Forum topic: The Fox - what the developers have in mind

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A little more information has been revealed by Hard Hat to a group of local residents about the developments at the Fox, although they continue to stress the fluid nature of their plans. What follows is my personal view. Hard Hat are to be congratulated on their extensive informal consultation which I hope will encourage them to improve their plans as they near formal consultation and submission of a planning application. I don’t think that anyone opposes plans to uprate the Fox, but as ever the devil is in the details.

Unfortunately for PGC readers Hard Hat are not at stage when plans, even indicative ones can be released, so I will have to try to describe what we were shown. . No doubt if I have misunderstood what was said or is intended they will clarify matters through the Palmers Green Community website.

The indicative outline proposals shown included only the general ground and first floor. These showed the retention of the original Fox building, but with a much smaller pub/bar area. I understood that the basement would be developed to accommodate new toilets and services, but I didn’t understand how some sort of open kitchen area mentioned would fit the new footprint. The whole of the rest of the site (ie the remaining part of the original Edwardian building and the existing car park) showed a large retail space, residential access to flats above and a small area of covered parking and bin stores. Use of the retail area would depend on market reaction.

Above the retail area was a deck at first floor level extending across the whole site, with flats on several levels arranged around a south facing communal roof garden. This garden would be for the residents of the flats. The new build included a new façade with flats behind at the same height of the main Fox, running from the Fox along Fox Lane to the west boundary of the existing car park. Access to the (reduced) residents’ parking was through an arched entrance. The remaining original Fox facade would be retained and renovated and the missing top of the corner turret replaced.

The limited illustrations suggested they there might be around 25 flats above the car park area at first floor level, and it was indicated that there would accommodation for the landlord (and perhaps five additional flats) over the pub.

The most important issue raised by residents was that there was no obvious space for a function/community room set out in the illustrations. A critical issue for the local community is therefore whether Star Pubs and Bars have such a facility as part of any of their business models and Hard Hat were asked to find out whether such a facility could be included. The developers will need hard facts to persuade them that such a space would be commercially viable and it was agreed that information on existing use (eg for stand-up comedy nights, music, Talkies film nights, ward forums) would be passed to Hard Hat. However, if the proposed uprated pub “offering” moved up market and the existing function room(which I think is uninviting) was also renovated the use for wedding receptions and other such events could be developed to increase income.

Details of the “offering” are only general; something not in competition with Wetherspoons is about as far as it goes. Is this ambitious enough? Given the proliferation of coffee bars, cafés, and restaurants in Palmers Green will it be sufficiently distinctive? Why not a gastro pub!

Among further detailed points, it was suggested that space for cycle racks would be needed and that the car park needed more space to allow manoeuvring. Regret was expressed that there didn’t appear to be any outside space for future users of the Fox.

This all reflects on concern about the density of the development, its potential impact on neighbouring properties, the practicality of the resident’s parking space and access, siting of and access to bin stores and the closeness of the new building to boundaries, potentially overlooking neighbouring properties. The admittedly impressionistic illustration of the new Fox Lane facade suggests that it would extend the building line to the pavement edge. If as shown this is at the same height of the retained Fox, this could result in a massing which would detract from the appearance of the original structure. The risk is that the current building would become subsumed by it and lose much of its iconic prominence.

Although housing particularly so called “affordable” housing must be a priority, without more school places, doctors’ and dentists’ surgeries etc the pressures on local services will continue to grow. That’s no criticism of this scheme, just something to remember. However one further issue about of these plans is parking. Though current standards for the ratio of flats to car parking will no doubt be enforced in any approved planning application, this does not prevent residents exceeding this ratio. There are concerns there will be pressure for on street parking, which is already under severe stress especially on the eastern side of Green Lanes.

Hard Hat have had some initial discussions with Enfield planners, but stress that they are still sounding out local opinion, and that there will be more definitive presentations to the public as plans finalise and a formal planning application next spring.
Colin Younger