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Open day at centre for homeless in Barnet – a chance to support a fashion show of clothes which they have designed and produced

Homeless Action in Barnet – a leading charity assisting rough sleepers across the borough – is organising an open day at its headquarters in Woodhouse Road, North Finchley, where a highlight will be a fashion show of outfits created and modelled by some of those who are being supported.

HAB, as it is known, provides over 9,000 hot meals at year at its day centre and organises a night shelter each evening at one or other of the 30 or so churches and synagogues which make space available. 

All the clothes for the fashion show have been designed and made from recycled material and second-hand clothing and the aim of this initiative, backed by volunteers, is to help build confidence among people facing homelessness and insecurity.

Inspiration for the fashion show – billed as “Off The Street” on Sunday 17 May from 12 noon to 3pm – came from homeless clients at the centre, including a dress designer and an architect, who has drawn up plans for creating a catwalk through the day centre and out into the garden.

Already clothes for the show are being lined up in a storeroom – and admired for their creativity by night shelter co-ordinator Marcin Nocek and support officer Kate Jack (see above).

“Fitting out rough sleepers with a new set of clothes and shoes is one of the ways we help homeless people regain their self-confidence,” said Marcin.

“We try to offer them something suitable from our storeroom of donated clothing and sometimes it can be fun trying something on. 

“The idea of holding a fashion show started as a joke, but one of the clients is a dress designer, another a seamstress and before we knew it, they were hard at work.

“After hours and hours at a sewing machine, they have already produced about 40 plus outfits, and they will all be revealed on the catwalk at the open day in May.”

Homeless architect Julian Meguenni (above) was delighted to have the chance to help stage the fashion show and do what he could do help other homeless clients at the centre show off the clothes which have been created.

Support workers and volunteers have all been amazed by the enthusiasm which has been generated by the prospect of organising and holding a fashion show.

“We know all too well that people who have been excluded and forgotten, and who have become homeless, need to rebuild their self-confidence.”

Support officer Kate Jack (above) says kitting people out with replacement clothes is one of their priorities and the charity relies on donations of clothing and shoes.

“We are continually short of clothing and delighted to accept donations.

“We are always in need of jeans, track suit bottoms, T-shirts, sweatshirts, winter coats, and clean underwear such as boxer shorts.

“Footwear is another item in constant demand, including a trainers, shoes and socks.”

HAB was established in 1997, having started out in North Finchley as a soup kitchen for the homeless and quickly expanded after Barnet Council leased the charity a community building in Woodhouse Road.

A constant stream of people – up to 250 a week – seek help at the day centre which offers support and comfort from 9am to 12.30pm on Monday to Friday.

The centre has its own shower block, a cafeteria offering breakfast or lunch, and a laundrette for washing clothes.

Support officer Kareema Osbourne (above) has been at the centre for two years.

“It is very fulfilling having the chance to help people turn around their lives”

In the last 12 months, HAB has held well over 4,000 support sessions for homeless people, building up trust and helping them address the underlying barriers they face.

A night shelter is provided for up to 15 people, seven days a week, during the winter months, from November to the end of April.

Last year over 5,000 rough sleepers spent the night in safety at a one of the participating churches or synagogues where an army of 360 volunteers provide food and support.

HAB also has two hostels for homeless people – offering over 50 places – and clients can stay there until they can arrange permanent accommodation. Last year 196 were rehoused and 49 so far this year.

Ben Tovey, HAB’s chief executive, said that demand for support from rough sleepers was higher than ever this year.

“Housing shortages, unaffordable rents and the overall economic situation aren’t helping but another reason why we are getting more showing up is because of the government policy to close asylum hotels.

“So, this is becoming a pressure point for charities helping the homeless.

“It is particularly hard for the under 35s as the rents being charged are beyond their housing allowances and benefits, and are based on a shared housing rate, which again is a big factor in pushing up the demand for support.”

Homeless in Action in Barnet to hold open day at is North Finchley day centre and highlight is fashion show of clothes made by those seeking support

The fashion show, “Off The Street” on Sunday 17 May, in aid HAB, will be a community event with local artisan stalls, a musical performance, a raffle and a chance for guests to mingle with clients and volunteers.

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Yellow line parking restrictions are excessive say residents who believe they have been treated with contempt by Barnet Council

Residents of two narrow streets of mainly small cottages and terraced homes claim they have been ignored and abandoned by Barnet Council which has imposed double yellow lines at the junction of Sebright and Calvert Roads without proper consultation.

They say ten-metre-long restrictions either side of the junction have reduced parking spaces and had the perverse effect of speeding up traffic round the corner, placing pedestrians and children at greater risk.

“The restrictions are disproportionate, unsupported by evidence and a waste of public funds.”                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 

At the heart of their grievance is their anger at finding that changes to procedures for local consultation have made it virtually impossible for small groups of residents to challenge council decisions.

In a letter to Cath Shaw, the council’s chief executive, they accuse the council of failing to honour one of its core values, an undertaking given by councillors regarding their responsibilities to the public:

“We actively listen, respond, collaborate and share ideas, to achieve the best outcomes with residents, businesses and colleagues.”

The letter, highlighting the need for TLC for Barnet – for transparency, for listening and for consultation – sets out how they believe the council has been systematically reducing the opportunities for residents to influence decisions.

Face to face residents’ forums with councillors and council officers were abandoned in 2022 and the minimum number of signatures required to present a petition at a council or committee meeting has been raised from 25 to 500.

Their complaint mirrors anger in Underhill where residents’ groups have complained that despite overwhelming opposition council officers have gone ahead with an extension to the Barnet Hospital controlled parking zone and introduced parking charges outside the Mays Lane parade of shops.

Mrs Louise Cain (above, second from right), one of the organisers of the Sebright and Calvert Roads protest, said that once the council decided to impose yellow lines on each side of the road junction they immediately set about raising a petition.

“We easily got to 72 signatures, understanding that the minimum requirement was over 25, but then the council said our petition had been excluded because the minimum is now 500 signatures.”

Dr Chris Nightingale (above, far right) said the new minimum of 500 signatures effectively withdrew a democratic right from small groups of residents who had already lost the ability to challenge councillors and officers face-to-face at residents’ forums.

“Our community – bounded by Sebright, Puller, Alston and Calvert Roads – only has around 400 households at the most so we have lost our voice as a small community.

“Petitions with fewer than 500 signatures only require a written response and we have lost the democratic right as residents to present a case directly to councillors at a committee or council meeting.”

Dr Julia Gibbs (above, second from right) feared that the rights of residents had been eroded still further by the barriers they faced when seeking greater transparency when making Freedom of Information requests.

“A recent FOI request we made was refused on the grounds it would be too expensive for the council as it would require 15 officers to spend over 90 minutes each to produce the information.

“This was challenged and the council took over 50 working days, longer than the statutory reply time of 20 days, to send a reply.

“But even then, the council would not provide the requested information or give specific advice on how to obtain it.”

