Northwood Hall is a 1930s Art Deco landmark block of 194 flats located in one of the most desirable areas of north London – close to Highgate Village, Hampstead Heath and Crouch End, and in sight of the City and St Paul's Cathedral.

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Sadly, the building is in a dreadful state and sorely needs careful and full restoration. Leaseholders have had to learn hard lessons about the way landlords are able to prioritise their own financial interests over those of residents. Over recent years the situation has worsened, with Northwood Hall caught up in a seemingly never-ending cycle of incompetence and wasted money.

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In July 2018 the Ham&High reported that a planning application had been submitted by the freeholder to build two extra storeys of 22 contemporary-style luxury duplex flats on the roof of Northwood Hall. During the consultation process, it emerged that the architects and planning consultant involved in the proposed development were implicated in the illegal demolition of the Carlton Tavern in Maida Vale in 2015, which led to a damning public inquiry, as well as the controversial development of Highgate's Winchester Tavern which resulted in the pub's closure (for more click here). Following considerable objection from residents and locals, by the end of August the freeholder had withdrawn their proposal, but it is always possible that they will return with a revised plan.

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In early 2018, the Highgate Society reported that in the space of three months they responded to 24 major development proposals in Haringey and dozens of others, yet Haringey refused only one, despite the Highgate Society detailing the extent to which they breached many policies. 

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The uncertainty surrounding Northwood Hall's future and the dilapidated state of the building has caused the value of flats to plummet. For example, on average, most Highgate property of similar architecture sells at about £900 per square foot or more, whereas flats in Northwood Hall are selling at between £650 and £750 psf. This means that a typical 2-bed flat is up to £100,000 less than achievable market value. Many leaseholders are finding it impossible to sell without dropping their prices even further. One 2-bed flat recently sold for only £360,000.

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We want to turn this negative situation around by acquiring the freehold through the Government-recommended Collective Enfranchisement Scheme. This is a positive solution for the future of Northwood Hall that avoids repeating the mistakes of the past and passes control to the leaseholders. The benefits are:

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• An overnight increase in the market value of flats with freehold ownership

• A building managed in leaseholders' interests to the highest standard, maximising value for money

• A long 999-year lease that will avoid the need for extensions and is also attractive to buyers

• Corporate democracy – every leaseholder will have a vote on major works in the building

• Financial transparency with rigorously audited accounts

• A share of the profits on any approved developments

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This is a significant and valuable offer which gives us the opportunity to have a very real stake in our homes and our investments, and in the future of Northwood Hall.

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