AGM 2025

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

Thursday 15 May 2025, 8 pm

United Reformed Church, Queens Ave, Muswell Hill, N10 3NU

AGENDA

  • Apologies for absence
  • Minutes of the Meeting held on 23rd May 2024
  • Chairman’s Report
  • Treasurer’s Report
  • Election of Officers
  • Election of Committee
  • Election of Independent Examiner
  • Any other business, including questions from members

Snacks and light refreshments will be served

Attendance is for current members only. To renew your 2025-2026 membership, click HERE or contact membership@mhfga.org

COMMITTEE REPORTS

Conservation Officer, CAAC, Hon. Secretary
John Crompton

Planning applications in Conservation Areas

This has been a year of relatively low activity, with the majority of applications being for modest domestic proposals.   What is rather puzzling is why it sometimes takes several months for these to be decided by the Council.  

Following objections from a large number of residents and the Association, the Council refused permission for the application to build nine homes on the Grove Tennis Club site in Cascade Avenue on the Rookfield Estate.  An appeal has been lodged by the proposed developer with the Hearing due to be held on 10 June.

Town Centre

The most significant change is probably at the former Poundland and Woolworths building.   It is now an Aldi supermarket on the ground floor level, with welcome changes to the appearance of the rest of the premises.

Regrettably, it has taken a long time for new tenants to come forward to take over the vacant premises following the closure of several banks on Broadway.  There is positive news, though – a vet called Creature Comforts is due to take over the former NatWest, and there are also proposals for the former Barclays.

It’s good to see that the improvement and renovation work at the library on Queens Avenue appears to be nearing completion. We look forward to the building reopening after being closed since June 2023.

Planning Policy

The outcome of the general election last year meant that work on the new Haringey local plan has been further delayed to incorporate the far-reaching changes made to the National Planning Policy.  Since then, the government has published the Planning and Infrastructure Bill, which is also wide in its scope. Once the new draft local plan is available for consultation, the Committee will conduct a thorough review to identify any policy changes that may diminish the attractiveness of Muswell Hill as a place to live, work, or visit. Appropriate representations will be made to the Council where necessary.  

Planning
Nick Barr

My remit is to scrutinise applications concerning properties that are not in Conservation Areas; however, I review all applications in the relevant Wards and will object where an application is made for front garden parking.

Between 27 April 2024 and 30 April 2025, on behalf of the Association, I reviewed approximately 340 applications in the Alexandra, Fortis Green, and Muswell Hill Wards and submitted nine objections.

The number of planning applications has been substantially the same for the last two years; however, as previously reported, since Haringey now includes matters such as tree works and permitted development notices in the same lists as full planning applications, it is not possible to be accurate.

The majority of applications are for uncontentious domestic schemes; however, there have been a small number of larger applications, some of which I refer to below.

The Haringey Planning website continues to present challenges with some applications each week having missing supporting documents lodged or some missing. It is only possible to be aware of those documents that clearly have been overlooked, such as Application Forms, which does, of course, beg the question of documents that I cannot be aware of not being included. When I am aware, I alert Haringey, and generally, the mistake is made good.

The following are examples of matters where the Association has made representations in the last year:

  • Fortis Green Tennis Club
    As previously reported, this is an application on behalf of the Landlord to demolish the existing clubhouse and erect five new houses, a new clubhouse with three flats above, and to refurbish two of the existing four tennis courts, providing a new court, which will reduce the total number of courts from four to three. Following over 250 comments, with the majority objecting, including a detailed objection from the Association, the application was refused substantially because the development would result in the loss of one tennis court. It can be expected that the Applicant will appeal.
  • 37, Cranley Gardens
    An application for a dropped curb and front garden parking. This was refused following representations by the Association.
  • 13 Bedford Road
    An application to demolish the existing building and the erection of a new mixed-use development up to five storeys high with commercial uses at ground level, 12 self-contained flats and a basement plant room. In the Association’s view, the proposal is too large and unsympathetic to the surrounding area. With over fifty comments filed, including one from the Association, and a target decision date in July last year, no decision has been posted yet for unclear reasons.
  • 265 Albert Road
    A proposal to demolish a run-down garage and build a three-storey, three-bedroom house on a site opposite Rhodes Avenue School. While the creation of new housing will always be supported, the proposed design fails to achieve the design standards set by Haringey, and the Association has consequently objected.

