Labour candidates for Whetstone have welcomed the decision at this week’s Strategic Planning Committee to reject the latest scheme for 260 units at Barnet House (22 February).
Conservative-run Barnet Council failed to determine the application by the statutory deadline and the Developer successfully appealed to the Planning Inspectorate to decide the application. This means the Committee’s comments rejecting the scheme will now be sent to the Planning Inspector for when they hear the application.
The Planning Committee voted unanimously against the development on the basis of height, density, massing and scale – the same reasons that the last application was refused.
Whetstone Labour candidate, Ella Rose said:
“We’re very pleased to see the Planning Committee has rejected this hugely unpopular scheme. It was 44 units more than the last scheme which was also refused by the Planning Committee on the basis of excessive height, scale, massing and density.
“The Mayor of London also said this latest scheme does not comply with the London Plan. It includes a paltry 12.3% affordable homes, and we believe that Barnet needs new genuinely affordable, attractive family homes, not stack-them-high small flats.”
Whetstone Labour candidate, Liron Velleman added:
“The fate of Barnet House will now be down to the Planning Inspector and the Conservative Secretary of State. Sadly, the Conservative Government has let Barnet down before when planning matters have come to it, so there is a real risk this application will get agreed then.
“In neighbouring Brunswick Park ward, the Conservative Secretary of State sided with the developer and imposed the massive scheme at North London Business Park. This emboldened the developer who came back with a scheme almost double the size.
“We encourage all residents concerned about what will happen at Barnet House to write in to the planning inspector and make their views known about this scheme.”
Ends.
Notes:
For a copy of the planning committee report on Barnet House see: https://barnet.moderngov.co.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=703&MId=10833