WELCOME TO THE HIGHGATE SOCIETY
We aim to make Highgate and its neighbourhood a better place in which to live and work;
to ensure that any changes made in the environment enhance the amenity of the area:
to encourage sound planning and to improve public transport.
HOUSING IN THE HIGHGATE BOWL. IS THIS WHAT WE WANT ON HIGHGATE'S LAST PIECE OF OPEN LAND?
PUBLIC MEETING: Wednesday 8th September 8.00pm at 10a South Grove
There have been many attempts to develop and build on the land known as The Highgate Bowl, (also called the Highgate Nursery lands), in the heart of Highgate Village, north of the High Street. All have been successfully resisted by Haringey Council, usually after public enquiries.
Now The Highgate Garden Centre intends to close down, and this central part of the Bowl faces a new threat following an application to change the use of the land to build three enormous, gated, luxury houses on the site.
If that is allowed to happen, The Highgate Society is concerned that Highgate will lose forever the opportunity to do something better for Highgate; something more environmentally imaginative, and of real value to the community - residents, traders, businesses and schools.
There isn't much time to respond to Haringey on this important matter, so the Society will hold a public meeting to consult local opinion on the subject.
Please come and let us know what you think.
If you are unable to come, but wish to comment on the proposals, visit Haringey's website at www.haringey.gov.uk planning; key in HGY/2010/1503 into the application number box and follow the instructions to view the application documents and drawings. You can comment there too.
The Whittington Hospital - safe for now!
Andrew Lansley, the new Minister for Health, stood outside the Whittington Hospital on April 29th and announced that a Conservative government would keep the Whittington A&E open should they win the election and the Lib Dems also promised to keep the Whittington open so we hope that our local hospital is now safe.
But our campaign is not over yet. The Highgate Society will be looking for assurances from our new coalition government that they will rule out closing the Whittington's A&E Department as an option within the review and we will be pressing them to reform the current system where unelected and unaccountable bodies such as NHS North Central can make decisions about key local services.
Athlone House Update
As a result of our campaign to alert the public to the impending demolition of Athlone House, Camden received 540 objections – a huge show of public outrage at the decision to demolish a valued local building after the owners had profited from a lucrative planning permission which was conditional on their restoring the house.
The comment made to Camden’s Planning Committee, by the architect, Robert Adam, that the house was not visible from Hampstead Heath except in distant views would have surprised the thousands of visitors who admire it from the Kenwood Pergola, and the Committee was unanimous in rejecting the application. We assume that an appeal against the refusal will be made, and the battle will then begin all over again.
Are you ready to take on the North Hill Challenge?
Which other road in London, Britain, Europe or even the world can compare with it in terms of variety of periods and styles of domestic architecture?
We need your support
The Highgate Society is a voluntary organisation of 1,400 members living in and around Highgate, London N6. Our primary aim is to make Highgate a better place in which to live and work.To achieve this we mount a wide variety of activities for members, (while being wide open to ideas for further new activities) as you can see from the panel on the left of screen. Prominent among these, under the heading of ‘Environment', is our dedication to principles of sound planning, for the protection and enhancement of the public amenities that we all enjoy.
Join us for coffee every Saturday between 10.30am and midday at 10a South Grove. Come and meet other members or talk to the Environment Committee if you would like some planning advice, or have a planning or environmental problem
JOIN THE HIGHGATE SOCIETY
You can make a difference
We would like to welcome you to The Highgate Society and if you live in and around Highgate there will be something for you to know about, take part in or simply to enjoy. Please do join us, It is all quite easy.
The Society was started 40 years ago and we aim to keep Highgate a wonderful place to live and work. With three boroughs adjoining us, everyone’s opinion counts and we’d love to have yours. The more members we have, the stronger we are together to lobby for Highgate and keep our area special.
We have plenty of activities and groups to join, but if you are pressed for time you can be just a member, read Buzz and perhaps enjoy our Summer Festival Fair in the Square or Carols in December.
An individual membership costs just £14 a year, or £19 for a whole family. Our premises at 10a South Grove are available to hire for your parties, meetings and events. Coffee and biscuits are served every Saturday morning between 10.30 and 12.30 and all are welcome.
Buzz is The Society’s magazine and is produced four times during the year and you could have a copy of your own by joining.
Let us know if you want to join us. We’d be happy to talk to you about what we do, or feel free to pop into 10a any Saturday to meet the team.
Membership Team - Jan Morgan 0208 340 9490.