Environmental Issues and Green Spaces
Brian Livingston

  • Flowerboxes around the Broadway and the Cattle Trough opposite the Library
    As usual, the Association has funded the new plants for the flowerboxes and the cattle trough to brighten up the Broadway. During the last year, we had some glorious geraniums which flowered into the late Autumn. However, the geraniums did not survive the winter, and so new geraniums will be planted at the beginning of May.
  • Colney Hatch Lane Beds
    The beds are well-established, and so we just need to undertake pruning, weeding, etc., as and when required. We continue to receive positive comments from members of the public passing by.
  • New Haringey Parks Manager
    Chris Cavalier took up his post of Parks Manager in the Autumn of 2024 following a year of interim managers. I undertook a walk around Muswell Hill with Chris in February, and I was pleased to hear his ideas for improving the service. In March, the Council weeded the various flowerbeds and laid down bark chippings, and also pruned the shrubs in the raised beds around the Broadway.
  • Flowerbeds outside COOK and at the Fortis Green Road Traffic Lights
    The drought-resistant plants installed as part of the Association’s 75th Anniversary have survived well, and recently, Parks gave the beds a makeover as outlined above.
  • Pocket Park (opposite Village Green)
    You may have seen the fantastic new area of planting recently installed in the Pocket Park, which has made a huge difference to the park’s appearance. For this, we must thank our member Christine Cunliffe, whose idea this was. Christine also arranged for the work to be undertaken and paid for them herself. A big thank you to Christine for her generosity. Christine also regularly visits the park to clear up rubbish and carry out weeding, etc.. Disappointingly, the Council has only carried out some limited works in this area, and the promises given at the time of the Association’s 75th Anniversary remain largely unfulfilled.
  • MHFGA 75th Anniversary – New Tree on the Bus Station Roundabout
    Two years ago, I asked the Council if we could plant a new signature tree on the roundabout to celebrate the Association’s 75th Anniversary. This was agreed, and after checking that there are no underground services in the area, the Council attempted to plant the tree but then realised they would need to liaise with TFL to get access for their truck onto the bus stand area. I am disappointed that a year after coming across this problem, the tree has still not been planted.
  • New Trees in the Broadway
    At last year’s AGM, I reported that 20 locations had been identified and the consultation process with shops was about to start, to be followed by a crowdfunding campaign. This project moved fast; by the end of September, the crowdfunding campaign on the “Trees for Streets” platform had raised funding for 40 new trees. In all, we had over 140 individual donations. Then, by the end of November, 27 trees had been planted around the Broadway. Since then, we have identified locations for the remaining trees to be planted, and this will be done in the next planting season, starting in November 2025. Many thanks to our members, Louise, Minty and Jennie (Cachao Toys), who had the inspiration for the project and have helped drive it forward.
  • Veolia and Street Rubbish
    I have kept in regular contact with Veolia’s “Village Manager” for Muswell Hill to resolve any issues with the street bins and street sweeping. The Veolia manager always reacts quickly to sort out the issues. The rubbish problems in Queens Avenue have improved slightly. Christine Cunliffe has been active here too and reports issues to Veolia.
  • Potholes, graffiti removal, blocked road gullies, damaged street furniture, open Virgin Media cabinets, damaged paving, faulty street lights, fly posting and the like
    I continue to report any issues to Haringey using the “Love Clean Streets” App. The reporting system works very well, and confirmation emails are sent out by the Council. Graffiti is cleared up very quickly, but other work can take longer if undertaken by the Council’s contractors. I am concerned about the number of potholes which are not being repaired, and I have approached our local councillors to take this up together with the Council.. More recently, I have been chasing the Council to repair one of the new benches by the flowerbed near COOK. The back of the bench has been vandalised twice, but it has finally been repaired.
  • Redundant Phone Boxes
    Having lobbied the Council for some years, I was pleased to see the removal of the phone boxes outside Sainsbury’s and next to Angela Rose. We continue to campaign for the removal of the phone box outside Waitrose, which is a real eyesore.
  • Potential Repair Café in Muswell Hill
    As reported in our March / April 2025 Newsletter, Haringey Fixers would like to see a Repair Café open in Muswell Hill alongside the other four locations in the Borough. This is now being driven forward by the Muswell Hill Sustainability Group. If you are interested in helping either with admin, supporting or repairing, please email info@ mhsgroup.org

