Haringey Council is set to spend £1.2 million on relocating its Young Adult Services team from 48 Station Road to the Clarendon Road College building. The decision, approved by Councillor Ruth Gordon, Cabinet Member for Placemaking and Local Economy, is part of a wider strategy to consolidate council services and improve cost efficiency.

The move will see the team, which supports young people aged 16-25 and care leavers up to 25, transfer to the ground floor of the Clarendon Road College building. The first floor will be occupied by the Parking and Civil Enforcement team. This relocation is expected to vacate 48 Station Road, aligning with the council's Shaping Wood Green Strategy which aims to decommission and vacate several buildings.

Operational Efficiencies and Cost Savings

By centralising the Young Adult Services team at Clarendon Road College, the council expects to achieve significant cost efficiency by decommissioning operationally expensive buildings. The running costs for Clarendon Road are estimated at £68,431.32 per year, a substantial reduction from the £311,000 annual cost for 48 Station Road. This move also aligns with the Council's Shaping Wood Green Strategy to consolidate services and improve cost efficiency. Buildings with higher running costs, such as 48 Station Road, are considered 'operationally expensive' and the council aims to decommission them to avoid perpetuating high operational costs.

Benefits for Young People

Beyond cost savings and decarbonisation, the relocation is anticipated to benefit the young people aged 16-25 and care leavers up to 25 who utilise these services. The new location at Clarendon Road College is described as being centrally located close to Wood Green with good local transport links, fulfilling the business requirement for a centrally located operational service in Wood Green in a building that is strategically located and accessible to core operational areas with easy commute to outer parts of the Borough. The service provides targeted and holistic support including 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.

Decarbonisation Commitment

The relocation and repurposing of the Clarendon Road College building contributes to the Council's commitment to decarbonise by enabling the decommissioning and vacating of 48 Station Road. This action aligns with the Corporate Delivery Plan's cross-cutting priority to decarbonise to create safe, clean neighbourhoods, promoting longer, healthier lives for the residents.

Timeline and Future of 48 Station Road

The meeting where this decision was approved took place on Thursday 12 March 2026. The Full Business Case indicates a Milestone programme with a Total Programme Duration of 45 weeks for the Procurement and Works Programme for the relocation of the Young Adult Services Team to the ground floor of the Clarendon Road building. This suggests the relocation would be completed approximately 11 months after the approval date, placing it around February 2027. The report also mentions that the Civic Centre refurbishment is scheduled to complete in January 2027, and that 48 Station Road, River Park House, and Alexandra House are intended to be fully decommissioned and vacated by the end of 2026. The 48 Station Road building is to be decommissioned and vacated as part of the Shaping Wood Green Strategy. The area it occupies has been earmarked for redevelopment, and vacating and disposing/repurposing 48 Station Road will contribute to the Corporate Delivery Plan's cross cutting priority to reduce carbon emissions and achieve cost efficiency.

Alternative Options Considered

Alternative options considered included maintaining the current location at 48 Station Road, which would have perpetuated high operational costs, or relocating to 10 Bruce Grove. The latter was discounted due to an estimated £385,000 in required structural works and its less central location.

Team and Funding

The Young Adult Services team, comprising 60 staff members with an additional six to be recruited, has been consulted on the redesign and reconfiguration of the new space. The Finance team has also reviewed the proposal and is satisfied with its prudent nature. The refurbishment budget of £1,200,000 will be funded from the approved General Fund capital programme.

The decision was documented in the Printed minutes 12th-Mar-2026 10.30 Cabinet Member Signing.

The project aligns with the council's Accommodation Strategy, the Wood Green Central Programme, and the Corporate Delivery Plan priority to decarbonise.