Plans for hundreds of homes on north London station car park rejected

"Sue Baker, a Labour councillor for Barnet Vale ward, told the committee she had received an overwhelming amount of negativity to the plans from residents. She listed the loss of the car park as problematic as it was used by many elderly residents as well as people with disabilities and mobility issues. Residents were concerned about the impact on the access road and station entrance as a school, St Catherine's RC Primary School, was also located close by."

"David Longstaff, a Conservative councillor also representing Barnet Vale ward, pointed out the council's new Local Plan stated a maximum [height] of seven storeys for the site but this application goes to eleven storeys. Reform UK councillor Mark Shooter said the proposal was too dense, too tall, too cramped and the wrong design in the wrong place. Cllr Shooter said the area had a village feel which the residents treasured and the council needed to make sure any new development enhances the area, not harms it."

"Simon Kaufman, a resident who spoke on behalf of The Barnet Society, said the group supported the site's redevelopment for housing but that the proposal was wrong. Simon said: The applicant claims London Plan policy D9 justifies the height because the design is exceptional [but] it is not."

Nearly 300 homes were proposed next to High Barnet Station, rising up to 11 storeys and including 40% affordable housing. Barnet Council's strategic planning committee rejected the plan over concerns about its scale and impact. Residents objected to loss of the station car park used by elderly people and those with disabilities and mobility issues, and worried about access road congestion and effects on nearby St Catherine's RC Primary School. The proposal offered nine Blue Badge spaces for residents and 17 spaces for tube passengers, which residents said did not replace 177 existing parking spaces. Councillors cited the Local Plan's seven-storey maximum, excessive density, and inappropriate design.

Read at www.standard.co.uk