July and August Update from work outside the board
Click on any of the headings / + signs below to read more.
Hackney Ops meeting 31st July
Attendees William Sheehy and Phil Cooke
Void Properties and Decant Update
As of June 2025, there are 251 void properties across the estate, with 161 located in Phase 4. In Phase 3, Block A is now fully let, with all 75 units occupied. Phase 5 currently has 28 voids, Phase 6 has 19, Phase 7 has 20, and Phase 8 has 23.
In Phase 3B, there are 15 surplus one-bedroom units, mostly on higher floors. These are due to be handed over on August, with decants starting in late August or early September.
Communications with residents in Phase 5
Letters dated 4th August were sent to all 39 Phase 5 residents, including both pre-allocated tenants and those awaiting offers, giving a sdeadline for decisions. The ITLA expressed concern about the tone of the letters, describing them as potentially threatening and counterproductive to securing resident cooperation.
Estate and Property Management Issues
Multiple leaseholders in Phase 4 have reported poor cleaning standards, lighting failures, and anti-social behaviour.
Damp and mould are awaiting surveyor attendance, which is expected at the next meeting.
Next Steps
Action points include inviting the relevant surveyor and lift contractor to the August meeting.
Block D working group meeting 4th August
Attendees Leonora (Kristina and Tina were unable to attend)
The working group met to review current proposals and future plans for Block D, with a focus on securing suitable tenants that reflect both commercial viability and community benefit. A key presentation was delivered outlining a detailed proposal for a café and roastery interested in the corner unit and basement, which included community engagement plans and apprenticeship opportunities. The potential for the space to also function as a flexible community and event venue was discussed. The group explored the overall identity of Block D, debating whether it should prioritise community focused or affordable commercial uses.
A number of other prospective tenants were discussed, covering areas such as food projects, creative studios, wellness spaces, and training opportunities. The importance of balancing space allocation, affordability, and community engagement was emphasised, alongside ensuring that Block D complements existing local facilities like the Redmond Centre rather than duplicating them.
Marketing efforts, naming proposals, and community engagement through events like the Hidden River Festival were also reviewed, with agreement on the need for a clear identity and strong local promotion. Fitout works are underway and expected to complete by October.
Next Steps:
- A revised proposal pack, including space allocation details
- Further technical discussions will take place with selected tenants.
- Marketing strategies and local engagement efforts will be stepped up.
- A follow-up working group meeting will be scheduled for early September.
Hidden River Festival Working Group Meeting 7th August
Attendees Jackie Myers and Adrian Essex
The licence for the Hidden River Festival has been approved and the police have been notified, ensuring all compliance measures are in place. The agreement with food vendors includes 120 pre-purchased meals, with a proposal to allocate 30 of these to volunteers and offer the rest at a discounted price to manage expectations.
The marketing plan is progressing, with 3,000 flyers to be printed and distributed door-to-door, alongside banners. Social media promotion will be led by Holly Lancaster (NHG), focusing on Instagram content, performer spotlights, and community engagement.
The Pavilion space will now be used as an architectural showcase rather than a performance stage, highlighting the work of young architects involved in its design. A recognition event, with possible prizes, is planned to celebrate their contribution. Post-festival, a small budget will be set aside for community led activities in the Pavilion.
NHG will manage the market stalls, with Grace Cleary overseeing three local business stalls, and Jackie Myers providing coordination support. Community stalls will remain free of charge and focus on workshops and information sharing.
Other discussions included ensuring plain food options are available, securing waste management and additional bins, exploring portable toilet provision, and confirming indoor activities such as sports workshops, roller skating, and stalls from the London Wildlife Trust.
Ethical fundraising was also discussed, with emphasis on transparency if a raffle is held to support local causes.
Safer Community Forum 7th August
The Safer Community Forum has resumed after a break, with plans to meet monthly, starting from 3rd September, before reverting to the regular slot on the first Thursday of each month. Attendees included representatives from Berkeley Homes, Notting Hill Genesis, the police, security, and WDCO reps.
The police provided updates on several recent incidents, including the ongoing investigation into the Wireless Festival stabbing, where multiple arrests have been made and further suspects identified. Crime levels have improved compared to last year, with only five reports this week. Key hotspots remain along Seven Sisters Road and at bus stops near Manor House station, where there has been a rise in bus based crime.
The Met Engage app, offering direct communication with the police, will be promoted to residents via newsletters and concierge desks. Preparations are also underway for the upcoming Finsbury Park event, which will see increased police and security presence along the estate’s boundaries.
