Campaign Halts Noel Park Allotment Sale

9.59.19am UTC (GMT +0000) Tue 31st Oct 2006

The allotments in Noel Park have this week been saved from developers by a successful campaign by local residents and Liberal Democrat councillors. Haringey Council had been planning to sell the plot of land behind Salisbury Road in order to make way for six houses to be built, but Labour Council leader George Meehan bowed to pressure from Noel Park ward councillors and the Noel Park Residents Association and cancelled the sale at the eleventh hour.

The allotments are one of the very few remaining green spaces in Noel Park. Residents and councillors Catherine Harris and Fiyaz Mughal are angry that the decision was going to be taken without any consultation with local people.

Councillor Harris comments: "Local residents have come to me astounded that the Labour council could have the cheek to sell off the local allotments without consulting them. This is a fantastic victory for local people who are concerned about preserving the few remaining green spaces close to where they live."

Councillor Mughal comments: "The proposal to build six houses on these allotments is totally against the wishes of residents and raises huge questions as to which other green field sites are being sold off by Labour under residents' noses. Our victory here in getting the sale stopped shows that, when exposed to public scrutiny, Labour can be forced to act properly."