NEWS & VIEWS
Autumn update: DP Healthy Neighbourhood; Archway Campus; cultural events
Autumn Update STOP PRESS: Camden's Community Support Bus - providing a BMI and Know Your Risk score assessment, blood pressure check, flu and COVID vaccinations and smoking cessation advice - will be a Holly Lodge Community Centre (30 Makepeace Avenue, N6 6HL) on...
HNF response to DP Healthy Neighbourhood proposals
Highgate Neighbourhood Forum response to co-design phase of Dartmouth Park Healthy Neighbourhood proposals by Camden Council July/Aug 2024 Traffic congestion and pollution have always been key concerns for locals for decades and we welcome Camden’s work to start to...
The threat to the local hydrology and ecology posed by the School’s proposals
Local resident and veteran environmental campaigner Nicky Gavron warns Highgate about the impact of Highgate School's development proposals. The work of the Highgate Neighbourhood Forum has been very valuable in regard to this topic, especially the way you have...
What will Highgate School’s proposed developments mean for Highgate?
Commentary on Highgate School development proposals by Gail Waldman, Chair, Highgate Conservation Area Advisory Committee This will take you through each application from a heritage and conservation area perspective but that is definitely not to say that each...
Guide to doing your own Citizen Science Project
Highgate Neighbourhood Forum Citizen Science Guide HNF are encouraging everyone in Highgate - and particularly those with gardens on our suggested wildlife corridors - to survey their patch. Thanks to Heath Hands for these suggestions on how to begin your Citizen...
Help us map Highgate’s Wildlife Corridors
Our project to increase Highgate's biodiversity began with a meeting of all the neighbourhood's major landowners (schools, parks, Parkland Walk, Heath Hands, Omved Gardens, the Golf Club etc) back in September 2022. Inspiring speakers told us about what they were...
Work to restore The Bank begins
Long awaited structural repairs to the historic Bank retaining wall and the replacement of footpaths and railings, as well as resurfacing of the Bank itself, began on 20 November 2023. The works will continue until 20 April 2024 with a break from 22 December until...
October 2023 newsletter: Archway Road and Old Station groups
October news, events and campaigns New Archway Road Action Group A group of local people, including some from the Highgate Neighbourhood Forum, will be getting together in November to talk about Archway Road. Can we support one another to make Archway Road a greener...
Our replacement street trees are flourishing
We are pleased to report that our CIL-funded replacement street trees have at last been planted around Highgate. Our friends in the Cholmeleys have sent the following pics to show us how their trees are flourishing. Do send us more pics of the trees in your street.
Plans for play areas in Parkland Walk and Shepherd’s Hill
We have had an update from Haringey Parks Project Officer Jake Jones on our two CIL-fuinded play projects: Parkland Walk Play We are looking to install a play trail using natural materials which help people connect with Parkland Walk through play. This scheme has been...
Earth Day Biodiversity Brainstorm inspires
As part of local Earth Day celebrations, LUX is hosted a Biodiversity Brainstorm on Saturday 22 April from 2–4pm. We heard from local activists about projects to support and increase our biodiversity. 2–3pm: Speakers: Jeska Harrington Gould, Growing Green Simon Olley,...
February newsletter: focus on urban greening
Your ideas wanted for the Biodiversity Brainstorm We're inviting everyone to present one idea and an image to help us all increase the biodiversity of our gardens, balconies and allotments + create wildlife corridors between our green spaces. There will then be a...
Resurfacing to cause severe disruption on Highgate Hill and High Street
Local residents have received the following letters from Camden and Haringey Councils: Highgate High Street between Cholemeley Park and outside number 19– Carriageway resurfacing I write to inform you that the Council’s contractor Volkerhighways will shortly be...
New Year newsletter
All change for 271 and 263 bus routes The 271 bus service (except for night buses) will be withdrawn from Saturday 4 February.Instead, the 263 bus will be rerouted up Highgate Hill and through the Village before continuing down North Hill - it will then go on to...