Design Committee 5th August
Attendees Phil Cooke, Hilary Britton, Jackie Myers, Andrea Anderson, Geoff Baron and William Sheehy
This Design Committee reviewed proposed changes to Phase 4 flats for both shared ownership and social rent, prompted by concerns about overheating. Following the planning stage, Berkeley’s technical team identified that the Phase 4 flats did not meet the 2022 Building Regulations on overheating, as interpreted by Hackney’s sustainability officer, which was a planning requirement for Phase 4.
The architects considered a range of potential design changes, including reducing the size of windows, removing some windows entirely, and using specialist glazing to limit heat gain. However, it was reported that external additions such as shutters would not be feasible due to the high winds in the area.
These proposed changes would affect all tenures and aspects, including north facing flats.
Notting Hill Genesis and WDCO expressed particular concern about the potential loss of natural light, especially for flats on lower levels, as well as the impact on views and the loss of cross-ventilation caused by the removal of windows. Although this was a “for information” Design Committee, they requested further details on which specific flats and floors failed to meet the heightened standards. They also asked for a couple of additional studies to be undertaken: one to assess whether reducing the width of two windows would be preferable to removing a whole window, and another to explore the use of external shutters at lower levels, such as on west-facing duplex units.
Hidden River Festival Working Group Meeting 28th August
Summary of Hidden River Festival Meeting
The meeting began with introductions, including a brief introduction from Cerys Hill, who is assisting with festival preparations. Key points discussed included:
- Raffle and Fundraising: It was decided that MHDT will not lead a raffle for the event. Instead, Friends of Woodberry Down will manage the raffle, while MHDT will set up a donation system using a QR code and a card reader to collect funds for charity. Clear communication with all partners about fundraising efforts is essential to avoid confusion.
- Budget and Funding: Concerns were raised regarding the status of payments and funding for the festival. It was noted that some partners have made payments, but there are discrepancies with invoices. Follow-up actions were agreed upon to clarify the funding situation.
- Event Logistics: Security arrangements are still pending, with discussions about using a local security team. The need for a volunteer or staff member to oversee the arrival of equipment at the venue was emphasized, with suggestions to involve local members or paid staff from MHDT.
- Event Schedule: A proposed time of 4 PM was suggested for the pavilion presentation and awards ceremony, which will include participation from local council representatives. A detailed schedule for the event day, including setup and volunteer roles, will be created and shared.
- Marketing Efforts: Updates on marketing initiatives were provided, including flyers being distributed and social media promotions. A marketing program will be developed to outline the day’s activities.
- Next Steps: The group agreed to meet in person next week for a walkthrough of the event site. Action items include confirming security arrangements, finalizing the budget, and ensuring all partners are updated on their roles and responsibilities.
The meeting concluded with a positive outlook on the festival preparations and a commitment to clear communication among all partners.
The Woodberry Down Pavilion
This project appears to be on schedule. There is a schedule of events set out already for the post-festival period, but the gaps can be filled by any creative/community activity.
There is now a final report on the entire design and construction process.012_REP_250814_WD_Public Programme_Fee-Proposal 012_REP_250828_WD_Final Design Report_LR
Action Tracker
Katya has developed an online action tracker which we can incorporate into the website. Our intention is that this should be much easier to read than the current spreadsheet, easier to update, and cover a wider range of tasks.
Our next task is to use the power of AI to take on several years of data stored in the spreadsheet. We hope to be able to release this before the next board meeting.
Friday Night Lates
The Coal House Café, run by the London Wildlife Trust, has had a series of evening openings during August, on Friday evenings. These have been a success, such that they are being extended into September certainly as far as the 5th.
Gita has been working with Nar and Sublime to extend this concept into the rest of September but to relocate to downtown Woodberry.
Flyers are being produced and discounts will be offered.
West Reservoir Sailing and Paddleboarding Courses
Luna has been negotiating with Emma, who runs the West reservoir for better, in regard of places on courses to be held in the October half term on the reservoir.
We hope to have more information about these soon, and hope that we will be able to offer them to suitable candidates.
NHG switching back to Insite as their billing company
Roda recently received a letter forwarded from a resident informing them that NHG would be reverting to incite as their billing provider. This was the first Roda had heard of it, and the first that WDCO had heard of this change.
At least one NHG resident has since received a generic welcome note from Insite, stating that Insite is the new billing company. This was the first that our resident had heard of it.
NHG has offered several slightly varying explanations as to why this is happening.
We take this very seriously and are pursuing the matter with NHG.