Events leading up to the painting of the yellow lines had proved to the protesters that the council had not been serious about conducting detailed consultation.

As far as they knew, there had been no complaints from ambulance or fire crews about difficulty in gaining access and apparently the only request for yellow lines had come from a refuse lorry driver.

It appeared one resident had spoken to a council officer and another official who was challenged said the yellow lines were a parking and not a highways matter.

The group thought that yellow lines of the length painted at the junction would have been expected if there was heavy traffic.

Puller and Sebright Roads were a one-way system – with Calvert Road a short cul-de-sac – and the restrictions were excessive.

“The result is a monument to officers’ failure to listen and then not revealing how their final decision was made.

“The restrictions are disproportionate, unsupported by evidence and a waste of public funds.

“We are contemplating commissioning a blue plaque to this effect.”

The protestors hope their demand that the council should restore quarterly residents’ forums will become an issue at the forthcoming Barnet Council election on Thursday 7 May.

A priority for the new council elected in May should be to restore trust between residents and councillors and to improve decision-making by identifying problems early and locally.

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Rainbow Centre, Underhill’s community hub, celebrates its re-opening in refurbished premises provided by Barnet Council

After several years of uncertainty about its long-term future, Barnet Council has finally found new premises for the Rainbow Centre, a vital community hub for residents of Underhill and especially the Dollis Valley estate.

A weekly foodbank, free lunches and activities for children in school holidays, and highly popular mixed martial arts classes for youngsters and adults are just some of the centre’s activities.

At the official opening, the Mayor of Barnet, Councillor Danny Rich, was full of praise for the centre’s initiatives and congratulated those involved, including from left to right, centre manager Sarah Snell, and food bank volunteers Christine Burbridge and Karen Gosland.

Councillor Rich said he was delighted the Rainbow Centre’s move from Dollis Valley to the former Priory Grove Scout hut, off Westcombe Drive, next to the Ark Pioneer Academy, had gone so well.

“As an authority of 63 councillors we realise, we only achieve anything when we work with our residents, which is why as your landlords, we want to extend a big ‘thank you’ for all you are achieving for the community.”

Because of delays to the completion of the regeneration of the Dollis Valley estate, the Rainbow Centre was kept waiting to be rehoused and there was added grief for the volunteers when a proposed move to the former cricket pavilion in Barnet Lane fell through.

The move to the Scout hut went ahead late last year and the Rainbow Centre is building up its activities with the first free lunch club for school children being held in the week before Easter.

Rinbow Centre, community hub for Underhill, moves into new premises after years of uncertainty following action by Barnet Council

The centre is operated and managed by charity, Barnet Community Projects, and Mike Benaim, chair of its trustees (above, third from left) said the four-year wait for new premises had turned into something of a saga but they were “very happy” with their new home.

The centre’s Thursday food bank is currently supporting around 80 people who get three days’ worth of free food, including fresh fruit and vegetables and three meals.

Sarah Snell, centre manager (above, third from right) said Rainbow’s policy was to be there for whoever needed help.

No referral is needed to get assistance from the foodbank, just a name and postcode.

“We don’t want to turn anyone away, so if someone is prepared to seek help at a food bank, we are there for them. Making that first visit is often the hardest thing for someone to do,” said Sarah.

One of the Rainbow Centre’s great success stories is its mixed martial arts classes run three times a week by Ibush Januzi, founder of North London MMA Kabashi (above, seventh from right).

Classes for children attract up to 70 youngsters a week and adult classes up to 60. On Tuesdays there is a wrestling class and women’s self-defence on Saturdays.

“The response since we started has been amazing,” said Ibush.

“I am always keen to offer free classes to people who might have been in trouble, perhaps with drugs, or are homeless.

“These free sessions are very rewarding for those involved. The discipline of martial arts helps people who have been in trouble believe in themselves. They can see what they can achieve and realise they are not losers.”

Councillor Zahra Beg (above, sixth from right) added her thanks to the council for finally agreeing to the move.

Since she was elected for Underhill in 2022, finding a new home for the Rainbow Centre had been a major pre-occupation and she was delighted the move had finally been accomplished.

“We bullied the council into finding new premises and then we found the Scout hut needed lots of repairing, but it has all been worthwhile.

“The centre now has a new home for 25 years with the freedom to expand its services and bring in more people from in and around Underhill.”

Councillor Tim Roberts (above, fourth from left), who is standing down in May after serving Underhill for 12 years, said the official opening of a new home for Rainbow was a great way to finish.

“The Rainbow Centre really has been part of the Dollis Valley estate for such a long time.

“It has been a regular meeting place for so many of us and we are all delighted it is up and running once again here in Underhill.”  

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Food waste being collected on bin days from homes across Borough of Barnet to be used for producing electricity and farm fertiliser

With the reintroduction of domestic food waste collections from homes across the Borough of Barnet, families will be making their contribution towards generating electricity and producing liquid farmland fertiliser at a renewable energy plant midway between North Mymms and London Colney.

Barnet householders have been supplied with two new containers – a brown kitchen caddy for collecting food waste indoors and a larger brown outdoors food waste bin.

Food waste bins will be emptied at the kerbside into new collection vehicles hired by the council.

Collections will take place on a householder’s regular bin day.

Lorries will unload into a bunker at Severn Trent Green Power’s facility at Coursers Farm, just to the north of junction 22 on the M25 motorway.

Severn Trent Green Power opened the plant around ten years ago.

It serves towns and councils from a wide radius in Hertfordshire, including Hertsmere, and processes up to 75,000 tons of food waste a year, including some commercial waste.

  Once tipped at the plant all plastic from caddy liners, bags and wrappings is removed mechanically so that the food waste can be pumped into digester tanks where biogas is produced ready for the generation of electricity in site’s engines.

Severn Trent Green Power’s North London plant produces three megawatts of power for the National Grid at Coursers Farm.

Liquid fertiliser for farms, which is the residue of the process, is distributed for spreading in fields on local farms.

Barnet Council has reinstated food waste collections – as from a government deadline of Monday 30 March – as a result of new regulations requiring local authorities to collect food waste separately from other household waste.

A food waste collection service had operated in Barnet from 2013 until it was cancelled by the council in November 2018 – against the advice of the Mayor of London – in order to save an annual bill of £300,000.

Government capital grants – including £2.7 million for Barnet – have now been paid to local councils to meet the cost of new containers and collection vehicles.

New kitchen caddies and kerbside bins for Barnet householders have cost £1.3 million and food waste collection vehicles are being hired for five years from Riverside Truck Rental at a cost of £2.8 million.

Publicity for the reintroduction of the service includes advice on what to place in the food waste caddy – leftover food, peelings and waste from fruit, vegetables, meat, fish, dairy products, bread, cakes, tea bags, coffee grounds etc.

Special bins are being provided for household food waste from flats above town centre flats – as seen in Barnet High Process.

