Finsbury Park residents up in arms over plans to destroy Victorian houses
Concerned: Wilberforce Road residents. Photograph: Max Eckersley
A group of Hackney residents are gearing up for a fight with a developer over “chilling” proposals to demolish a block of Victorian homes and build rented flats for young professionals.
The row of properties at 3-27 Wilberforce Road currently houses the Central Park Hotel, which remains open for now despite being sold off in a multimillion pound deal in 2015.
Developer Rainbow Properties hopes to submit a planning application in the coming weeks, but has already admitted it wants to level the entire string of houses to clear the way for rented rooms with shared kitchens and social spaces.
Hugh White, who heads up a group of residents opposed to the plans, said: “There is a lot of concern among locals. Nobody would call Wilberforce Road an architectural gem, but it is an old Victorian road.
“Pulling down several period houses sets a dangerous precedent and will destroy that character of the road.
“Although we are yet to see the designs, what we have learned about them is chilling. The developer seems to want to cram an awful lot into the site, and it looks like there will be hardly any green space.
“We cannot allow the demolition of a major section of this Victorian streetscape merely so that an individual developer can enrich himself.”
Under threat: the developer wants to flatten these period properties. Photograph: Max Eckersley
Artist Thamasin, who lives directly opposite the hotel, said: “The proposals will affect the character of the whole area, not just Wilberforce Road. And what about the needs of locals? Plonking down flats for however many people means GP practices around here will be further stretched when they are already at breaking point.
“Targeting young professionals also creates a generational divide. Why have other options – like mixed-use housing with rooms for old people – not been explored?”
PR firm Quatro, acting on behalf of the developers, is to hold an initial consultation with residents tomorrow evening, offering a first glimpse of the proposals.
Quatro’s John Greenshields said the design would be “respectful” to the area: “The building will be fit for purpose, modern and clean. Pastiches always look terrible, and this is an opportunity to do something better.
“I wouldn’t work with this developer if I didn’t think they were good. One concern raised by residents is that the building will become a hostel – it most certainly will not.”
Architects have drawn up initial plans to be exhibited at tomorrow’s consultation, which will give residents an opportunity to leave feedback.
Greenshields added: “It will be interesting to find out what people think, and we would like them to come with an open mind rather than militant propositions.”
House rules: residents say this property is a fine example of Victorian architecture.
Nick Perry, director of the Hackney Society, a volunteer group which campaigns for the protection of the borough’s heritage, said: “I can safely say we are nervous about what is proposed. Wilberforce Road is a very fine example of its period. Its buildings enrich the local area and are most likely heritage assets.
“Based on what we know so far, it is hard to see how the total loss of large swathes of period housing could possibly be outweighed by any public benefit if the outcome is solely private development.
“Whilst there is an argument to be had about building a new type of low-cost accommodation for those at the foot of the housing ladder – with shared amenities and therefore reduced private floorspace – it cannot be at the cost of total loss of our built heritage.”
A statement released by Quatro read: “Rainbow Properties is an established, family-run business that specialises in owning and maintaining decent homes for people to rent affordably.
“There is an opportunity to provide high quality, modern residential accommodation at Wilberforce Road that will remove the hotel and hostel-type uses and ensure that the area returns to a more residential setting.”
A public consultation will be held at Saint John the Evangelist Church on Queen’s Drive from 4-8pm tomorrow.
Not only are they proposing to tear down these historic Victorian homes, but the developers have not disclosed the true nature of the development – temporary homes for those in transition – this could mean former criminals/drug addicts. So, from a few beautiful Victorian homes – to a 180 room modern/cheap building of temporary housing. not good news for the area – residents need to try and block this.
