Barnet’s Strategic Planning Committee have unanimously rejected the “gargantuan” 2,428 unit North London Business Park (NLBP) scheme at last night’s meeting (15 Dec).
The developer, Comer Group, have almost doubled the size of the scheme and increased maximum building heights from 9 storeys to 13 after the Conservative Secretary of State imposed an earlier planning application for 1,350 units that had also been refused by the Planning Committee and the Mayor of London. The revised planning application provided only 20% affordable homes compared to the Council’s Local Plan policy of 40%.
The Committee heard from all three local ward councillors about the visual impact that the scheme would have on the character of the local area, and the strength of opposition to it from the local community with hundreds of objections.
The councillors, who have been campaigning against the development, also raised concerns about height, density, and pressure on parking and local services.
The detailed reasons for the Committee’s refusal will be brought back to the Strategic Planning Committee in January for approval.
Speaking at the Committee, Labour Brunswick Park councillor, Giulia Monasterio said: “It is totally wrong that big developers can get away with simply turning a blind eye to the impact that this will have on real people, their daily lives, their commutes, the health services they depend on and even just the tranquillity that probably brought them to the area in the first place.”
Speaking after the Committee, Labour Brunswick Park councillor, Paul Lemon said: “It is really gratifying that the Committee agreed unanimously to reject this gargantuan stack-them-high scheme. Residents will be jubilant and relieved that the Committee have heard their concerns and sided with them.
“This scheme would have been a massive overdevelopment in an outer-London suburban area not designated for such tall buildings. It would mean an additional 5,000 people living in large tower-blocks in a part of the ward which is mostly low-rise, and two-storey detached and semi-detached homes.”
Labour Brunswick Park councillor, Tony Vourou added: “I am delighted for the residents that this scheme has been kicked into touch by the Planning Committee. It would have put huge pressure on local roads, transport services, GPs and schools with a paltry proportion of affordable homes offered overall by the developer and very little community benefit.”
Ends.
Notes:
1. A copy of the NLBP Strategic Planning Committee report can be found here https://barnet.moderngov.co.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=703&MId=11139
2. For more from Barnet Labour on this issue see: https://www.barnetlabour.org.uk/2022/02/11/conservative-barnet-council-slammed-for-failing-to-defend-refusal-of-nlbp-development/
