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Thirteenth estate agent a 'mistake'
Environment chief admits blunder
A BLUNDER by Town Hall staff allowed another estate agent
into Highgate Village, a senior council figure has admitted.
Residents say estate agents are destroying the character of
the area. The latest addition has brought the number to 13.
Speaking at the last of a series of debates organised by the
Highgate Society last Wednesday, Camden’s environment chief
Councnilor John Thane said: “Extremely foolishly, officers
granted permission under delegated powers.” He said he
was not involved in the decision.
Highgate Society chairman Robin Fairlie is now calling on the
Town Hall to boot the estate agents out.
He said: “They have admitted it was a mistake so they now
need to revoke the permission. They would need to pay compensation
but if you make a mistake you have to rectify it.”
Residents and traders, who have already complained bitterly
about the number of estate agents in Highgate High Street, have
accused Parkheath bosses of sneaking in under false pretences.
The company was given the go-ahead last year after it agreed
to operate its estate agency from the shop’s basement and
use the ground floor as an interior design shop.
But signs outside advertising the estate agency – which
bosses have since been forced to take down – and a video
screen inside the shop featuring properties for sale have angered
residents and traders.
Mr Fairlie said: “The idea that it is a shop is ludicrous.
It is simply a ploy to get a foot in the door so in two or three
years they can go to the council and get full planning permission
for an estate agents.”
Parkheath boss Malcolm Terry said the company had added to the
quality of the street by “taking over an incredibly run-down
shop and smartening it up” – and accused opponents
of victimisation.
He said: “It’s a bit of an old whinge. We have a retail
business there and we sell quality products. Other retailers
have said they are pleased to have us. I don’t know what
else we can do.
“We did not realise that we needed planning permission
for the video screen. We have since written to the council to
asking for it.”
A Town Hall spokesman said that officers were writing to the
company regarding the video screen, adding: “We are aware
they are trying to get around the fact they do not have permission
to trade on the premises as an estate agency.
“We plan to serve a discontinuance notice on the shop.”
Other issues that came up in the packed, two-hour meeting included
an admission by Cllr Thane that he and his colleagues had never
met their counterparts at Haringey council – despite the
border of the boroughs running up the middle of the High Street
and a discussion on why public toilets in Pond Square had been
closed.
He was joined by his colleague Maggie Cosin and Haringey Cllrs
Bob Hare and Peter Hillman.
Mr Fairlie said the issues of the toilets “was the absolute
touchstone keeping this community together.”
Cllr Thane blamed Mayor Ken Livingstone for failing to persuade
Transport for London bosses to share the costs of keeping the
Pond Square toilets open.
He said: “I was asked to make a 12 per cent cut in my budget
or I would have a £5 million hole going into the next
financial year. We did go to TFL asking them to share the costs
but they say they can not do it.” |
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