Sadiq Khan Mayor of London
Navin Shah GLA Brent & Harrow
Labour Party Londonwide
Campaigns
Welsh Harp Planning Application
Barnet Council pushes through the Welsh Harp Planning Application for demolition and redevelopment of West Hendon Estate
Barnet Council yesterday (on Tuesday 23 July 2013) ignored strong objections from local residents to refuse the Welsh Harp planning application for demolition and redevelopment of West Hendon Estate.
The committee room was packed with residents and representatives of stakeholder organisations objecting to the ill-conceived and harmful planning scheme which would destroy this key site of major local, Londonand National importance. Prior to the meeting demonstrators gathered outside the Town Hall for a rally.
I spoke for Brent residents when I addressed the planning committee and conveyed his strong objection to the application.
The application will now go to London Mayor Boris Johnson, who can either wave through the scheme or direct Barnet Council to refuse it on planning rounds.
This shocking decision by Barnet Council will obliterate the beautiful landscape, tranquillity and ecological values of a site which is supposed to be protected for its scientific interest.
On every single key issue like the density, urban design (height of blocks), housing, community facilities and transport and traffic, the application is seriously flawed and does not comply with Barnet nor the London Mayor planning policies. 29 Storey tower block may be fine for Manhattan but spells a disaster for Welsh Harp.
Overdevelopment with four-fold increase of population and tower blocks on this site is a solution from hell – one that will vandalise this site of exceptional beauty and importance.
It is dreadful that Barnet Council has failed to listen to the local communities in Brent and Barnet and it’s equally disgraceful that the Mayor of London has failed to raise concerns about this seriously flawed application during his Stage 1 examination. The Mayor will now have a final say on this application and I will be lobbying him to reject this application. I urge residents and campaigners to press Mayor Johnson for refusal and save this significant spot of natural beauty from permanent destruction.
Published by NeonHorizon. Promoted by Keith Ferry on behalf of Navin Shah, both at 20 Byron Road, Harrow, HA3 7ST
Navin Shah is the Labour Party's candidate for the London Assembly seat of Brent and Harrow 2016