No further cuts to North London Buses
TfL have announced that, due to additional funding provided by the Mayor after hard bargaining with the Government, they will now not need to carry out the changes to the 214 bus route described below. Read their full report here. For clarity, we should add that this...
HNF response to Haringey’s Parks and Greenspaces Strategy
We welcome Haringey’s efforts at producing a Parks and Green Spaces Strategy in these difficult times and welcome this consultation giving us a chance to express our views and make some input. The full Parks and Greenspaces Strategy under consultation is at the time...
Highgate to be part of new constituency
We are pleased to see that the latest and final Boundary Commission consultation recommends that the whole of Highgate be included in the new Hampstead and Highgate constituency. Find out more and comment here. Our response to the Boundary Commission is as follows: We...
Arts Council funding for Garden for the Gardenless
Lauderdale House has received Arts Council funding to develop a new project. In due course, GARDEN FOR THE GARDENLESS will be a performance in and designed for Waterlow Park next September which will involve over 100 members of the community as performers and...
More cuts to North London bus services proposed
Transport for London (TfL) have warned that bus services in central London could be cut by up to 20% under new proposals in response to savings demanded by the Government. TfL are currently consulting on the proposals which include the removal of 250 buses and 16...
The Highgate Neighbourhood Forum launches the Highgate Guide to Volunteering
Households in Highgate will soon be receiving their copies of the newly published Highgate Guide to Volunteering. Distributed to 9,000 letter boxes in N6, the guide lists as many as 125 different opportunities for volunteering offered by 21 local voluntary...
Local elections: Highgate’s candidates tell us how they would represent us in Camden and Haringey
With the London borough elections now imminent we joined with the Highgate Society to ask all candidates to provide short statements covering: What you see as the main problem/s in Highgate What would you do about these problems? What positive contribution you think...
Formal Notice of AGM
HIGHGATE NEIGHBOURHOOD FORUM Notice of Annual General Meeting Notice is hereby given that the Annual General Meeting of the Highgate Neighbourhood Forum will be held at Jacksons Lane Studio 1 at 6.30 for 7pm on Thursday 26 May 2022 for the following purposes: To...
Traffic update
Proposed changes to Highgate's bus services View a summary and map of the proposed changes to Highgate's bus services. These proposed changes include removing the 271 bus turnaround in Highgate Village. Expect more e-scooters in the area Camden Council is trialling...
Proposed housing development at Wellington Gyratory
Haringey Council are currently consulting on a proposal for a small social housing scheme on the American Car Wash site within the Wellington Gyratory (where the A1 enters Highgate from the North). You can see the detail and comment on it here. The HNF have a number...
Looking forward to Spring: February 2022 newsletter
Winter 2022 newsletter: looking to Spring Dates for your diary Local Elections: May 5 HNF AGM: May 26 Eco Day (led by Lux) May (date tbc) Fair in the Square: June 11 Highgate Festival June 11-19 Lauderdale House Heritage Weekend is back Take a step back in time and...
Update on proposed changes to Highgate’s bus services
March 2022 update TfL have responded to consultation below with revised proposals. These still include the withdrawal of the 271 service and the rerouting of the 263 through Highgate Village but now keeps the 143 route as it currently runs + extends the 234 from...
Christmas in Highgate: latest newsletter
Season's greetings everyone! Fun times in Highgate as Christmas approaches: Christmas Lights are being organised by local estate agents Prickett & Ellis, Winkworths and Taylor Gibbs - you can drop a donation into their offices Sat 4 Dec Harington Christmas Sale...
Camden make Swain’s Lane changes permanent
HNF response to Haringey’s Walking and Cycling Action Plan
A number of HNF Committee members have commented on this Action Plan. We hope their thoughts will encourage others to comment on the Plan and, of course, influence Haringey’s future policy. Maggy Meade-King, HNF Secretary and lead HNF Green Working Party We welcome...