In the first part of the process at the Coursers Farm plant all plastic bags and coverings are removed. The plastic waste which is left is sent to separate waste-for-energy plants.

Food waste collections reintroduced by Barnet Council and it will be turned into electricity and farm fertiliser at Severn Trent Green Power plant just north of M25

Loads have to be rejected if they are contaminated with other waste such as bottles and cans.

Once the processed food waste has been reduced to a liquid – a food waste soup as it is known in the trade – it is pumped into one of four digestion tanks where it is heated to between 37 and 42 degrees, breaks down, and releases biogas for electricity generation.

From being tipped by a lorry, it takes around 85 days for the waste to be converted into gas and liquid fertiliser for spreading on fields.

To reduce odours escaping into the neighbourhood, air from the plant goes through a biofilter using a water filter and damp wood chips.

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Barnet Council steps in with an exemption from council tax for residents who have a terminal diagnosis

Terminally ill householders in the London borough of Barnet will be removed from council tax if they qualify under a new relief scheme which takes effect in April.

Barnet, which has a higher proportion of the elderly than in much of the capital, will become one of the first London boroughs to ease financial pressures on residents with a terminal diagnosis.

Councillor Simon Radford, the council’s cabinet member for finance – see above – is anxious to promote the assistance which the council is offering when residents and their families face “the most difficult moments in their lives”.

If residents are already receiving council tax support – through discretionary relief or housing payment policies – they will not have to pay council tax if a clinician has confirmed a terminal diagnosis.

Charities have welcomed the move by Barnet – and other councils such as Manchester and Barnsley – which they say will help people cope with the emotional strain of end-of-life care by removing or reducing council tax from families who might be dealing with loss of income and increased care costs.

Barnet, which has the second largest population of any London borough, has over 22,000 residents aged over 80, including nearly 5,000 aged over 90.

High Barnet ward illustrates the significance of the age profile: over 2,000 residents are over 65 and 673 – roughly six per cent – are over 80.

Councillor Radford said the aim of the council and health authorities was to keep people in their own homes for as long as possible with care and support, so that they could maintain their independence.

There was more demand for adult social care in Barnet than in other London boroughs which underlined the need for the council to enhance its support for the terminally ill.

Marie Curie, the UK’s leading end-of-life charity hopes that more London boroughs – especially those in the north London care belt with numerous care homes – follow Barnet’s example in ensuring residents get clear and compassionate support.

Housing costs and council tax bills added to the financial pressures on those who are terminally ill and wished to continue living in their own homes.

Under the new criteria, Barnet residents may qualify for a council tax reduction if they receive council tax support and provide an SR1 medical form, completed by a clinician, confirming life expectancy is thought to be of 12 months or less.

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Bags of litter piled up after clean-up organised by Barnet Residents Association – and the town’s MP is urging more community action

Litters pickers from Barnet Residents Association fanned out across the town in one of the association’s regular clean ups – the kind of initiative which the Chipping Barnet MP Dan Tomlinson hopes will be encouraged by his new community action network.

Association co-chair Ken Rowland and committee member Emma Morgan – see above – cleared up litter in Bruce Road which backs on to the Waitrose car park and often gets overlooked in street cleaning.

However, they left Bruce Road feeling rather disappointed because they were not equipped to tackle a heap of builder’s rubbish which had been left by a recent fly-tipper.

Committee member Anna Watkins was on hand at the association’s stall in The Spires shopping centre ready to hand volunteers litter pickers and rubbish bags which had been supplied by Barnet Council.

The clean up was organised in partnership with the Chipping Barnet Town Team and was considered a great success – a heap of around 40 rubbish bags was left nearby at Chipping Barnet Library in Stapylton Road ready for collection by the council’s refuse service.

Among the volunteers were staff members from McDonald’s fast-food restaurant who also stage their own litter pick sessions.

Franchisee Hubs Backshi (above, second from left) said McDonald’s team members regularly did a litter sweep around the restaurant in the Barnet High Street and were keen to help whenever street clean-ups were organised.

Barnet Residents Association reports another successful litter picking clean up as Chipping Barnet MP Dan Tomlinson backs more community action

Litter picking was one of the targets discussed at a meeting organised by the Chipping Barnet MP Dan Tomlinson which went on to establish a community action network.

Over 200 people attended a discussion and workshop where an agenda was established for action next year.

Long-term projects include supporting East Barnet Festival and Community Energy Barnet.

Mr Tomlinson said he hoped the network could run a monthly community cation day.

“The focus of the network is making tangible differences to the local area through local action, whether that’s litter picking or organising a community festival,” said Mr Tomlinson.   

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Two deputations from Underhill challenge Barnet Councillors over their failure to consult residents and take local views into account

After hearing some vociferous complaints from Underhill residents, Barnet Council has agreed to review two controversial issues – the imposition of the Underhill South controlled parking zone and a decision to abandon the existing split between private and social housing in the regeneration of the Dollis Valley estate.

Two separate deputations explained their grievances and were assured by council leaders that officials would prepare reports into their objections.

A petition calling for a rethink on the extension of the Barnet Hospital CPZ to take in 16 roads around Chesterfield Road and Mays Lane was presented jointly by Gina Theodorou and Jon Woolfson – see above at the town hall, Hendon.

They claimed that the experimental CPZ was imposed by the council’s highways department despite opposition from 61 per cent of residents.

There was no justification for introducing parking charges other than to help the council recoup its parking deficit.

In response the council agreed on the recommendation of Councillor Alan Schneiderman, cabinet member for the environment, that officials would look at criticism of the way the Underhill South CPZ had been introduced.

There would be a full review of the scheme when the six-month consultation period ends in mid-June.

A second petition was presented by two members of a group of private houseowners in the Brook Valley Gardens development, off Mays Lane – see above – which is regenerating the former Dollis Valley estate.

They objected to the council’s agreement with developers Vistry to complete the two final stages of the regeneration with 221 social rent homes instead of continuing with a mix between privately owned and social housing.

By failing to honour the commitment that Brook Valley Gardens would be mixed tenure neighbourhood – and by turning it into 60 per cent social housing – the council had jeopardised the future of houseowners who had invested life savings into new properties.

Bulldozing through without consultation a deal with Vistry, the second largest housebuilder in the UK, and by failing to construct 128 private homes as originally promised, the council had changed the nature of Brook Valley Gardens.

A petition had been signed by 120 private householders who feared that a result of increasing the proportion of social housing from 40 to 60 per cent the council had threatened “a well-integrated community, increasing the risk of anti-social behaviour” all for the sake of the council getting access to Greater London Authority funding to help “bail-out” the developers.

In acknowledging their anger, Councillor Ross Houston, the cabinet member for homes and regeneration explained that the council’s objective was to demolish empty blocks of flats and maisonettes – see above – and secure the completion of the Dollis Valley regeneration through the construction of new well-designed homes.

On Councillor Houston’s recommendation, the council agreed it would ask officials to report back on the concerns which had been raised.

