The Dartmouth Park Neighbourhood Forum has voiced concerns that the plan for the demolition of Highgate Newtown Community Centre will have be too noisy and cause safety issues in the vicinity of the development.
The centre’s demolition is due to take place in the coming months, and the DPNF, after successfully lobbying for the consultation period for the plan to be extended, said it has “strong concerns relating to nuisance to neighbours in the lockdown period and safety concerns as to the heavy movement of trucks on Bertram Street”.
The demolition forms part of Camden Council’s plans to replace the centre with 41 homes as part of its Community Investment Programme (CIP).
The plans were expanded in February 2019, and will see the existing community hub and surrounding buildings replaced with housing – including seven homes for affordable rent – and a new community centre.
The DPNF’s Ellen Gates, who sits on its planning and development group, said: “We are eager to ensure Dartmouth Park residents are treated with the utmost care, respect and safety during this development phase. And, that their ordinary lives are not seriously disrupted. We’d encourage all those affected to put in a response by 31st May.”
Maya de Souza, a former Highgate councillor and the new chair of the DPNF, said: “The thing that’s changed is the route that is going to be used to take materials in and out of the site.
“We want to make sure the neighbourhood is entirely aware of this.”
She added the forum would like to see care taken during the demolition so as not to destroy materials such as windows and doors which were only installed in parts of the building during a 2014 refurbishment. A Camden Council spokesperson said: “The Highgate Newtown Community Centre Demolition Management Plan is currently under consultation until May 31st and we are encouraging residents to have their say.
“Local residents, organisations and businesses have also been invited to attend a Construction Working Group meeting, which is being held remotely on May 28th.”
To attend, contact jagdish.tak@camden.gov.uk.
To see the current demolition plans and make comments, visit mmdemolition.co.uk/HighgateNewtown. Until May 31, representations can be emailed to Camden’s contractor MM Demolition on admin@mmdemolition.co.uk or sent in writing to M&M Demolition, Victory Way, Admirals Park, Crossways, Dartford, DA2 6QD.
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