Proposed development in Townsend Yard
The HNF has made a short video to explain the serious impact of proposed development in Townsend Yard to the 17th century Shepherd’s Cottage.
Sink holes in Highgate
Residents might well have seen the sink holes that appeared after the rain last Monday - one on Hampstead Lane and one on Highgate Hill. https://www.hamhigh.co.uk/news/sinkhole-hampstead-lane-highgate-8153724 This blog asks you to let us know of any other major...
Springtime in Highgate: April 2021 newsletter
Highgate Festival 19-27 June The exciting programme for this year's Festival is growing, with a mixture of walks, trails and open gardens - people can enjoy themselves outdoors, hearing and learning about the history of Highgate, plus there's lots of on-line content...
How to contact the Councils
We thought it would be useful to ask our two Councils (via Cllr Liz Morris for Haringey and Cllr Anna Wright for Camden) how they preferred to be contacted for help or information and this is how they replied: Haringey If the matter is urgent, use the Call Centre line...
Eco action in Highgate
Transition Highgate and HNF have been granted Bounce Forward funding from the Transition Network to take forward a project delivering local climate action. The three core elements of the project are; a local pop-up info and exchange space, Community Top 10 local...
2021 update on CIL spending
The Covid Pandemic has had an impact on Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) spending in both Haringey and Camden and will do so for some time to come. In Haringey, they have decided to postpone consulting on Round 2 Neighbourhood CIL projects until 2022. This is...
Our response to the Haringey Local Plan consultation
Highgate Neighbourhood Forum response to Haringey Local Plan Consultation January 2021 The Highgate Neighbourhood Forum welcomes the opportunity to comment on the new Local Plan for Haringey and looks forward to working with the Council to deliver improvements in the...
Christmas Celebrations in Highgate: December 2020 newsletter
It's going to be a strange Christmas this year but Highgate organisations are pulling out all the stops to keep the show on the road. The Highgate Society have organised the Highgate and Muswell Hill Brass Band to play to accompany some late night Christmas shopping...
Haringey’s Climate Change Action Plan
Haringey Climate Forum is a coalition of community groups interested in local action on climate change. Its website is at: https://haringeyclimateforum.org. To join the mailing list contact: info@haringeyclimateforum.org. Imagine electric cars, state of the art buses...
Mapping Covid-19 in Highgate
Covid-19 cases have been thankfully low in Highgate and show no signs at this stage of rising as they are in other parts of the country. This blog shows how to find data and keep weekly tabs on it. The government publishes a “Weekly national Influenza and COVID19...
The difference CIL makes…
Arts and education are the driving forces which make Lauderdale House a living breathing historic building. So, when three years’ worth of Lottery money for outreach came through in 2016 we were excited to be able to offer free weekly creative sessions to the young...
Saving Queens Wood’s ancient oaks
A strange encampment has been spotted in Highgate, not travellers, not hippies, but SHIFT, Stop Home Insurers Felling Trees. They are trying to protect four oak trees on the edge of Queen's Wood. The Insurance Company, AXA, insists that cracking is a house and...
Highgate Festival 2020 online June 20-28
The community has come together as never before in response to COVID-19 and the Highgate Festival this year is a wonderful celebration of this. There are over 50 amazing on-line events including music, talks, workshops, exhibitions by 12 local artists, films including...
Making the best of Lockdown in Highgate
How to make the best of Lockdown Life Highgate Festival 2020 goes digital Despite lockdown, we are excited to announce a smaller, online Festival for this year that; celebrates and documents our community in this extraordinary time explores new ways of reaching people...
How to Zoom
How To Use Zoom Zoom software allows you to join free face-to-face online meetings for up to 100 participants with free sessions initially limited to 40 minutes.* This page explains how to join a Zoom meeting as a guest. What You Need Before you can participate in any...
