A community vision for 100 Tower Gardens Road
Tower Gardens Community Corner CIC is a resident-led Community Interest Company committed to taking immediate, restorative action for our neighbourhood.
The White Hart Lane ward, in which Tower Gardens is located, is one of the most deprived in the London Borough of Haringey and in England. It also has no community space. The prominent building at 100 Tower Gardens Road (100 TG) – historically the estate office and later a SureStart centre – has been left empty, deteriorating and holding the lowest possible energy rating. With the building now on Haringey Council’s disposals list, a critical opportunity has emerged to reclaim this vital local asset.
Our manifesto is simple: We will purchase this historic asset, transform it through community action, and use operational surplus generated to invest in the health, sustainability, and resilience of Tower Gardens and the wider neighbourhood.
This aligns perfectly with the strategic priorities of Haringey Council’s new Draft Local Plan, positioning TGCC as a key partner in delivering the borough’s goals for placemaking, sustainability, and social infrastructure.
Stages of Transformation
Stage 0: Getting Started
We are working with Haringey Council on a rent-to-buy proposal — a lease of five years, with an option to purchase. This would allow us to begin using the space straight away. This stage allows us to:
- Activate the space: Start running community activities, events, and programmes, delivering benefit to the neighbourhood immediately.
- Build our volunteer base: Grow the team of residents and supporters who will make the hub work in the long run.
- Prove ourselves: Demonstrate to the council, to funders, and to the wider community that we can run the building well — making the case for permanent ownership.
- Unlock capital fundraising: Create a track record of activity and income, which together with the option to purchase, is essential for the fundraising needed to buy and retrofit the building.
Stage 1: Creating a Thriving Neighbourhood Hub
We will provide the flexible, accessible, multi-use space the community is demanding, operating as a resource for all.
- A Public Living Room: A welcoming space on the ground floor for informal gathering, intergenerational activities, social clubs, local exhibitions, and more.
- A Social Enterprise Space: The upper floors will be available as hireable office and desk space and meeting rooms, generating revenue.
- A Support and Learning Centre: Hosting essential services, workshops, learning, and more in collaboration with local partners.
- A Resource for Community Groups: Dedicated spaces for tool storage for local groups like Haringey Fixers and Friends of Tower Gardens.
- A Heritage Engagement Programme: A permanent exhibition and information boards detailing the history of the White Hart Lane Estate, its architecture, and the pioneering work of the London County Council.
Stage 2: Securing and Sustaining Our Historic Asset
With the lease in place and a track record established, the priority becomes acquisition and renewal.
- Acquisition: Raise capital to purchase 100 Tower Gardens Road, guaranteeing that it remains permanently dedicated to local community use, fulfilling the long-term needs and desires of residents.
- Community-Led Retrofit: Transform the building into a sustainable and cost-saving exemplar. The retrofit will offer local residents opportunities to learn about energy efficiency and building skills relevant to their own homes and the conservation area. In collaboration with Haringey Council, we plan to design best-practice guidance for all houses on the estate.
Stage 3: Reinvesting In Our Community and Environment
Our commitment to the community means the building’s success will fund wider sustainability of the estate. Projected operational surplus will allow reinvestment in the neighbourhood.
- Community Support: Fund activities and services that directly address local concerns, such as cost-of-living issues, health and wellbeing initiatives; and support local volunteering and training efforts.
- Affordable Access: Use surplus funds to further subsidise rental rates for local artists, makers, and smaller community groups.
- Estate-Wide Energy Efficiency: Dedicate funds to environmental and sustainability projects on the estate, leveraging skills gained through the retrofit pilot to improve energy efficiency in Tower Gardens more generally.
- Park and Green Spaces: Provide financial and practical support to Friends of Tower Gardens, ensuring investment in the local park and other green spaces.
- Local Adaptation: Fund projects to address future environmental impact on the neighbourhood, e.g. exploring solutions for increased flood risk, or preparing older homes for extreme heat.