PRESS RELEASE
HORNSEY TOWN HALL TRUST LIMITED
65 Fleet Street
London
EC4Y 1HS
22 December 2004
HORNSEY TOWN HALL
DECISION OF HARINGEY EXECUTIVE
PRESS RELEASE
Yesterday evening, 21 December, Haringey's Executive approved a process which involves the sale of a long lease of Hornsey Town Hall to a single property developer. At the same time selected members of an advisory panel created by Haringey will study the viability of a trust of some or all of the Town Hall building. The process leaves Haringey committed to a sale of its land interests at the best price reasonably obtainable, euphemistically referred to by Executive Member, Richard Milner, as "best value". The Hornsey Town Hall Trust implores Haringey to consider a community scheme under which Haringey is released from its legal obligation to get the best price reasonably obtainable. The Trust presented a business plan to the Executive. This shows that a community scheme under which a charitable trust controls the whole site, which minimises sales of community assets into the private sector and which is not dependent upon a single property developer represents the best way to realise community aspirations. The approach which has been approved requires "best value" to be obtained in conjunction with a single developer. This inevitably means a takeover by a residential property speculator because that is where most money can be made from the property. This process leaves Hornsey Town Hall Trust with no option but to bid for the site in competition with other bidders. Otherwise community aspirations will be left with those parts of Hornsey Town Hall which English Heritage's constraints make difficult for a property speculator to re-develop. The Trust thanks Barbara Roche M.P. (Hornsey and Wood Green) for her clear presentation to the Executive in support of the Trust in which she warned against the procedure which the Executive were being asked to approve.
Stephen Hoyle
Secretary to the Trustees -
Telephone numbers for enquiries
020 7832 7369
07710 551 755
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