Transport & Highways
Christopher White

The Association has continued to press Haringey Council for a solution to the high number of delivery mopeds loitering on the Broadway, taking up valuable parking space. The Council is now considering creating dedicated bays, and the Association has suggested possible locations. We have also reiterated our view that delivery mopeds should be subject to parking charges if using bays and not actively in the process of a pickup or delivery, and have requested attention to the enforcement of regulations against leaving engines running.

The Association has also suggested locations for additional Lime bike parking bays.

The Association has encouraged members to respond to Haringey Council’s brief informal consultation on their proposal for five School Streets in Muswell Hill. This proposal would bar motorised vehicles from the streets in question, both sides of school drop-off and pick-up times, unless an exemption is granted.

The streets in question are

  • Eden Primary and Fortismere School (Creighton Avenue)
  • Muswell Hill Primary School (Dukes Avenue) 
  • Norfolk House School (Muswell Avenue)
  • Our Lady of Muswell Hill Catholic Primary School (Pages Lane)
  • Tetherdown Primary School (Collingwood Avenue and Grand Avenue)

Haringey Council has also identified two future School Streets, but these have not yet been worked up and are therefore not included in this consultation:

  • Rhodes Avenue Primary School and Alexandra Park School
  • Fortismere School (Twyford Avenue)

We have brought to members’ attention the campaign for an extended 603 bus service between Muswell Hill and Swiss Cottage.

Consultative Committee Alexandra Palace & Newsletter Editor
Duncan Neill

  • Alexandra Palace
    It has been another positive year for Alexandra Palace and Park in terms of the scale and success of events and projects. Events such as the darts tournament (which seems to gain more media coverage every year), the two-night Fireworks Festival, and sold-out music concerts, a varied range of exhibitions and shows, and theatre runs such as Horrible Histories Horrible Christmas, the North London Book Fest, and the weekly ParkRun bring huge crowds to the Palace and Park. Smaller-scale initiatives such as Café Palais (for people living with dementia and their carers) and the Young Actors Company provide many other important opportunities for young and old.
    Despite ongoing efforts, the Palace and Park continue to face significant financial challenges. Rising costs, a substantial backlog of maintenance and improvement works across its historic buildings and extensive estate, and a challenging trading environment for hospitality services all place increasing pressure on resources. As a charity, supported by Haringey Council, which faces its own financial constraints, the need for effective fundraising will only become more critical in the years ahead.
    The Association is represented on the Board of Trustees of Alexandra Palace and Park Charitable Trust by Duncan Neill and on the Consultative Committee, and by John Crompton on the Statutory Advisory Committee. All Association members are welcome to contact either Duncan or John to raise ideas or questions about the Palace and Park.
  • Newsletter
    The Newsletter has continued to be edited by Duncan Neill, and six issues were published in the year. All members receive an electronic copy by email, and several printed copies are distributed to local shops and businesses. We thank all contributors to the newsletter and anyone interested in writing a piece, whether it’s about an event, a local organisation, or anything of local interest, to get in touch.

