An artist's impression of how the community centre and flats will look.

Church-run community centre and flats approved for Tottenham’s Hale Village

by Tim Lamden Sunday, July 8, 2012
10:00 AM

Plans for a church-run community centre underneath 64 new flats in Tottenham have been approved at the second time of asking, after councillors rejected the original proposals last month for being “misleading”.

The proposed development, part of the Hale Village site of the former GLS Depot in Ferry Lane, was rejected by Haringey Council’s planning committee on June 11, when it refused to decide on the plans pending clarification by applicant Lee Valley Estates of what the community centre would be used for.

At the meeting, Cllr Stuart McNamara labelled the developer “disgraceful” for “misleading” the council over proposals to use the community centre for religious purposes.

But at another meeting last Thursday, the plans were unanimously approved by the committee after Lee Valley Estates clarified the scheme, insisting that “religious ceremonies” would only take place on “Sundays and perhaps one evening during the week”.

The centre, which will be open seven days a week, will include a café, nursery and multipurpose hall designed for community use as well as worship and religious ceremonies, such as weddings, baptisms and funerals.

The Church of England’s Diocese of London will lease the community centre for 125 years in a deal worth £25million, taking full control of the running of the centre.

Following last Thursday’s meeting, Chris Shellard, project director at Lee Valley Estates, put the earlier problems with the scheme down to a “misunderstanding” with the council.

He said: “All the local people are absolutely delighted, Cllr Lorna Reith has said it has the full and whole-hearted support of everyone who lives near.”

Matthew Girt, head of strategic development for the Diocese of London, said the community centre would be a “vital resource for the whole community” as there was “a real need for a building of this kind”.

Work on the project, which forms part of the wider £400m Hale Village development, is scheduled to get under way in December.