May 2020: Lockdown Life in Highgate
AGM cancelled I am sure you will not be surprised to hear that we have cancelled our AGM on on May 5. Rest assured that we will reschedule as soon as we can. In the meantime, the current committee will continue to serve until such time as we can elect a new one. Your...
Yellow lines: wonky and thick
Haringey Council has been out painting yellow lines in the last week. Obviously clarity about road markings is helpful and while much of the work is OK, there are some genuinely terrible examples of execution. Can you please send us photos of bad examples in your part...
There With You: the Ham&High lists where to get local support
The Ham&High has published a list of groups, networks and organisations providing local help, which and which they will keep updated throughout the coronavirus outbreak.
Highgate Houseparty!
The last two weeks have been highly unusual, and we wanted to celebrate all the fantastic volunteering efforts that are happening in Highgate in light of the Covid19 epidemic. We contacted Boogaloo Radio Station and asked if they would host a “Lockdown Party” and...
March 2020 newsletter
Highgate Covid19 Mutual Aid Groups In light of the current pandemic, many people will need to self isolate and will need assistance. There are a number of grassroot initiatives for help and support popping up, and we encourage everyone to link with their local streets...
Does aircraft noise bother you?
It's possibly odd to be noting this when flight numbers are being cut but the planes and their noise will be back in due course! The 'North London Aircraft Noise Campaign' has been formed and will be researching the scale of the issue and campaigning - with other...
New multi use active outdoor zone
An exciting project to transform the current makeshift BMX tracks next to Highgate Library on Shepherds Hill into a multi use loop and active outdoor zone for children and young people has been approved to go forward into Round 1 of Haringey CIL spending...
Natural play space for Parkland Walk
A project to create a natural play space on the Parkland Walk (next to the Miltons entrance) has been approved to go forward into Round 1 CIL spending in Haringey this Spring. Taking a multi-generational approach, it will offer opportunities to sit, watch...
Highgate Festival 2020
20 – 28thJune The Highgate Festival returns for its 3rdyear from 20 – 28thJune, kicking off with the wonderful Fair in the Square. Events get going the next day with a focus on bringing the history of Highgate to life with walks, projects - including the...
Replacing Highgate street trees
A project - led by HNF Trees Lead Louise Lewis - to replace street trees in Highgate which have been felled for various reasons has been approved by the Haringey Planning Policy team. It will go forward into the first round of Haringey Community Infrastructure (CIL)...
Highgate Coffee and Computers
Do you need help with your smartphone, tablet or computer? Drop in for free one-to-one advice at our friendly sessions, where we share our challenges and learn from each other over a cup of coffee and biscuits. Highgate Coffee & Computers was set up in 2013 under...
February 2020 newsletter
Dear neighbours Welcome to this month's newsletter highlighting some of what has been going on in and around Highgate. A few key topics are listed below or for a more in depth view, either click on one of the news articles or visit For Highgate. We are always looking...
Visit Highgate info boards
During your next visit to a historic centre it would be very surprising if you were not greeted by information boards directing you to local points of interest and enriching your understand what it is you are seeing. That is unless you take your next holiday in...
Waterlow barbecues: your views sought
Waterlow Park is enjoyed by many visitors, both local and from afar, who come for a wide range of reasons from dog walking, to sporting activities, walking and enjoying the views or perhaps to visit historic Lauderdale House and its cafe, or Lux; a major European...
Planet A – an eco-action plan for Highgate
Highgate Conservation Area Advisory Committee (HCAAC) was set up under the terms of the legislation creating Conservation Areas, the 1967 Civic Amenities Act. Local authorities were given powers to establish them to operate in individual Conservation Areas. Under the...
Highgate Conservation Area Advisory Committee (HCAAC)
Highgate Conservation Area Advisory Committee (HCAAC) was set up under the terms of the legislation creating Conservation Areas, the 1967 Civic Amenities Act. Local authorities were given powers to establish them to operate in individual Conservation Areas. Under the...
