Residents are celebrating a new green gateway to the borough, following a planting scheme backed by local Labour Councillors.

The corner of Platt’s Lane and Hermitage Lane, passed as a traveller enters into the borough from the direction of Hampstead, now hosts a wildflower garden.

The area, known as the Cattle Trough Triangle, has been revitalised as a pocket meadow.

An information board explains that it hosts a range of “wildlife-rich grasses and English naturalised and native flowers such as: Loosestrife, Toadflax, Scabious, Cranesbill, Buttercup, Dog Daises, Campions, Willowherb, Bluebells, Daffodils, Anemones and Summer Snowflakes.”

The area is designed to support wildlife. The neighbouring London Plane tree has batboxes, and there is also a habitat for bees.

Under the previous Conservative administration in Barnet, this work was deemed too difficult and greenery and biodiversity was not held in high enough regard to make this improvement.

Instead, the space was left as abandoned tarmac, collecting litter instead of supporting biodiversity.

Childs Hill Labour councillors, Giulia Innocenti, Matthew Perlberg and Nigel Young, worked with local residents and the Reddington and Frognal Residents Association to find a cost-effective solution.

Councillors and residents won a grant of £20,000 to support the space and worked with council officers to bring forward a technical solution to allow the planting to go ahead.

The Reddington and Frognal Residents Association will be hosting a celebration of the new meadow on 4th July.

Cllr Young said: “I would like to thank residents for supporting this scheme and looking after the pocket meadow as the new wild-flowers get established.

“This scheme provides an inviting a colourful entrance to the borough”

Cllr Innocenti said: “From the Vale to Cloister Road roundabout, to the Cattle Trough triangle, Childs Hill residents and community groups are helping to make Barnet a greener, more attractive and pollinator friendly place.

“This new mini meadow for Barnet is a testament to all their hard work. Labour has made every effort to ensure residents can access financial and strategic support to green their neighbourhood, and it is great to see these results.”

London Assembly member for Barnet and Camden, Anne Clarke, said: “The Conservatives held us back with their self-fulfilling ‘ low value low use’ rules.

“It is great that Barnet’s Labour Council now backs residents to reimagine and reinvigorate their neighbourhoods in this way.”