Published Article

HeadlineTottenham tower blocks could be demolished without a residents’ ballot

Short HeadlineResidents not balloted over possible tower block demolition

StandfirstHaringey Labour's manifesto had promised residents a ballot, but the council is now seeking an exemption, based on safety concerns.

Haringey Council wants to demolish two tower blocks in Tottenham, without balloting residents first, according to documents seen by City News.

The move seems to contradict a promise made by Haringey Labour Party, which now runs the council, in last May’s election.

Earlier this year, it emerged that the Tangmere and Northolt blocks on the Broadwater Farm estate were structurally unsound and could collapse in the event of a gas explosion or vehicle collision.

In response, the council set out two possible options: strengthen the buildings or demolish them and build new blocks in their place.

Rebuilding Broadwater Farm would be funded by the Greater London Authority. In July, the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, announced that any GLA-funded projects that involved demolishing blocks would first need to be approved in a residents’ ballot.

But in an email to the Broadwater Farm Residents’ Association seen by City News, the GLA confirmed that Haringey Council has applied for an exemption from this requirement.

Haringey Council says that, if demolition goes ahead, it will rehouse all the affected tenants in a buildings on the same site.

But Jacob Secker, the Secretary of Broadwater Farm Residents’ Association, told City News that residents couldn’t take the council at their word.

He says a ballot would tie the council’s hands, because it would lose GLA funding if it broke its promises to residents.

Without a ballot, Secker says, the residents would be left without any leverage.

Secker says Haringey Council has neglected the blocks for years in hopes that they could be demolished, long before the safety concerns were uncovered. “It’s appalling. We’ve been discriminated against horribly because of who we are and where we live.”

Haringey Council told City News that due to the safety issues, we believe a ballot was not appropriate. As such, we have applied to the GLA for an exemption.”