Highgate Bowl Construction Update
Last week’s Camden New Journal (6 April 2017) reported that construction workers have begun clearing the ground at the Highgate Bowl. The Bowl, located off Towsend Yard in Highgate Village, was the site of the former Highgate Garden Centre. Omved International - a company apparently registered in the British Virgin Islands - is the owner of the freehold.
Local residents may know there have for some time been suggestions that the site will be used for luxury homes, in a similar way to other developments including 1-11A Swain’s Lane and Mansfield Bowling Club.
The Highgate Bowl, located in a conservation area, has already been given protected status by the Highgate Neighbourhood Forum to seek to stop inappropriate development. Various organisations, including the Friends of Highgate Bowl, are fighting to protect the land. They argue that a planning inspector described it as a “historic area” in 2014 and “stressed the importance of its heritage as a setting for the village”. Other community groups are also involved with the site.
At present, no planning application has been filed for the site. But Haringey Council are considering a so-called “certificate of lawfulness” to confirm the uses for which they site can be put. Council officers have been informed that work is currently underway on the site, and have confirmed that they are “looking into” whether this work requires planning permission.
We know many local people have strong thoughts about the future of Highgate Bowl so we were keen to hear your views and to understand your concerns. The site itself is not within the Borough of Camden, but given its importance to many Highgate residents, we are happy to represent your opinions to Haringey.
Let us know what you think - our emails and phone numbers are listed above.
Yours sincerely,
Henry Newman, Jim Ormiston & Ben Seifert
Highgate Conservative Action Team
How to contact us
Henry Newman: 0207 794 5679 [email protected]
Jim Ormiston: 07540 450 794 [email protected]
Ben Seifert: 07968 440 252 [email protected]