Mayor Una O’Halloran with Cllr Claudia Webbe and construction workers at Caledonian Park

• RESIDENTS have been notified of a new planning application submitted by Islington Council to extend the opening hours of the café and visitor centre under construction in Caledonian Park.

The visitor centre at the North Gate is only a few metres from many people’s homes. Despite overwhelming opposition to this scheme, planning consent was granted but with conditions – “To ensure the use does not adversely impact on existing and future residential amenity” and “To ensure that the proposed development does not have an adverse impact on neighbouring residential amenity.”

Hours were limited to 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday; 10am to 6pm Saturday; and between 10am and 3pm on Sunday and bank holidays.

The foundations of these buildings have only just been laid. The scheme is still months from completion but there is already an application from the council to change the operating hours, saying that they are “too restrictive”.

This application includes the provision to extend the hours by up to 260 per cent during the summer months, closing at 9pm rather than 6pm or 3pm. The council states that this is to allow this residential site to be hired out for “private functions and parties”.

It is alarming to think that, after the months of planning and the public money spent, the original application could be so incompetent. A cynical person, or one with experience of council tactics, might think that it submitted the original restricted hours only in order to get the plans passed, having every intention of extending the hours when it suited it to do so.

In short, if the planning was granted on the basis that restrictions were put in place to protect residents’ wellbeing, then nothing has changed and surely those restrictions should stand.

These changes suggest that the council treats those whom it is supposed to represent with utter contempt. It sets a precedent that in the eyes of the council the quality of life of residents can always be overlooked to raise revenue.

LIZZY MCINNERNY
N7