The deal proposed with Vistry would be reviewed at the next cabinet meeting which would consider whether any changes could be made in the current plans for the competition of phases four and five of the regeneration.

Deputations from Underhill complain to Barnet Council about imposition of Underhill South CPZ and changes in proportion of private housing in Dollis Valley regeneration

Opposition to the Underhill South CPZ has been mounting since it took effect in mid December with a concerted campaign by members of the Quinta Village Green Residents Association and the Underhill Residents Group.

In her submission Gina Theodorou of the QVGRA said experience since its introduction had proved there was no justification for a CPZ as most of the parking bays were empty most of the time. Residents were leaving cars in their drives rather than apply for a permit.

Jon Wolfson of Underhill Residents raised the plight of retailers in the Mays Lane parade of shops who were losing a substantial amount of business because of the introduction of parking charges on their service road.

A petition had raised over 2,200 signatures in protest at the imposition of cashless parking charges at a tariff of £3.38 an hour from 8am to 6.30pm whereas in nearby roads, which are also within the Barnet Hospital D CPZ, restrictions apply only between 2pm and 3pm.

There was support for the Underhill petition from Councillor Richard Cornelius who agreed with the deputation that parking regulations imposed around Barnet Hospital were “a complete mess”.

“I hope this CPZ is reconsidered because the overwhelming opposition shows it cannot be right and as someone who parks outside the Mays Lane parade of shops I don’t see why parking charges are necessary”.       

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Redevelopment of Dollis Valley estate to be restarted after two year delay following go ahead for construction of 221 new homes

Completion of the Brook Valley Gardens estate off Mays Lane – which is a regeneration of the Dollis Valley estate – has moved a step closer.

Progress has been stalled since 2023, but a revised deal has been agreed with the developers and approved by Barnet Council.

Demolition of the remaining 1960s high-rise blocks and maisonettes will take place shortly. This will allow work to start on another 221 new homes.

The redevelopment had to be halted when the developers told the council that it was no longer economically viable to build the final 221 new homes on the basis of a split between private and social housing.

To get the regeneration of Dollis Valley back on track, the council’s cabinet has decided that the new homes that are yet to be built will now all be socially rented and under the management of Barnet Homes.

However, the failure to continue – as was originally proposed – with the construction of another 128 houses for private sale, will mean that instead of Brook Valley Gardens being a mixed-tenure neighbourhood the estate will become 60 per cent social housing.

This change has angered many of householders in privately owned homes on the estate who are organising a petition to present to a meeting of the Dollis Valley Partnership board at its annual meeting in March.

They say that Barnet Council has failed to hold any consultations about a fundamental alteration to the terms under which they purchased their houses.

“Barnet Council is bulldozing this through and have been keeping residents in the dark over Brook Valley Gardens becoming 60 per cent social housing.”

Private householders are concerned about the future saleability of their properties because mortgage lenders now take into account the percentage of social v private housing on an estate.

Because the original plan was for 50 per cent private housing, high street banks were happy to lend money on Brook Valley Gardens properties but with 60 per cent social housing future owners might be unable to obtain mortgages without resorting to specialised lenders and this could “materially affect property values for existing homeowners.”  

Regeneration of Dollis Valley estate to be restarted with construction of 221 social rent homes to complete Brook Valley Gardens estate following Barnet Council approval

The remaining Mill Bridge and Garrowsfield blocks of flats and maisonettes in the Dollis Valley estate were surveyed in 2024 and were found to have widespread damp and mould.

They were deemed unsuitable for prolonged occupancy beyond December 2025 and the council decided to rehouse the tenants. Demolition is now to due start in the coming months.

The delay in finishing the estate arose because the joint developers Vistry Group (formerly Countryside Properties) and London and Quadrant declared that the original plans were no longer cost-effective.

Vistry proposed an alternative accelerated programme, and the council cabinet has now agreed to purchase 221 social and affordable rent homes from Vistry at a fixed price, subject to securing grant funding from the Greater London Authority.

On completion, Barnet Homes will manage the properties on behalf of the council. Eleven will be wheelchair accessible.

Vistry is proposing to deliver an accelerated programme of construction of replacement homes so that tenants rehoused from Mill Bridge and Garrowsfield can be prioritised to return on completion if they wish to.

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Request for pre-planning negotiations over possible development of a large housing estate in green belt land off Rowley Lane, Arkley

An application has been made to Barnet Council by a housing developer seeking permission to start discussions on building up to 300 homes on 17 acres of green belt land off Rowley Lane, Arkley.

Part of the site was a former pig farm – see above – and the proposed development would take place in woods and scrubland between Rowley Lane and the A1 Barnet by-pass to the north of the Stirling Corner roundabout.

Bugler Homes of Rickmansworth is hoping to take advantage of new government guidance which came into effect a year ago and which allows for the release of some green belt land for housing.

Where there is green belt land which was “previously developed” and which does not “strongly contribute” to limiting urban sprawl, it can now be deemed grey belt land and can be developed for housing and other needs.

Arkley’s community group – Arkley Association – has been informed that Bugler Homes is at “an early stage of exploring opportunities to bring forward a grey belt application”.

The site has been purchased unconditionally by the company which says an assessment of the site indicates that it that would meet the criteria for grey belt approval.

Its “initial vision” is to build approximately 230 homes, with 50 per cent affordable housing; an 80-bed care home; publicly accessible green spaces and allotments; and improved public right of way footpaths.

“We want to work with the community to ensure the proposals reflect Arkley’s character and identity, help address local needs, and contribute positively to village life.”

Bugler has asked for a meeting with the association to discuss its proposal – a plan which has shocked and surprised many Arkley residents.

They fear that if approval is given it could connect to another large site closer to Stirling Corner which has been vacant since the demolition of a former police academy.

“Before we know it approval will have been given for housing on the whole of the triangle of land between Barnet by-pass, Barnet Road and Rowley Lane,” said one resident.

“That would desecrate the green belt, damage the village surroundings of Arkley and would lead to even more urban sprawl between Borehamwood and Barnet.”

Most of the houses in and around Arkley village are individual detached properties and except for Rockways off Barnet Road there are no significant housing developments.

If approval was given for up to 300 homes off Rowley Lane it would be Arkley’s first housing estate.

The 17-acre site which includes the former Rowley Bank Farm is to the rear of houses in Amethyst Close – see above – at the junction of Rowley Lane and Rowley Green Road.

Bugler Homes has asked to meet representatives of the Arkley Association which says it will now hold an extra-ordinary annual meeting to decide what action to take. Other interested groups will be invited to take part.

Government guidance on green belt land which might now be redesignated as grey belt says that this applies particularly to “previously developed” land such as the site of dis-used petrol stations or abandoned car parks.

Arkley Association informed of pre-planning application to build up to 300 homes on a 17-acre site off Rowley Lane. Bugler Homes to have discussions with Barnet Council.

