The worst eyesores in Haringey could be brought back into occupation under new takeover plans agreed by Haringey Council.
In recent years the houses at 97/99 Philip Lane, N15, have suffered from fires, squatting, collapsing walls and floors, flytipping and abandoned cars. They also have no roofs.
But Haringey Council agreed on Tuesday 22 April to apply for government approval to use compulsory purchase orders to buy the two properties. If government permission is granted, the council will look to sell the properties to registered social landlords or, failing that, at auction on the open market on the condition that they are brought back into use.
The Cabinet decision means that Haringey has now earmarked eight properties around the borough for compulsory purchase orders.
The buildings at 97/99 Philip Lane had previously been used as a hostel and were emptied in 2002 for refurbishment. But squatters then moved in and set fire to the properties.
The council has written several times to the owners to offer practical and financial help with bringing the buildings back into use, but with no success. The owners have also previously turned down a housing association offer to buy the houses and land.
In addition, the owners have failed to comply with a notice served by the council in June 2007 in relation to the exterior condition of the properties and their effect on the surrounding area.
The site continues to attract continual dumping of rubbish, while there are abandoned cars on the land to the rear of the houses.
The properties are in the Tottenham Conservation Area and English Heritage has ruled that their façade must be retained in any future development.
Cabinet Member for Housing, Cllr Isidoros Diakides, said:
“These are probably the most notorious buildings in all of Haringey. They completely ruin what’s supposed to be a conservation area and other residents shouldn’t have to put up with them.
“At the same time, we cannot allow properties to stand empty when there’s so much housing pressure in Haringey. We offer a range of help to owners of empty properties to bring them back into use, but if they continually ignore these offers then we may be forced to take matters into our own hands.”
Owners of properties which have been empty for more than a year may be eligible for grants of up to £17,000 per unit to make necessary repairs and improvements to make them habitable.
First time buyers and owner occupiers can also apply for grants of up to half of the cost of the works, up to a maximum of £25,000, to enable them to move into new properties.
For more information visit www.haringey.gov.uk/empty_property_grants. Alternatively, you can call Anoma Amarajeewa on 020 8489 4214 or Glayne Russell on 020 8489 5252.
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