitored and promptly repaired.
[ref: Part One P.7 ]
3. All ideas for new streetscape features must be rigorously vetted for weakness in
terms of sustainability and ease of maintenance. [ref: Part Two 21.10]
4. Residents demand a complete change of ethos in Haringey’s Planning Department.
Henceforth, planning officers must insist that all new developments take fully into
account their social, environmental and aesthetic effect on all of the surrounding
communities and viewpoints, whether at the front, the back or the sides. The current
drive to intensification must be halted. [ref: Part One A, Part Two 7.3, 7.6 ]
5. The Back Alleyways. The Council should set up a taskforce consisting of Council
officers, police officers and residents’ representatives with the brief of studying the
problems of the back alleyways’ structural and aesthetic environment as well as the
on-going problems of cleansing and maintenance, with a view to making detailed
recommendations to resolve all these issues. The taskforce must work in full
participation with local Residents’ Associations (i e.from the start to the finish of its
duration). The recommendations must be promptly acted on and a generous budget
allocated for the purpose. [ref: Part One B(appendix) ]
6. A study group needs to be urgently set up with full and active resident participation to
investigate ways of ameliorating the Council-created bus saturation of Bullers Road
and Redvers Road? If a solution or even a half-solution to the problem is found, then
the Council has an overriding duty to fully fund it. [ref: Part Two 13.7 ]
7. Formal recognition should be given to Wood Green Town Centre’s ‘Urban Open
Space Network’, and a study made, with full residents’ participation, of ways to
improve, harmonise and humanise these spaces. [ref: Part One D 1-5 ]
8. Local Residents Associations and heritage groups such as the Hornsey Historical
Society must be consulted, along with the Council’s own heritage experts, with the
object of drawing up a definitive list of Wood Green Town Centre buildings and
frontages worthy of preservation and/or restoration. These must be included in the
Borough’s ‘Local List’ and an unequivocal commitment given by the Council’s
Leadership and all the relevant Chiefs of Departments to honour both the spirit and
the letter of Haringey Council’s heritage policy. [ref: Part One N ]
9. In order that outrages such as the demolition of the Congregational Chapel in
Lordship Lane should never happen again, Council policy must be changed so that
local residents, local Ward Councillors and local Residents Associations are given at
least three months written notice of any demolition which is going to significantly
affect the townscape. [ref: Part Two 7 ]
10. Council policy must be changed to allow cafes in Wood Green Town Centre to place
tables on the footway outside their premises, wherever the pavements are wide
enough for this to be appropriate and desirable. [ref: Part Two 20.10, 20.23 ]