The Arkley site includes abandoned buildings from the former pig farm – which have more recently been used for storage – and extensive hard standing.

When considering Bugler Homes’ plan, Barnet Council will be required under the government’s national planning policy framework, to assess the contribution which the site makes to the green belt and whether a grey belt approval would result in the remaining green belt in the area being “fundamentally undermined”.

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“Love them or lose them” is the blunt message from the organisers of Barnet’s summer round of shows, fetes and festivals

Organisers of a busy programme of summer shows and festivals in and around High Barnet hope there will be maximum support this year because today’s tough times are forcing the postponement and even cancellation of some popular events.

Out in front once again is Barnet Classic Car Club’s annual show which is to be held on Sunday 17 May on the top floor of The Spires car park — see above last year’s display of Jaguar cars.

Four concerts – including a family concert – will be held between June 6-28 by the High Barnet Chamber Music Festival which is backed this year by Arts Council England.

Another highlight of the summer calendar will be the two-day Barnet Medieval Festival over the weekend of June 6-7, back for a second year at its new site in Galley Lane.

Fields around Fold Farm (Lewis of London Ice Cream) provided an ideal location last summer with record crowds for the re-enactments of the Battles of Barnet and St Albans and masses of space for a campsite, medieval traders and enthusiasts.

Publicity material is already out for the annual Arkley Village Fayre on Saturday 23 May and its highly popular all comers dog show – see above, last year’s winners.

Other events planned include Queen Elizabeth’s School’s founders’ day fete on Saturday 20 June; Jazz and More on Hadley Green on Sunday 5 July (12pm to 6pm); and Hadley Wood Association’s fireworks night on Sunday 1 November.

Financial challenges, a shortage of helpers, complex safety regulations and higher Barnet Council charges are all adding to the pressures facing the volunteer committees which work so hard behind the scenes.

Their plea to the residents of Barnet and further afield is to put dates in the diary and to help ensure the continued success of what promises to be an entertaining and engaging programme of events.

“Love them or lose them” is the blunt message.

Summer programme of shows, festivals and fetes in and around High Barnet and an extra strong plea this year for strong public support

Even the town’s biggest annual celebration, Barnet Christmas Fayre, is facing an unprecedented financial challenge.

For the first time it seems the organisers might have to raise the funds to meet the cost of road and bus-route diversions which are needed to keep the High Street clear of traffic.

If Barnet Council is unable to absorb the estimated cost of around £4,000, the fayre committee might have to launch an appeal and look for additional sponsors.

One popular event which has had to be cancelled this year is the Barnet Summer Soulstice soul music festival which has been held for the last 18 years at the Old Elizabethans playing fields in May Lane.

But the Spring into Soul Ball – also in aid of Cherry Lodge Cancer Care – is being held on Saturday 21 March at the Double Tree Hilton Hotel in Borehamwood.

Another of this year’s casualties is the East Barnet Festival which is planning on returning in 2027. Organisers have issued a plea for support for next year’s event which they say will help “keep the spirit of East Barnet alive”.

After missing out last year, Potters Bar Carnival is due to return on Sunday 14 June with live performances from show bands and dance troupes. Community support is vital to the carnival’s success.

East Finchley Festival is booked in for Sunday 21 June but again the organisers have issued a plea for support because of the mounting costs and challenges facing self-funded events.

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Queen Elizabeth’s School – a Barnet brand name that will soon be appearing on new international schools in India and Dubai

QE Boys, established by Queen Elizabeth in 1573 as a free grammar for the “boys and youth” of Barnet, is about to begin a new chapter in its history with the opening in August of the first two of three new international schools bearing the brand name “Queen Elizabeth’s School”.

Enrolment started in November at one the new schools opening in August – Queen Elizabeth’s School, Dubai Sports City (see artist’s impression above).

Some leading independent schools have already established international branches.

QE Barnet, is the first UK state-maintained school to open affiliated schools overseas, starting in the United Arab Emirates and India.

Queen Elizabeth's School Barnet about to become an international brand with new Queen Elizabeth schools in India and Dubai

Queen Elizabeth’s School, at Gurugram, near Delhi – see artist’s impression above – is the second of the two schools opening in August.

It is in the northern Indian state of Haryana, and it will be followed by another in India at Gift City, another new financial and technology hub in Gujarat province.

Any revenues received from a partnership with Global Education Holdings Ltd will be invested in furthering educational opportunities at QE in Barnet, says the school’s website.

The location of these new international fee-paying schools for boys and girls under the Queen Elizabeth brand reflects the high number of children of Indian heritage who are being educated at QE Boys.

A report in The Times (9.2.2026) into why white British pupils are falling behind in the race for a grammar school place singled out QE Barnet.

Requests by the newspaper under the Freedom of Information Act had revealed that in the last academic year (2024-25) only two boys from an intake of 192 at QE Barnet were identified as white British, down from nine in 2019-20.

The number of boys admitted to QE who were from Indian heritage had increased from 103 in 2019-20 to 120 in 2024-25.

Queen Elizabeth’s School attracted 3,300 applications for the 192 places which were available that year – a level of demand which reflects its ranking in the Sunday Times 2026 school guide as state secondary school of the year.

Since it reverted from being a comprehensive to grammar school status in 1994, and reintroduced an entrance examination, QE Boys has become heavily oversubscribed.

Its high intake of boys from Indian families who pass the entrance exam is a result of what The Times described as the emphasis which Indian heritage families place on tutoring children, often starting at the age of six.

Former QE pupils from Barnet who now live in Dubai – where 90 per cent of the population are expatriates – have been lending their support for the opening of the Queen Elizabeth’s School at Dubai Sports City.

In a video presentation describing how the new school would draw on QE Boys “incredible heritage”, the founding principal Dan Clark said he had hosted an event in Dubai for Old Elizabethans.

He said that these former pupils had “an exceptional sense of pride” about having been educated at QE in Barnet and they were “desperate to get involved” in a project which would allow children in Dubai to benefit from the experience of the “most academically successful state-maintained school in the UK”.

“I have been wondering whether Queen Elizabeth thought that a school she founded in Barnet would go on to be one of the UK’s – and the world’s – most successful academic institutions.”

Mr Clark expressed his personal delight at being able to bring the “incredible heritage” of QE to Dubai, one of the “world’s most exciting cities and one of the world’s top ten destination cities for education”.

QE headmaster Neil Enright said that he and his staff in Barnet would “play a key role in shaping and guiding the new schools, ensuring that they are worthy of bearing the proud name of Queen Elizabeth’s School”.

Management of the commercial relationship with Global Education will be in the hands of a new subsidiary, Friends of Queen Elizabeth’s International Enterprises Ltd which would ensure that the charity and the school benefited from the income generated by the new international schools.

Global Education is a UK registered education business with 60,000 students in a portfolio of establishments across 12 different countries operating as “successful education brands”.