Blue Plaque campaign for Rabbi Schonfeld
Highgate has a number of official blue plaques – Charles Dickens, Mary Kingsley, John Betjman and AE Housman for example, are all within a stone's throw of each other in the village. But now we are hoping to get another one, for someone who isn't perhaps as famous as...
Camden’s new Highgate ward
Boundary Commission proposals suggest a single dedicated councillor for Highgate in Camden. Do you support this? Just as population movements require regular revisions to the boundaries of parliamentary constituencies, so too with the boundaries of Council wards. ...
Welcoming visitors to Highgate
Like it or not, Highgate receives thousands of visitors every year. The Forum has been driving the campaign to improve signage to make life easier. One of our most popular visitor destinations is Highgate Cemetery. Many visitors make the not unreasonable assumption...
Re-imagining the High Street event
Highgate of course has two high streets – the Village High Street and Archway Road – both of which need support in this challenging retail climate. The decline of the High Street makes regular London and national news, with many reports documenting the issues and...
Disruption of 143 Bus
Yesterday saw plenty of people looking confused at bus stops about the non-appearance of the 143. This is just to warn that the bus is scheduled to be re-routed along Archway Road rather than via the village for the rest of the week. The deviation is caused by Thames...
Queen’s Wood Tree Walk
Continuing our programme of Walks and Talks on Highgate Trees we had a fascinating ramble in Queen's Wood led by Jeff Duckett, our local expert on trees and, more specifically, the botany of trees. It was that time in April when we had hail in the morning, so feared...
Notice of 2019 AGM
The 2019 Highgate Neighbourhood Forum annual general meeting will be held on 7:30pm on 6 June in the Long Gallery of Lauderdale House. As well as reviewing reports, we'll be electing the Committee for the coming year. More information. Anyone who lives or works in the...
Highgate’s creaking buses
Some of you will have noticed a couple of different (quieter, cleaner, newer) buses on the 271 route in recent days. We are hoping that this is the start of the upgrading of buses running through Highgate that the Forum has been campaigning for. TfL has promised that...
Highgate High Street – changes in two decades
The Highgate Forum is hosting a “re-imagining the high street” event on Thursday 9 May between 6:00 – 8:30pm. It is really topical as recent weeks have seen a couple of shops close and another charity shop open its doors. Depressing perhaps, but it’s always best to...
Re-imagining our High Street
If you have an interest or ideas about the future of the High Street – this free event is for you! Short talks by Jamie Dean, GLA High Streets and Jan Kattein, architect followed by a community ideas workshop led by Debbie Bourne, Transition Kentish Town. What will be...
Spring news and events
Re-imagining our High Streets event on 9 May We need your ideas about the future of our high streets at a workshop from 6-8pm in the Upper Gallery at Lauderdale House. HNF Community Workshop led by Debbie Bourne of Transition Kentish Town, with short talks from Jamie...
High Street parking solutions please!
This blog invites positive suggestions for changes that could be made to the parking in the village area. Please send us your ideas. We will publish them and use the options as a basis for discussion with the councils. The statutory consultation period for the...
Tree talk: The Biology of Local Trees, by Professor Jeff Duckett
Professor Jeff Duckett will present an overview of the long history and biology of London’s trees and look to their future in the context of climate change. 2.00 pm Saturday 9 February at 10A South Grove by kind invitation of the Highgate Society. Everybody welcome....
January 2019 newsletter
Happy New Year everyone!Longer CPZ hours on Camden side of Highgate Camden has announced the extension of CPZ hours on some streets in Highgate. Find out more and tell us what you think here. The Forum will now be working with Haringey, who have said they’d only look...
Longer CPZ hours in part of Highgate
Camden has announced an extension to the CPZ hours of some streets in Highgate. This follows the consultation that we wrote about last year. Camden set out the results of its consultation and plans “CA-D and CA-U Controlled Parking Zone Reviews” in November. The...