To take issue with the comment “Nobody would call Wilberforce Road an architectural gem” – well I would. It is a very fine street – the height of the houses and the width of the street makes an ideal sense of enclosure without any feeling of be overpowered by the houses (like in Digby Crescent for instance) or of space leaking away (like Finsbury Park Road). The houses are a simple and dignified design with the paired houses and recessed bays making a very attractive rhythm down the long street. The houses are all in good condition and the whole street is complete virtually as built in the 1880s. It should be the centre piece of a Conservation Area encompassing the all surrounding roads of the original Brownswood Park development. If there is a more handsome street in Hackney I don’t know where it is. The idea that a large section of the street should be ripped down so a “family run” developer can make a shed load of money is obscene and Hackney Council must kick this one into touch at the earliest opportunity.
It was my dream to live in a Victorian Street in London and when I was able to purchase a property in Wilberforce Road – it was a dream come true. It would be extremely sad to erase such amazing buildings, it is like removing a part of history. I agree that this should be a Conservation Area.
Wilberforce is certainly one of the best in-tact examples in Hackney of preserved Victorian architecture. The tree-lined street is full of young families and working people, and full of local businesses such as “Finks Salt and Sweet” on Wilberforce or “Sargent and Co” cycle shop etc. Wilberforce Road close to Highbury has a lot of character and is well kept, and many of the Victorian facades are being redone – Victorian tiled paths being put in, the homes painted and gardens redone. Wilberforce Road nearer to Finsbury Park station is a different story – the developers have bought #3-#27 – which makes up 15 of these Victorian homes. They have not cared for the outer facades nor for the gardens, and this part of the street is in decline (whearas the other part of the street feels like its on the up). Add to the fact that the murder of the toddler at number 25 Wilberforce road, and you start to see how an area can be dragged down by develepers who do not care or have any interest in the neighbourhood – but simply want to profit and let their houses decay, with the aim to “improve” the area by tearing down 15 Victorian homes and putting in 180 “hostel” style flats. Its very sad and should certainly be stopped. Anyone who visits the site would be shocked by the sheer number of Victorian houses that will be demolished – 15 homes like the ones pictured.
Save the street!
It would be extremely sad to see these Victorian houses demolished and as a consequence impoverish not only this street with its uniquely intact houses but also contribute to the destruction of the architectural heritage of Hackney. It must not be allowed!
Clearly there is a need for more good quality and affordable housing in London, but there are already many new buildings in a modern style coming up in the area (e.g. along Seven Sisters Road and the large new developments in Woodberry Down). It would be a disaster to erect another large modern building in favour of the Victorian houses in Wilberforce Road.
The council must take action to preserve the houses. Instead of allowing their destruction and the construction of a monstrous modern housing complex packing in individuals in small rooms, they should ensure that any redevelopment allows the Victorian houses to be given new life for residents who will contribute to the thriving (but vulnerable) local community represented for example by the two annual street plan sale events arranged by the society Wilberforce Gardeners.
However you dress it up this is a greedy developer looking to cram in as many people into the space as possible. I’m no nimby and support the need to create more housing, but why demolish attractive period houses, there are plenty of other neglected buildings/streets which could benefit from remodeling – this is not one of them. As a resident there has been an alarming escalation in day/night open drug dealing, prostitution, muggings, intimidating gang meetings on Wilberforce and parallel streets in recent months and this is in indisputably linked to the number of badly managed hostel rooms in the area. Despite what the PR firm says this is basically another hostel – for 170 – which will further exacerbate the problem.
As soon as you get the planning application number you must send it round to as many people as possible, so those who abhor this sort of full scale destruction but don’t live in the area, can object.
Join our campaign to #SaveWilberforceRoad and the beautiful Victorian houses in Finsbury Park, London N4 from demolition by a developer #SaveOurVictorianStreet
Join the Community Facebook Page: facebook.com/SaveWilberforceRoadN4/
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Thank you on behalf of the Wilberforce Road Guardians
The redevelopment of the Kings Crescent Estate will already bring a lot of new residents into the area. This development will pack the maximum residents into the minimum space simply to enrich developers at the cost of the character of the area and should be stopped – the existing buildings should be renovated instead.
I am pleased someone is trying to be bold, fair enough. Also the critique that the development will have little green space is laughable – it overlooks Finsbury Park! Go for it, we need more low cost housing for all people so it’s not just underoccupying NIMBYs in Finsbury Park.