Plans to revolutionise Haringey’s iconic Civic Centre were approved at Planning Committee on Monday night.
The Grade II listed building will be fully redeveloped, providing the 66-year-old premises with a new annex, high-quality offices, and restored civic spaces which will be shared with the community in the heart of Wood Green. The Civic Centre will also prioritise sustainability and eco-friendly design.
Haringey Council will restore the historic building to create a welcoming and functional space for residents and council staff, while celebrating the character and rich local history in the building. Accommodating more than 800 council staff and 100s of visitors, with space for local people and community groups, the new Civic Centre will be a source of civic pride in the borough.
Residents, schools, and staff will have further opportunity to co-design the space at the next round of consultation. Pupils from Trinity Primary Academy and St Michael’s CE Primary, along with the community from St Michael’s Church, will help to design the new Woodland Garden and enhance the other landscaped areas on the site.
Haringey’s Cabinet will soon be asked to approve the commencement of work, which could start as early as next year.
Cllr Ruth Gordon, Cabinet Member for Housebuilding, Placemaking and Local Economy, said:
I’m thrilled that we are one step closer to delivering a Civic Centre that we can all be proud of.
The new high-tech offices will meet the highest sustainability standards, bringing us closer to our goal of being a net zero emissions council by 2027.
I’m especially pleased that we are working with local people to co-design the public spaces around the Civic Centre, in line with the Haringey Deal commitment to work more closely with residents.
Together with architects Hawkins / Brown and planning and heritage consultants Montagu Evans, the council aims to protect and enhance the building’s heritage.
Lucy Markham, Partner at Montagu Evans, said:
It is fantastic to see this investment in the sensitive refurbishment of an important civic asset. The design carefully balances preserving the significance of the building, with improvements to its energy performance and functionality as a modern office building and democratic space.
Having been advising Haringey Council since the Civic Centre was listed in 2018, we are very pleased to see the plans progress to this point.
