Lib Dems find homelessness planning deferral "difficult to comprehend"

In response to the decision by Haringey's Planning Subcommittee (8th Feb 2021) to defer a planning application in Ermine Road that would have provided homes within weeks to 37 homeless residents, Cllr Luke Cawley-Harrison (LD-Crouch End), Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group and a member of the planning subcommittee said:

"To have Haringey Labour councillors block proposals made by their own council to house 37 of our most vulnerable residents on the grounds of too many units is a decision I find difficult to comprehend."

Cllr Cawley-Harrison, who moved for the subcommittee to approve the proposals during a heated and often chaotic meeting, added:

"This application has now been deferred for a second time due to too many units on site, despite the units being no taller than the two-storey terrace houses around it. Yet we see huge tower blocks, densely packed around areas like Tottenham Hale voted through by this committee time and time again. The significant benefits of a managed, housing-first, scheme like this one are well evidenced, and I hope that this latest deferral does not lead to Haringey missing out on the GLA funding for this project."

Notes:
The planning subcommittee voted to defer the application by 5 votes in favour of deferral (all Labour), 4 votes against deferral (3 Lib Dem, 1 Labour) and 1 abstention (1 Labour)

The GLA, through the Rough Sleeping Accommodation Programme, awarded Haringey Council funding for this scheme, based on the current size of the proposed units.

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