Forum planning policy
Planning – how we make Highgate a vibrant place, protecting its unique character and heritage while encouraging beneficial change - is at the heart of what the Forum is about. The Forum was established six years ago specifically to draw up a Neighbourhood Plan. After...
Neighbourhood Planners London
We are fortunate in Highgate to be surrounded by other Neighbourhood Forums – in Crouch End, Dartmouth Park, Kentish Town and Hampstead – all working to make positive change in their local area and working together around issues such as getting better local bus...
Highgate Tree Group
Climate change and pollution have certainly changed things in Highgate and not always for the worse. Did you know that with less soot and more nitrogen in the air, we now have far more lichens and mosses on our trees and that the warmer winters mean that the mimosa...
Get involved in bringing Playtime to Highgate
The good news is that Haringey Council has given us the go-ahead to develop two of our priority CIL projects – improvements to the BMX track next to Highgate Library and the creation of a nature-inspired play area at the Highgate end of the Parkland Walk. The next...
How can we attract more visitors to Highgate?
Highgate needs visitors – to increase the footfall in the village, to keep our shops, cafés, restaurants and pubs going, to encourage other businesses to open and to visit our theatres and galleries. Here are some ideas that might encourage tourism: A Highgate Village...
Robert the Bruce – the Highgate connection
Not many people know this but just over 700 years ago, in 1305, Robert the Bruce was a temporary resident of Highgate! He was staying in the hunting lodge which belonged at that time to the Earl of Gloucester, situated on what is now the 12th green of Highgate Golf...
CIL spending in Highgate
Now we have a Neighbourhood Plan, 25% of funds raised from the Community Infrastructure Levy comes direct to the community to spend – hooray! Unfortunately – and perhaps unsurprisingly - it’s not quite as simple as that. So here’s a quick briefing on the current...
November 2018 newsletter – your help needed
Hello everyone - there's lots going on this month, so please read on! Camden CIL consultation As many of you will know, now we have a Neighbourhood Plan in Highgate, 25% of Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) monies collected from developers by the councils must be...
What’s the point of single yellow lines?
Single yellow lines make little sense to us given the pressure on parking in Highgate. Either the spaces should be for parking or not? If they are for parking, they should be round the clock – and the community should decide whether they are for shoppers, residents or...
Tell us how new bus routes would help you
We listened to what you had to say about new bus routes to connect Highgate to its neighbours to the east and west and have come up with a new route (see map above). Do let us know what you think about it in the comment box below. We would also like to hear your ideas...
CLEAN UP HIGHGATE
“Highgate's quite nice apart from the rubbish isn't it?” Comment from an overseas tourist “I walked through Basildon the other day and Oh My God, I couldn't believe it, it was cleaner than Highgate!” Comment from a resident “I'm visually impaired and it frightens me...
Public forum on Jacksons Lane refurbishment
Having received Stage 1 Arts Council funding to develop their plans for refurbishment and improving their facilities, Jacksons Lane is holding a public forum on 1 November 2018 between 11am and 8pm. All are welcome to attend the drop-in session and talk to Jacksons...
Waterlow Park Trust Advisory Group AGM
HNF Chair Alicia Pivaro is the guest speaker at the Waterlow Park Trust's AGM on 11 October. Alicia will be speaking on 'the power of parks. Refreshments will be served.
October 2018 newsletter
Hello everyone! CIL money to enhance Holly Lodge Community Centre Holly Lodge CC has been granted £6,850 Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) monies by Camden Council. This will provide improved facilities for the Centre, including computers for homework club, improved...
CIL money for Holly Lodge Community Centre
Holly Lodge Community Centre has been granted the following from the Community Investment Levy with the full support of local councillors: Hearing loop kit - £264 inc VAT Hearing loop...
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