“The new Queen Elizabeth’s Schools in India and other markets will bear the QE name and branding and will draw upon QE Barnet’s ethos and educational methodology, taking inspiration from and aspiring to its record of academic excellence and achievement.”

QE Barnet is described as being “a perfect partner” for Global Education as it seeks to offer first-class British-style schooling in international settings.

In welcoming the new partnership, Mr Enright says QE Barnet looks forward to working with Global Education to “open and grow QE branded schools internationally, and to the opportunities that students will enjoy as a result.”

In its report investigating the way white British pupils are failing to get grammar school places, The Times said that its Freedom of Information requests indicated that the girls’ grammar school Henrietta Barnet in Hampstead Garden Suburb took one white British pupil and 62 of Indian heritage in the academic year 2024-25 when there were 3,000 applications for 104 places.

Unlike QE Boys Barnet, Queen Elizabeth’s Girls’ School, Barnet, which was established in 1888, has remained a non-selective comprehensive school and continues to offer places within a wide catchment area around High Barnet.

By contrast QE Boys attracts pupils from across north and west London, Hertfordshire and further afield and administers its own selection process.

There has been discussion among education experts as to whether there should be reform of a system which allows applicants to apply to successful grammar schools regardless of where they lived.

Mark Fenton, chief executive of the Grammar School Heads Association, told The Times that schools were obliged to assess all applicants regardless of where they lived and this was a regulation which some grammar school leaders would like to see reformed.    

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Hot pursuit of suspect car ends with a spectacular crash bringing traffic to a halt in Barnet High Street

Traffic in Barnet High Street was at a standstill after a dramatic late morning crash when a car being followed by police cars struck the side of a No 34 bus waiting in the lay-by next to the Red Lion public house.

The crash happened opposite Barnet police station and the suspect car ended up being corralled by seven police cars.

Eyewitnesses described the impact when the car careered into the bus hitting it just below the driver’s cab.

The bus driver and a suspect – who was immediately handcuffed by police officers – were both shaken up by the crash and taken to hospital.

“There was a tremendous bang,” said the driver in the next No 34 waiting in the lay-by reserved for buses on the Barnet Church to Walthamstow Central route.

“Suddenly the whole place was surrounded by police cars. It must have been some sort of hot pursuit and a suspect was dragged out from the crashed car.

“No wonder the bus driver needed to go to hospital. The car that hit his bus was a write off. The driver wouldn’t have known what was happening.”

Students from Barnet College lined up to watch the action.

“For a moment it looked like a scene being filmed for tv…there were so many police cars surrounding the crashed car,” said one of the eyewitnesses.

Once the shaken-up suspect was safely in handcuffs, officers sat him down on the bench in front of High Barnet Police Station before escorting him across the road to a waiting ambulance.

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Barnet pub with a tradition of community and creative engagement included in sale of 30 licensed premises by Hertford brewers McMullen’s

Sebright Arms in Alston Road is one of three Barnet public houses which the Hertford family-owned brewers McMullen’s have sold to Punch Pubs & Co.

Two others included in the sale of a total of 30 pubs are the Kings Head in Barnet High Street and the Queens Arms, next to the Everyman cinema.

James Croft, Punch Pubs’ strategy and commercial director, said the company was delighted to have acquired a collection of pubs with such strong community roots and the focus would be to continue to invest in their licensed premises and to support their publicans and managers.

McMullen’s joint managing director Tom McMullen was confident Punch Pubs was committed to supporting the Sebright Arms and other pubs included in the sale.

“Punch Pubs have indicated a willingness to invest £4 million in the 30 pubs we have sold and to protect their long-term future.”

These assurances have been welcomed by the Sebright Arms Community Group which says Punch Pubs have “responded positively” in recognising “the Sebright’s established place at the heart of the local community”.

Ken Rowland, co-chair of the Barnet Residents Association, had been encouraged by the “proactive engagement” by Punch Pubs.

Because of previous uncertainty about its long-term future, the Sebright was registered with Barnet Council as an asset of community value, a safeguard which continues until 2027.

“The Sebright holds particular significance in Barnet,” said Mr Rowland.

“It has long served as a creative and community driven hub, hosting open microphone nights, quiz evenings, charity fund raising events and a wide range of residential led activities.

“Its role extends well beyond that of a traditional pub, providing a welcoming space where friendships are formed and local talent is supported.”

Mr Rowland said Punch Pubs’ reassurances were especially significant as the Sebright prepares to host its largest charity event to date on July 11, a celebration of the life and legacy of Graeme Hall, a much-loved regular and key figure in the Barnet music scene.

More than 25 acts have already committed to performing, reflecting the depth of affection and respect he inspired.

News of the sale of the Queens Arms and the Kings Head follows a temporary closure of the two pubs last year while waiting for new tenants and the BRA says it hopes they thrive under new ownership.

Other McMullen’s pubs included in the sale to Punch Pubs are the Builder’s Arms, Potters Bar, and the Windsor Castle, East Finchley.

All 30 were described by Punch Pubs as having strong trading histories, distinctive heritage and established positions.

Sebright Arms, Alston Road, one of three Barnet pubs sold by Hertford bewers McMullen's to Punch Pubs

In his statement Tom McMullen said it had been important to transfer the pubs to a new owner who possessed both the “scale and strategic direction” to offer tenants improved support and willingness to provide the pubs the financial commitment they deserved.

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NatWest is closing its High Street branch following other big banks which have already pulled out of High Barnet

Barnet town centre is to lose one of its four remaining banks – and customers feared another might be going as well – as the big banks announced another massive round of branch closures.

NatWest is to close its branch at 120 High Street on Monday May 11 this year, one of 32 closures to take effect by 2027.

But despite Santander announcing 44 branch closures across the UK, the bank’s Barnet customers were relieved to see that their branch in the High Street is not on the closure list.

The closure notice on NatWest’s front door says the branch will be closing at 12noon on May 11.

Customers are advised that the nearest NatWest branch will be at 786 High Road, North Finchley, and that cash withdrawals and deposits into bank accounts can be made at Barnet Post Office.

NatWest closed its Borehamwood branch in 2022 followed by Potters Bar the following year.

Barnet’s Santander branch – which was recently refurbished – was feared to be at possible risk because the Borehamwood and Finchley branches both closed last year.

NatWest to close its High Street branch following in the wake of other big banks pulling out of High Barnet. Only three banks remain in the town centre.

Halifax closed its Barnet branch in 2024, and alterations are being made to the ground floor of the building which is to become a Lemoge health and beauty clinic.

An application has been made to convert the upper floors of the former Halifax building into four self-contained flats.

The loss of Halifax and now NatWest follows in the wake of other closures – HSBC closed in 2021 and the building now a Gail’s Bakery, and the former TSB branch has become a Costa coffee shop.

The one High Street bank which has made a promise to retain its town centre branches is Nationwide which gave a pledge in November that it would keep everyone of its 696 Nationwide and Virgin Money branches open until at least 2030.

