About

Timeline

Autumn 2020 – fence erected, brick pillars built with big gates.

March / April 2021 – vegetation cleared, site levelled with small dozer, reinforced concrete raft laid. Claimed by fellow working there first that he was working for Crossrail2 (that area of Bounds Green Estate safeguarded fro XR2), then that it was his land and that he was going to use it for storage.

April 2021 – contacted London Borough of Haringey, who passed it to the enforcement officer. He used pic of dozer to contact plant hire firm, who gave him details of the fellow who was leasing it. Contacted him to explain that he needed planning permission – was told that this was ready to submit.

July 2021 – contacted XR2, who came back to say that they believed the land owned by Network Rail. Network Rail confirmed that, and intimated that they’d be willing to grant a licence on such a small area for use as wildflower meadow etc. The lady concerned then left.

From July 2021 for about a year, National Rail bureacratted around trying to decide which dept should bear the cost of restoration. Proceeded in a hurry once LBH threatened to serve enforcement notice on National Rail’s CEO.

August / Sept 2022 – concrete removed, fencing replaced with steel palisade, topsoil spread on site.

Jan-March 2023– Friends of Hillside Green Space established, grant of £1000 from LBH, bank a/c opened.

end-March 2023 – Network Rail licence granted.