Planning application to demolish original Lotus site

[SADLOTUS]

Just had this email in from Neil Duncan - Secretary for the Colin Chapman Museum and Education Centre.
Jewsons want to knock it down to extend the cafeteria.
You can click on the link and express your concerns, dislike (or pleasure... if you are so inclined).
Only your name is required - it didn't ask if I lived locally.

Planning application to demolish original Lotus site

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Anyone interested in local history, Lotus Cars or F1 may wish to know about a recent planning application to demolish the site where Lotus racing Cars began in Tottenham Lane in 1953
Planning Application No. http://opn8.co.uk/lotusN8
HGY/2015/0311I have just submitted my own objection (below) and urge others to look at the application and make their own comments to the application
Objection
I wish to state that I object to the application to demolish existing buildings on site at 11 Tottenham Lane N8 next to what was The Railway Hotel and the original home to Colin Chapman?s Lotus Motor Car Racing Company Factory.
Although the address of the application is stated as 11 Tottenham Lane it does include what is listed at http://www.haringey.gov.uk/sites/haring ... er_of_lo... as No. 7 Tottenham Lane, the site of Lotus cars in the 1950s.
In 1984, with the agreement of Haringey Council, Club Lotus erected a memorial plaque on one of the original Lotus office buildings.
In 2004 Haringey Council added 7 Tottenham Lane to its Register of Local Listed Buildings.
Yet on the application, by a person in Yorkshire, with seemingly no local connection, interest or knowledge to demolish many buildings on this historic site (now Jewson?s Builders yard) seems to make no mention of Colin Chapman, Lotus cars, listed building status or the plaque.
No mention is made of plans to even relocate the plaque.
I am very concerned that yet again one of Hornsey?s remaining buildings of historic interest and importance will disappear with the collusion of Haringey Council?s Planning Department and Committee.
We are currently seeing our historic bathhouse frontage being demolished with no attempt by the council to protect it despite concerns by local residents.
I am particularly upset by the potential loss of this site as Hornsey Village - A Walk which I co-wrote was only published in August 2014 (by Hornsey Historical Society, of which I am a member) where the historic importance of the site was highlighted on page 21 as follows:-
This was originally The Railway Hotel, a country inn with a spacious tea garden, adjacent to Great Northern Railway, which opened in 1850, with Hornsey as the first station out of London. The Railway Hotel was later managed by the father of Colin Chapman who established the Lotus Engineering Company here in 1951 and developed Lotus sports cars. These motor racing, award-winning cars were built behind the pub until 1959 when the company moved to Cheshunt. A plaque commemorating Chapman and the Lotus Company is on the building to the right of the entrance to Jewson?s builders yard.
A photo of the plaque can be seen at http://colinchapmanmuseum.org.uk/
To find that one of the featured sites will be gone in less than a year after publication is shocking.
I wonder if this would be allowed to happen elsewhere in the borough other than Hornsey?
Is the council aware that this is a locally listed building?
Why has the owner not been made to refer to the listed status and the plaque in the application?
I hope the council do not permit such desecration of our historic past and lack of respect for Colin Chapman, a man of recognised national importance.
I strongly object to this planning application

...also:

Thank you John Douglas for this

Hi, I have taking with the organisers of the Hornsey carnival, which
runs an annual parade through Hornsey & Crouch End. I have suggested
that it needs more elements relating to Hornsey's history, the number
one being the birth of Lotus cars. So I am looking for any local Lotus
owners (old Lotus' rather than new) who would be interested in joining
the parade from 2-4pm, Sat 4th July 2015. It may also serve as a
rallying point to stop Jewsons knocking down the old showroom (see
other email). Chris Arnold (son of Graham Arnold) 07778 05 66 86
Thank you Chris Arnold and Lesley Ramm

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/Lon ... 299b3bb7f7

[KevJ+2]

Objected.

[billwill]

The former Railway Hotel

[Jentwistle3]

Objected!

[jimj]

On the other hand, don`t object just for the sake of it. Too often people do. I`m unlikely to ever visit the area so don`t have an interest but it would be nice to keep the plaque, the buildings look like they need redeveloping.
Jim

[Chancer]

My sentiments exactly.

[richardcox_lotus]

The thing is, there could be alternative uses for these buildings, rather than them being torn down. I believe they are structurally sound - in fact the Colin chapman museum proposal was initially to re-use them.

Once they're gone, that's it.

Regards
Richard

[Bugeyed]

WHAT!!
Your kidding sacrilege.
I am coming over to bust their face.
What's wrong with the English?
The yanks kept and classified the Hewllit Packard garage.
See it for what its worth, an important, world's heratige site.
Look at what the current F1 design owes to that era of Lotus.

[Chancer]

"See it for what its worth"

The building itself as opposed to the land that it stands on, very little probably in the current market, its a commercial building, and in the 21st century very undesirable compared to a modern energy efficient building.

If a charitable trust wants to save it and run it as a museum then good for them but its currently owned by an individual or corporate entity who not unreasonably want to maximise the return on their investment.

