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p11
 Over the past 15 years the Stoke Newington Church Street area has
become one of the most vibrant parts of Hackney, both in which to live and to be in
business. This is as much due to its mix of people as it is to the environmental
advantages of Clissold Park, Abney Park Cemetery and its architecture.
The Street is now approaching a watershed in terms of its future development. Is it to be
a mixed-use economy, functioning on weekdays, daytime and evening, or is it to be
predominantly one of evenings and weekends only, based mainly on catering?
Hackney Council is reviewing its planning policy and has asked its officers to consider
allowing up to approximately 50 per cent of the retail units to become A3 use
(restaurants, fast food, takeaway, pub, etc). Current usage is 30 per cent. Most of these
outlets carry out the vast majority of their business in the evenings and weekends. Many
of them do not open at all in the day during the week, thus leaving ‘dead’
frontage on the Street. This will increase if A3 use grows.
There will be fewer reasons to visit and amenity and entertainment will be lost. Weekday
daytime businesses will find it more difficult to trade. This is a continuing trend even
though demand for retail frontage on Church Street is high. Do Councillors really want a
destroyed destination where you can eat but can’t shop or browse?
 There
have already been protests over A3 applications, led both by residents and businesses. The
Whincop site now has permission for the biggest restaurant yet on Church Street — 120
plus seats. Councillors appear to have ignored opposition and have turned down two reports
from their officers which suggested interim policy guidance that further A3 growth should
be limited. Whincops could have been three retail units and the Abney United Reform Church
site could have had three commercial frontages rather than residential only.
There have also been some suggestions from Councillors that, in planning terms, the High
Street and the entire length of Church Street should be considered as a whole, with the
same planning criteria. It is difficult to imagine more environmentally different places.
One is a noisy, busy one-way red route, the other has parks, Georgian and Victorian
architecture and a pleasing sense of calm. This is not elitism but a simple recognition of
geographical reality. They must be assessed differently if their full potential is to be
achieved.
All, however, is not gloom. There is now a chance to contribute to a future strategy. The
Wilmer Place car park is being considered for major development and the planners are
committed to consultation. The public can make their views known. Do call Richard Davies
on 0181 356 8033. Remember that we will get the development that we deserve and there will
be little point in complaining in five years time.
Further, if the Defoe Road depot is relocated and pedestrian-friendly measures on the
Street lead to the relocation of the fire station, what strategy will be in place to deal
with the potentially exciting uses to which those sites could be put? There is also the
site next to Vortex.
We live in interesting times and there are some potentially very glittering prizes out
there. Let’s hope we get some. We deserve them.
Robbie Richards is Secretary of the Stoke Newington Church Street Business
Association. He can be contacted at the Fox Reformed Wine Bar (Tel: 0171 254 5975). N16
would also welcome your views on this important subject.
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