Young Adult Services are set to relocate from 48 Station Road to the Clarendon Road College building as part of a wider council strategy to consolidate services and improve cost efficiency. The decision was approved by Councillor Ruth Gordon, Cabinet Member for Placemaking and Local Economy, on Thursday, March 12, 2026.
The move is a key component of the Shaping Wood Green Strategy,
which aims to decommission and vacate several council buildings, including 48 Station Road, to reduce costs and optimise the use of existing assets. The Young Adult Services team, which supports young people aged 16-25 and care leavers up to 25, will occupy the ground floor of the Clarendon Road College building. The first floor will be used by the Parking and Civil Enforcement team.
The relocation of the Young Adult Services team is part of a broader strategy to decommission and vacate several council buildings, including 48 Station Road, by the end of 2026. This coincides with the Wood Green Central Programme and the occupation of the newly refurbished Civic Centre in January 2027. The procurement and works programme for the relocation of the Young Adult Services team to the ground floor of the Clarendon Road building is estimated to take 45 weeks, approximately 11 months.
The Young Adult Service delivers a vital statutory function as the Council's corporate parent for children in care aged 16 and over, and for care leavers up to the age of 25. The service provides targeted and holistic support to young people as they transition from care to independent adulthood. This includes the development of independent living skills; support to access and sustain education, training and employment; advocacy; health and wellbeing support; and resettlement and housing support to enable access to stable long‑term accommodation. The service also leads on the intake, assessment and ongoing support for unaccompanied asylum‑seeking children arriving in the borough, including assistance with immigration pathways and applications for settled status in the UK.
The Clarendon Road College building is described as an 'existing operational building' that became vacant. The ground floor will be occupied by the Young Adult Services team, and the first floor by the Parking and Civil Enforcement team. Colleagues in Parking and Civil Enforcement are supportive of the shared use as 'there are distinct independent operational areas withing the building and separate entrances for staff and clients.' The Young Adult Services team has also 'inputted into the redesign and reconfiguration of the ground floor space' to provide appropriate accommodation. The location is considered 'centrally located close to Wood Green with good local transport links,' making it accessible for both the service users and staff.
The relocation is expected to save the council money, with estimated running costs for Clarendon Road at £68,431.32 per year, compared to £311,000 for 48 Station Road. Beyond the difference in running costs, the relocation aims to achieve cost efficiency by decommissioning operationally expensive buildings. The decision to vacate 48 Station Road also aligns with the 'Shaping Wood Green Strategy' and the 'Wood Green Central Programme', which earmarks the area for redevelopment. Fully vacating 48 Station Road, along with Alexandra House and River Park House, by the end of 2026 will optimize the use of existing assets and provide further opportunity to explore the generation of revenue for the Council.
The refurbishment budget for the move is set at £1,200,000, funded from the approved General Fund capital programme. Consultation with the Young Adult Services team has already taken place, with staff contributing to the redesign of the ground floor space. The Finance team has also confirmed its satisfaction with the proposal, anticipating significant savings on building costs.
Alternative options considered included maintaining the status quo at 48 Station Road, which would have incurred high operational costs, or relocating to 10 Bruce Grove. However, the latter was discounted due to the significant structural works required, estimated at £385,000, and its less central location.
The 'Shaping Wood Green Strategy' aims to facilitate the masterplan and regeneration of the area. The relocation contributes to the Corporate Delivery Plan's cross-cutting priority to 'decarbonise to create safe, clean neighbourhoods, promoting longer, healthier lives for the residents.' By decommissioning operationally expensive buildings and repurposing existing ones, the council seeks to achieve cost efficiencies and optimize asset utilization, which can indirectly benefit the community through better resource allocation and a more sustainable environment.
The decision aligns with the Council's Accommodation Strategy,
the Wood Green Central Programme,
and its commitment to decarbonisation, as outlined in the Corporate Delivery Plan.
The 'Shaping Wood Green Strategy' aims to fully decommission and vacate 48 Station Road, with the area earmarked for redevelopment as part of the 'Wood Green Central Programme masterplan'. The Council intends to find suitable alternative accommodation for the Young Adult Services team to facilitate the disposal or repurposing of the building.