Plans have been unveiled for what is shaping up to be one of the bigger housing developments to hit Crouch End in recent years.

     Image: Google maps; image above Farrar Mews development Public Consultation Board, click for details

Warner Priory Limited, the company controlled by members of the Warner family who also own the shops and flats of Edwardian (1906) Palace Parade that wrap around the corner of Priory Road and Park Road, have been carrying out pre-application consultation into its plans to redevelop Farrer Mews at the parade’s rear. The developer’s team carried out a consultation event on its plans at Hornsey’s Moravian Church recently.

The proposed scheme redevelops a set of existing buildings that are coming to the ‘end of their useful life’, providing much needed housing. The site currently consists of DBK Building Services’ yard, a collection of garages and an empty two-storey mechanic’s workshop. This stretch of road, which is hidden behind the parade, is probably best known locally for the vehicles associated with the classic car business housed there for many years.

A ‘traditional’ mews terrace is proposed, comprising six three-bedroom houses, ‘book-ended’ by a block of six one- and two-bedroom apartments at one end and a duplex unit at the other. The developer hopes to sell the houses for £750,000 plus each and the flats for between £350,000 and £450,000. One or more affordable homes are likely to be included in the scheme with the final number to be agreed with Haringey council when it considers the planning application.

Warner Priory’s team also say that the units have been designed to ‘meet or exceed’ the space requirements set out in both the Building Regulations and the London Plan, while offering ‘good levels’ of natural light. They are seeking to create a ‘contemporary’ residential development, featuring a factory-style ‘saw tooth’ roof. The roof ridges of the mews properties will be around 2m lower than those of the dwellings in adjoining Farrer Road, although the first floor apartments will overlook these gardens.

A potential increase in parking is a concern for neighbouring residents. The developer’s team claim that the new homes will not add to such problems because not all residents are likely to possess cars, while parking was an inevitable by-products of the mews’ previous uses. Seven off-street and four on-street parking space have been included in the development. In addition, the street scene will be ‘rearranged’ to discourage inappropriate parking along the mews. Transforming the mews will also tackle long standing eyesores, such as fly-tipping, accumulated rubbish and abandoned vehicles, the developers claim.

The development looks like a relatively low-rise proposal for a site, which is well-located for bus routes, although not for other forms of public transport. And the developer seeks to counter concerns that granting consent for this scheme will open the door to further development in the mews by arguing that the site is a ‘one off opportunity’ where ‘very little’ further development which could be undertaken. As such, the Farrer Mews appears to offer the opportunity of a rare small site in largely built Crouch End where new housing can be provided.

Anybody who would like to make their views known about the proposed development can do so via an online feedback form by a deadline of Monday June 16^th.