MP Theresa Villiers has hailed the latest rejection of plans to build 652 high-rise flats at New Barnet’s Victoria Quarter “a major victory” but also warned it was not the end of the battle.
The Mayor of London yesterday approved Barnet Council’s Planning Committee’s earlier decision to unanimously reject the scheme for the old gasworks site in Albert Road.
However, the developers - One Housing and Fairview New Homes - could appeal to the planning inspectorate or come up with a different proposal.
The scheme for blocks of flats of up to 10 storeys high met with well over 1000 objections from the public, and Theresa joined forces with local groups and Conservative ward councillor, Felix Byers, to campaign against this overdevelopment.
“This is a major victory in the fight to keep Barnet’s suburban character and I am very pleased the Mayor of London has agreed with the planning committee’s initial decision,” said Theresa.
“I pay tribute to the Save New Barnet group and all residents who joined the fight against these plans but I’m afraid the battle is not over. The developers could appeal to the planning inspector or they could make a new application for a similar obtrusive development in the future.”
Theresa again urged the developers to go back to their original and smaller 2017 proposals for 371 homes which had received community support following wide-ranging discussions over several years.
During the planning committee meeting in September, Theresa spoke in objection and called the plan a “grim inner-city style development” that “clearly contravenes the Barnet Planning Policy which restricts tall buildings to specified locations”.
“Its height, bulk, and density are inconsistent with the predominantly open, low-rise, character of New Barnet," she added.
