CAMPAIGNERS urged people to “stand up and fight the Tories” at a council meeting on Monday.

Haringey Council held its full council meeting at the civic centre, in Wood Green, where issues affecting the town were discussed.

Before it began, Haringey Defend Public Housing Group staged a protest to stop 3,600 homes from being demolished in Tottenham.

While the authority disputes this figure, a planning document which sets out what may happen in the next 20 years says certain housing estates could be knocked down and rebuilt.

Love Lane is currently being turned into "affordable" homes and the authority is consulting with residents over the future of the Broadwater Farm Estate. 

But people fear these new homes will only be “affordable” to those on high incomes.

Andy Burnham, who is part of the housing group, described the plans as “akin to social cleansing”, which was met with support from the public gallery.

He said: “These are people’s communities and whole lives. Don’t look at these estates and say that area looks nice, let's knock it all down and redevelop it. People are coming out in force to oppose this.

“You are building homes that are unaffordable on an ‘average’ income.” “Instead you need to stand up and fight the Tories and fight for decent homes for ordinary people.”

They say the council’s plans will lead to privatisation of housing and cause “gentrification” in the area.

Cllr Ali Demirci responded by saying: “It’s crucial to lobby the mayor and the government to get affordable housing, to protect existing housing and provide means to contribute to more affordable housing and I am happy to meet with you to lobby the government and tell them what we are against.”

The future of land off the A406 North Circular Road, known as Pinkham Way, was also discussed.

Steven Brice, chairman of the Pinkham Way Alliance, a group dedicated to preserving the site and its wildlife, said: “Nearly three years ago, the council assured residents it would review the land designation.

“Evidence has been concealed. The council says ‘it doesn’t consider the site open space’ yet it falls within the council’s own definition of this.”

The group was formed to oppose plans for a waste plant on the site, which were eventually dropped in 2013.

But proposals resurfaced last year by Barnet Council for a vehicle depot and waste transfer plant on the site– although these too were also binned in November 2014.

The campaigners also teamed up with University College London to monitor pollution along the site over summer, in a bid to show the necessity of the green conservation site. 

In July, Mr Brice said: ““If Haringey council is in any way serious about the health of its residents, it must act to preserve rare green spaces such as Pinkham Way, whose 1,500 trees and heavy vegetation go some way to cleansing the air of these harmful chemicals.”

Cllr Alan Strickland said he found nothing to suggest evidence had been doctored and that the land failed the inspection to be classed as an open space because they could not prove it was being used.

During the meeting, councillors also voted to keep the current tax reduction scheme in place for 2016.

The Housing and Planning Bill was also debated, with Liberal Democrat councillors appealing for the full council to unite against unaffordable homes forcing communities out of the borough.