Supermarket set to fund new council properties?

Published: 8 April 2010
by DAN CARRIER

A £20million plan for Camden’s first social housing block in 30 years could be financed by handing over a long lease on the site to a multi-national supermarket.

The development, on Chester Road in Highgate Newtown, will see a 1970s block pulled down and replaced with both council and private homes, and a new business.

It currently boasts a launderette, a convenience store, a dentist, a picture framers, a fish and chip shop, a tailors, complementary health practitioner, a community office and the popular Fresh Juice gym for young people. But there are currently no proposals for a similar tranche of businesses to be invited back when the build is completed. 

Town Hall housing chief, Liberal Democrat councillor Chris Naylor, would neither confirm nor deny that the council may have to hand over a section of the site to a large-scale supermarket to help pay for it.

“No decisions have been made yet,” he said. “One of the mistakes in the past was to make the size of the shop units fixed so you cannot change them. We are building for the next 50 years and need to be flexible. 

“I would prefer to have a mix of shops and we know there is a need for a food store. Whether a Waitrose or Tesco would pay a high rent is questionable.”

Cllr Naylor added that while cash has come from central government and the council, the scheme would pay for itself.

Now the council are being warned that the parade – considered the heart of the area’s community – must take into account what people living there want. 

Highgate ward Green councillor Maya De Sousa said: “Residents have made it clear they value the benefits of small, family-run businesses.

“The design specification signed off by Cllr Naylor  had space for one large 500 square metre shop – which is what Tesco or Waitrose would be keen on. To allow for smaller independent shops, the premises need to be smaller.”

Her views were echoed by Fabian Watkinson, who lives nearby and has been involved in the campaign to save the homes. 

He said: “We are going to lose so much. For example, the launderette is the last in the area, and for many people, who live in flats built in the 1920s, it is a vital service.”

He added: “We want a mix of independent shops that are the equivalent size of what is there now. This has been completely ignored. This scheme is run by money. They are just interested in generating cash. If I was a betting man, I’d put my money on the space housing one big supermarket.”

Although much of the final design is up in the air, architects Rick Mathers, based in Camden High Street, have won the brief. Architect Gavin Miller said the designs will draw on various elements of housing the area already has, which is a mixture of a Victorian terrace, Edwardian stretch and celebrated 1970s social housing  

Mr Miller said: “We have a huge legacy to follow, and that is an exciting challenge.”

The architects say that no design has yet been set in stone, but the number of social housing units and the need to replace businesses has been finalised. They insist they will listen to all views.

“We are limited by the size but there are so many good things we can do,” added Mr Miller.