Appeal withdrawn but tensions remain over future of Wards Corner site

by Flora Drury Thursday, August 2, 2012
3:00 PM

A property developer has begged a community group fighting against its plans for the Wards Corner site to “stop wasting public resources” as it announces it has withdrawn an appeal against an earlier planning decision.

WCC's vision for the future of Wards Corner.

Grainger has said it is no longer appealing against Haringey Council’s refusal of an earlier application to demolish the Victorian department store above Seven Sisters Tube station and replace it with a new development, due to be heard by the planning inspector this autumn.

The developer now hopes to be able to push forward with the plans approved by the council this summer, which involve knocking down the building to create a new market, flats and shopping area.

But Grainger has outlined fears the Wards Corner Comunity Coalition (WCC) will force a judicial review into this latest approval, as they did with the last application.

Grainger’s David Walters said: “We are committed to investing in Seven Sisters and to avoiding unnecessary public expense in these straightened times. We have therefore today [Friday] withdrawn the appeal on our previous application and we hope the WCC will take the same approach and refrain from wasting public resources on a judicial challenge so we can get started on regenerating Seven Sisters.”

The WCC - which launched their own alternative plans to regenerate the current building and keep many of the current businesses on site the day before to “overwhelming support” from the local community - has no intention of backing down, however.

WCC member Roy Jose said: “That is a really cheeky comment. Just because they have withdrawn their appeal somehow or other we are the bad guys and they are the good guys?

“We are certainly talking with our solicitors - there is no way we are just going to allow this to take place. It is a question of which path we will take.”

- See Grainger’s plans by visiting www.sevensistersregeneration.co.uk.

Find out more about the WCC plans at www.wardscornercommunityplan.wordpress.com.