Meetings
Della Deme

  • Member Feedback and Planning
    Our event planning has been significantly shaped by the invaluable input we received from members through our survey distributed via flyers and email during May 2024. Your feedback has been crucial in shaping our activities and has provided many ideas for the types and formats of events you’d like to see. Everyone who completed the survey was entered into a prize draw for a free lifetime membership. Congrats to Gill, our winner!
  • Community Litter Picking
    A community litter-picking event was held on Sunday, 22nd September, at the Alexandra Park end of Parkland Walk. This followed a successful trial in June, where students and parents from St James Primary School collected five and a half bags of rubbish. This initiative has helped keep our local environment tidy while introducing family volunteering opportunities.
  • Talk by Peter Webb
    An evening talk titled “Toulouse-Lautrec and the Cabarets of Paris” was held on Wednesday, 25th September. This fascinating topic was presented by renowned art historian, author, and lecturer Peter Webb at North Bank, Muswell Hill Methodist Church. Members enjoyed learning about this famous artist and the vibrant cabaret culture of Paris.
  • Early Christmas Holiday Social Event
    An informal gathering took place on Wednesday, 20th November, at the Muswell Hill Bowls Club on Kings Avenue. This event provided an excellent opportunity for members to meet each other and the MHFGA Committee while discovering this charming local venue. The relaxed atmosphere encouraged open conversations and allowed for valuable networking among attendees, strengthening our community bonds and fostering new connections between neighbours with shared interests in local affairs.

2025 Events Held To Date

  • Evening Talk with Local Police
    An informative discussion and Q&A session with Sgt Sam Hemstead and a colleague was held on Wednesday, 5th February at North Bank. Topics covered included burglary, robbery, vehicle crime, theft (shoplifting), and anti-social behaviour, as well as crime prevention tips. The event provided valuable insights into local policing priorities and practical advice.
  • Local Guided Walk
    A guided walk around Muswell Hill with Sally from North London Tours took place on Saturday, 22nd March. The walk covered the rich history of Muswell Hill, including dairy farms, a Victorian murder, nuns, suffragettes, and more. Participants enjoyed discovering the fascinating stories behind familiar local landmarks.

Upcoming Events

  • Evening Talk – 1st May 2025
    A talk by Maureen Paton on her new historic crime novel and the research behind it is scheduled for Thursday 1st May at 8pm at Muswell Hill Methodist Church, North Bank.

Future Events

The planning for the remainder of 2025 includes:

  • AGM and members’ social on Thursday 15th May at 8pm at the United Reformed Church, Queens Avenue
  • Further local guided walks in June
  • Evening talks in September
  • An Early Christmas Holiday Social Event in November
  • Continued family volunteering opportunities, such as local litter picking

Get Involved

Thank you for your participation in these events and for your feedback, which helps us plan activities that are of interest to our members. Full details of upcoming events, including confirmed dates and times, are being emailed to members, published on our website, and included in future newsletters.

We look forward to seeing you at future gatherings!

Social Media
Zoe Norfolk

On Facebook, we now have 2,850 followers  

Zoe regularly posts any changes in Muswell Hill when  they happen, our followers learn first-hand from our page local news, which has built trust and consequently engagement. 

Our Instagram Followers hit 2000 this year, and we currently have 2,011.

Zoe also shares a lot of the content across to her account ( that has over 8,000 followers ) which has very high engagement. This, in turn, brings us new followers 

Notice board:

Keeping it up to date with posters that are given and keeping our visibility on it about how to join etc.

Website
Alex Vincenti

Over the last 12 months, the Muswell Hill and Fortis Green Association website, www.mhfga.org, has seen a significant increase in traffic.  More than 5,000 visitors (up 85%) have viewed more than 9,000 pages (up 51%) of material. The most visited pages were the News pages, at about 30%, with a special focus on planning and conservation reports, as well as the opening of new shops. Almost 15% searched older archives starting from 2016 and the Muswell Hill Yesterday section, highlighting the importance of the Association’s written and visual recorded history.

mhfga.org visitors & views 2024-2025

The increase in visitors has been helped by publishing news stories linked to email updates and by links to the website from Facebook and Instagram. The pages of static information have grown from 60 to 65, while the number of ongoing stories or posts has increased from 130 to 211. The chart above shows the viewing peaks that mirror the emailed news updates.