As a building I dont see it warranting hostoric status, frankly its an eyesore albeit probably amongst many others.

Had it been purpose built for the manufacture of what was then state of the art racing vehicles with special features like the first Wind tunnel or whatever then there might be some justification for historic merit.

[billwill]

I'm inclined to agree with Chancer, the buildings have no real merit. I didn't show above the building used for the Elan constructions (I think)
Back
Front

They were converted stables I seem to have read somewhere.
The office-block/showroom, on which the plaque is now embedded looks as if it was built by Lotus later on. If they had the right to enhance the site then surely Jewson do now.



The building near the railway as shown in the photos earler has a big chunk of bricks torn out of its dooorway and the roof almost certainly needs replacing as it has tough vines growin up the INSIDES of the walls and growing out through window gaps.

~~~~

I think that provided they transfer the plaque to a new building there would be no harm in redeveloping the site.

It would be nice if they could use an architect who might incorporate a Lotus-car like feature and perhaps Jewson's might name the building "Chapman House" or "Lotus House".

Perhaps they could retain/incorporate the very front of the office-block/showroom, uncover the windows again and park a well-restored Elan and Europa in the show window.

[billwill]

Hmmm, from the planning request:

Demolish existing buildings on site and provide new storage buildings, relocating canteen, and improving logistics around the site including new surfacing, fencing and parking arrangements.

http://www.planningservices.haringey.go ... ame=678780

http://www.planningservices.haringey.go ... ame=678781

It seems pretty clear that they don't want to build any fancy building there. The only Lotus building to survive demolition would be the vine-ridden door-broken one near the railway. The Showroom and Stable-Block would be demolished and replaced no-less by mere "Cantelivered Racking" Methinx this is taking "adding lightness" a step too far.

I think it fairly pointless to object to all demolition of most of the site, so our efforts should concentrate on preserving the front office-block/showroom as I mentioned in the message above.

[cal44]

Apparently the building isn't that important or one of the objectors would own it. Instead, some guy that sells 2"x4"s owns it. It is to bad it will be going away but look at it..........even the guy selling the 2"x4" doesn't care.

[billwill]

Nothing really wrong with the showroom part though, except that Jewsons have covered the windows and hung notices all over it.

And no real reason to demolish it when you look at their proposal. They don't plan to put anything there except cantilevered racking. No real reason why they couldn't keep that part and use it as the managers office.

[velo5338]

Don't know if this has been generally disseminated yet but iy appears that (in part at least) the objections to developing the old Lotus site in Tottenham Lane were successful:

Mike Crowther

Contact: Robbie McNaugher
Telephone: 0208 489 8233

Date: 28/03/2015

Dear Sir/Madam

Town and Country Planning Act 1990
Town and Country Planning (General Development Procedure) Order 1995

Hooray (for now!)

Mike

Location: 11 Tottenham Lane N8 9DP
Proposal: Demolish existing buildings on site and provide new storage buildings, relocating canteen, and improving logistics around the site including new surfacing, fencing and parking arrangements.

I am writing to inform you that after taking into consideration relevant planning policies and the comments of local residents the Council has on 27/03/2015, REFUSED planning permission for the above proposal.

The officer?s report and decision notice can be found at http://www.haringey.gov.uk/planning using the above reference number.

Yours faithfully




Emma Williamson
Head of Development Management
Planning Service

[billwill]

Hooray!

SCHEDULE OF REASONS FOR REFUSAL FOR DECISION REFERENCE No. HGY/2015/0311

The application shown above has been refused for the following reasons:

1. The proposed development would result in the unjustified loss of a non-designated heritage asset (Locally Listed Building of historic significance which is considered to be contrary to London Plan Policy
7.8, Local Plan Policy SP12, Saved Haringey Unitary Development Plan Policy CSV6 and the NPPF.

2. The external storage proposed alongside Tottenham Lane are considered to result in a poor quality design which would not respond to the local context or take the opportunities available for improving the character and quality of the area contrary to Policies 3.4 and 3.5 of the London Plan 2011 and supporting guidance, Policy SP11 of the Haringey Local Plan 2013, Saved Policy UD3 of the Haringey Unitary Development Plan 2006, and The NPPF.

3. In the absence of a Transport Assessment and any necessary mitigation measures the proposal could have a negative impact upon the surrounding highway network and highway safety and is considered to be contrary to Local Plan (2013) Policy SP7 'Transport ' and London Plan (2011) Policy 6.11 'Smoothing Traffic Flow and Tackling Congestion'.

INFORMATIVE:
In dealing with this application the Council has implemented the requirement in the National Planning Policy Framework to work with the applicant in a positive and proactive way. We have made available detailed advice in the form of our development plan comprising the London Plan 2011, the Haringey Local Plan 2013 and the saved policies of the Haringey Unitary Development Plan 2006 along with relevant SPD/SPG documents, in order to ensure that the applicant has been given every opportunity to submit an application which is likely to be considered favourably. In addition, where appropriate, further guidance was offered to the applicant during the consideration of the application.

27/03/2015