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Despair among Mays Lane traders as introduction of pay-by-phone parking charges leads to a dramatic loss in customers

Long-established businesses fear they might have to close unless Barnet Council can be persuaded to drop parking charges which were introduced in mid-December outside the Mays Lane parade of shops.

Coopers of Barnet say trade is down by 40 per cent in the last six weeks since the withdrawal of free parking in the service road outside their premises.

Well over 1,500 residents and shoppers have signed a petition organised by Denise Bagge, proprietor of Mays Lane Pets, to protest at the charges.

The Mays Lane shop owners say the council could easily introduce a scheme allowing free parking for 20 minutes or half an hour which would be more than enough time for most customers.

In calling for a re-think, the Mays Lane traders are adding their voice to mounting anger over parking restrictions and charges which have been imposed as part of the Underhill South Controlled Parking Zone.

Despite opposition from 85 per cent of householders – and pleas from staff and parents at Whitings Hill Primary School – the council went ahead with the introduction of an 18-month experimental CPZ in 16 roads off Mays Lane and on either side of Chesterfield Road.

Residents can have their say during a six-month consultation period which ends of Sunday 14 June by which time the Quinta Green Residents Association and the Underhill Residents’ Group intend to have completed their own in-depth surveys and consultation to demonstrate the strength of opposition to the CPZ.

Mays Lane Pets launched the petition which is available for signing at neighbouring shops in the parade and online. (For more information email mayspets.co.uk

Shop assistant Sarah Burley (above) said they have been amazed by the response and are appealing to the Chipping Barnet MP Dan Tomlinson to visit the parade and give his support.

“This is just a money-making exercise for Barnet Council. Instead of getting tough with Barnet Hospital and forcing the hospital to build a multi-storey car park, we are all having to suffer just because there isn’t enough parking space for hospital staff, patients and visitors.”

There used to be free parking space outside the Mays Lane parade for a dozen or perhaps as many as 15 cars at time, but that has been reduced to five bays with pay-by-phone charges at the top rate for on-street parking in the borough.

“The effect on our trade has been dramatic,” said Sarah.

“Lots of elderly customers used to stop in their cars and just pop in for items like bird seeds, that sort of thing. But lots of the elderly can’t do pay-by-phone and who is going to pay £3.30 to pop in to buy a bag of doggy treats.”

Mohinder Dhingra, proprietor of Coopers of Barnet, was distraught at the loss of trade for his hardware business.

“If it continues like this, we will have to close the shop. Trade is down by up to 40 per cent since December 15.

“There was never any trouble before with the parking outside the parade.

“Now people are scared to come in. You can’t expect customers to pay a minimum of £1.70 just to park when all they want is something which might cost £1 or £1.50.

“The council could easily introduce a limit, say free parking for 20 to 30 minutes and that would work well for everyone.”

Among those who have signed the petition is Paul Marshall – above with Mohinder Dhingra in top picture – who was formerly a parking enforcement officer.

He thought the charges for such a small parade were unnecessary and felt the CPZ exercise was just a revenue earner for local councils.

“In my day councils used to say the income from parking charges would go back into the local area, but that never happens now. Just look at the potholes round here. The money certainly isn’t being spent improving the roads around here.”

Mays Lane shopping parade businesses fear closures unless Barnet Council drops pay-by-phone parking charges and reinstates free parking

A similar scheme for parking charges has been introduced at the parade of shops in Bells Hill, again part of the Underhill South CPZ.

Quinta Green Residents Association says the justification for the new CPZ is that it is necessary because of the displacement of vehicles caused by the existing and extended Barnet Hospital CPZ.

“But displacement caused by an existing CPZ cannot be used retrospectively to justify another CPZ and we have now found the experimental Underhill South CPZ is generating displacement in roads the council originally excluded from the new CPZ.

“The council’s reasoning is circular. It is simply creating parking pressure through intervention.

“Barnet Hospital does intend to use surplus land to increase its own on-site parking, but the long-term solution is for the Royal Free Hospital Trust to build a new multi-deck car park.

“In the meantime, unresolved hospital demand – and its costs – are being transferred on to residential streets through CPZs, which are the most likely measures to become permanent even if the hospital problem is eventually solved.”

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Pressure to offer and retain workrooms and offices close to Barnet town centre, but developers claim there is no demand for employment space

Barnet Council is facing another challenge to its policy of encouraging developers to keep or offer space for workrooms and offices in new housing developments close to High Barnet town centre.

So far, the council’s attempt to ensure that affordable space for employment is available is failing to attract tenants as indicated by the number of “To Let” signs.   

The latest challenge revolves around a fresh application to change the use of Highlands House in Bath Place, just off the High Street – see above – to provide seven self-contained one-bedroom flats.

Previously Highlands House was used for offices and graphic printing by sign makers RHM Event Graphics who have moved to premises at Borehamwood.

Subsequently the building has remained vacant, and other developers in the vicinity say the lack of demand for commercial space close to the town centre is underlined by the failure to find a tenant for a potential affordable workspace in the adjoining Lightfield housing development.

When dealing with planning applications, the council has been insisting that in line with the Barnet local plan, affordable employment space should be provided when new housing developments replace commercial and industrial premises.

In the case of Highlands House, council planners will have to decide whether prior approval is required for a change of use following new government regulations on permitted development.

An application to convert Highlands House to flats was rejected last year on the grounds that it would have a “detrimental effect” on the free flow of traffic and highway safety in Bath Place.

But this latest application states the seven flats would be car free and the developers would enter a legal agreement to restrict car parking permits.

Just a few yards away from Highlands House is an empty site – see above – which was earmarked for affordable workspace when approval was given to Shanly Homes to provide 40 homes in flats and houses on the new Lightfield estate, just off the High Street.

Lightfield was built on the site of Brake Shear House which once housed 20 businesses in small factories and workshops which had a combined employment floorspace of 4,000 square metres.

When granting permission for Lightfield, the council stipulated that the site should retain 754 square metres of employment space.

Since the completion of the new estate, the developers say there has been no interest in developing the available commercial floor space and this prompted a fresh application to build a four-storey block which would have comprised eight flats with a ground floor offering 210 square metres of employment space.

However, after this application was refused, the developers took their case to a planning inquiry, only to find that the inspector backed the council.

In his report, the inspector said there was no evidence the employment space had been advertised at a genuinely competitive price; the developers had not demonstrated satisfactorily that there was no demand; and building additional flats would mean a “significant decrease in the employment potential of the site”.

In support of its wider policy of seeking mixed development, the council has intervened to see if a tenant can be found for vacant community space on the ground floor of a new block of flats in Salisbury Road.

This follows the council’s refusal for permission to convert vacant community space on the ground floor of the new block – see above – into a three-bedroom flat.

Again, the developers say that despite having been “extensively marketed” for four years there has been minimal interest in hiring the community space.

In an attempt to find a potential tenant, the council is to contact community groups and local charities to see if there is any interest.

The ground floor space of 1,280 square feet is on the market for a guide sale price of £400,000 or an annual rent of £25,000.

Another vacant commercial space which has been on the market for some considerable time is on the ground floor of new flats in Moxon Street – see above – which were built after the demolition of a car repair business and a former Salvation Army Hall.

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Warm tributes after death of one of Barnet’s “movers and shakers” from an era when retirees contributed so much to community affairs

Robin Marson, who dedicated much of his life to supporting the work of organisations, societies and charities which over the years have strengthened Barnet’s strong sense of community, has died at the age of 89.

Following his retirement in the early 1990s he took on what seemed to be an ever-expanding list of voluntary roles, spending his weekdays and evenings attending a constant round of meetings.

Such was the breadth of his interests that he was acknowledged by family, friends and colleagues to have been one of Barnet’s “movers and shakers” in an era when retirees were keen to volunteer and there was a flourishing civic life.

A roll call of the organisations which came to rely on Robin’s administrative skills included Barnet Parish Church, Barnet Museum, Thomas Watson Cottage Homes, The Hyde Foundation, Barnet Society and Barnet and East Barnet Rotary Club.

His wife Jasmine recalled that sometimes he might have a meeting every evening. Papers under his arms, he would dash off, his meal being kept warm above a simmering saucepan.

Born in 1936, he was the son of an Anglican priest who served Lord Middleton at Malton, North Yorkshire, and who later became Vicar of Granby and Rector of Elton on the Hill in the Vale of Belvoir. 

Robin was educated at Rossall School, Fleetwood, and was due to study theology at Selwyn College, Cambridge, but was unable to take up the place as his family could not afford the top-up fees.

For his national service he was sent to Hong Kong in 1954 with the Royal Artillery becoming a second lieutenant.

After he was demobbed, he joined the Territorial Army in Nottingham and was promoted to lieutenant, enjoying the exercises and camaraderie. He rejoined the TA on moving to Barnet but had to resign after defence cutbacks.

On returning to civilian life, he started as a commercial trainee with the Stanton and Staveley iron and steel works, moving to the London office and rising to become UK field sales manager for the company which by then had become part of the Saint-Gobian group.

He met his wife Jasmine, whose family lived in Barnet, at her cousin’s wedding in 1958 and they got married in 1960 at Barnet Parish Church, which became an important part of their life.

Robin was soon enrolled as a treasurer for one of the church’s finance committees and he served two stints as church warden – an association which is commemorated to this day in Barnet Museum.

Tributes to administrator Robin Marson who has died at the age of 89. He spent much of his life volunteering for community organisations in Barnet.

An ornate lantern – see above – which was no longer needed when lighting above the lectern at St John the Baptist was improved in 1999 was saved by Jasmine and the couple donated it to Barnet Museum in 2014.

Serving as volunteers at the museum was one of their last regular visits to Barnet after they moved to Codicote, near Welwyn, in 2009.

Mike Norhona, museum curator, praised Robin and Jasmine for their patient work over many years cataloguing and archiving the museum’s collection of photographs.

On retirement from Stanton and Staveley he ran a consultancy for three years but soon became closely involved in the civic life of Barnet.

He was appointed clerk to the trustees of Thomas Watson Cottage Homes in Leecroft, a post he held for 18 years, and later took up a similar role with trustees to the Hyde Foundation in Church Passage which he had joined earlier as a church warden.

He became a member of the Barnet and East Barnet Rotary Club in 1983, served on the committee, did a year as president, and later was awarded Rotary’s Paul Harris Fellowship.

In 1995 he was appointed treasurer of the Barnet Society, a post he held for seven years, later becoming a vice president.

A former Barnet Society colleague, vice president Dr Jenny Remfry, who worked with him during her time as chairman, paid this tribute:

“Robin was a great servant to the community and charitable organisations of Barnet. His experience and skills in administration were greatly appreciated.”

Jasmine said her husband loved his voluntary work and took great satisfaction from being able to contribute so much to the town of Barnet.

“He probably should have been a clergyman, like his father, but he never had any hard feelings over missing out on the chance to study theology at Cambridge.

“In those final months, when he was suffering from dementia, he found great comfort, perhaps not surprisingly, from holding his hymn book.

“A hymn book had been part of his life since he was a child. He grew up in a vicarage with a father who became a rector and a mother who played the church organ.” 

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Planning application in to build a house in Christchurch spinney

Above is a visualisation of the new 6-bedroom house proposed by its designers, Alan Cox Architects, in secluded woodland barely 200 metres from Barnet High Street. The site is described by the applicants as ‘unkempt’, and by locals petitioning against development as a ‘wildlife haven’. The site is within the Monken Hadley Conservation Area and close to the Green Belt. Some trees have individual Tree Preservation Orders; however all the trees are protected by the conservation area status.

The application is a test of Barnet Council’s commitment to protecting the environment. You can comment on the proposals until Thursday 12 February – see below for details.

Barnet Council declared a Climate and Biodiversity Emergency in 2022. Barnet Labour’s Green Manifesto promised to ‘Protect ALL existing green spaces in the Borough’. And its recently-adopted Local Plan contains policies and supplementary planning documents specifically to protect green spaces. Mayor Khan has similar planning policies, and recently consulted on London’s first Nature Recovery Plan to reverse biodiversity loss.

The site is mainly established deciduous woodland. Although small in area its ecological value is great because it provides a vital undisturbed ‘green corridor’ for the transit of insects, animals and flying creatures between the Old Fold Manor golf course and Hadley Green, both of which are in the Green Belt. It is not managed, however, and its biodiversity is limited by the dominance of cherry laurel and bramble on the east side of the site.

In 2024 the Council authorised the sale of part of the spinney that it owns for £430,000, subject to the buyer obtaining planning consent.

The planning application is by Christchurchgrove Ltd, a developer in a joint venture with Barnet Recreation Trust (BRT), which owns the other part of the present site. BRT is a charity that supports ‘the provision of facilities in the interest of social welfare for recreational and leisure-time occupation’ locally.

Both organisations would profit from the sale of the substantial (567 sq m) new house and garden that would occupy about a third of the site. The house-owner would be responsible for the rest of the (0.4 hectare / 1 acre) site, which includes almost all the existing protected trees. (See plan below by Helene Landscape and Garden Design).

A public consultation on the proposals was held before Christmas, and Nick Jones’s report on that can be found here. You can also read my earlier post on the issues this project raises for nature protection.

Ideally, the Barnet Society would like to see Christchurch spinney and its wildlife conserved, enhanced and protected, with a minimum of landscaping to enable some public access. In practice, that would require funding and organisation that the Council can’t currently provide. It’s a pity no effort seems to have been made to find a community group or charity to take it on.

Although we’d prefer no house to be built at all, we wouldn’t object to permission being given for one on the least ecologically valuable part of the site on certain conditions:

  • The house and garden must be in keeping with their natural setting.
  • They must be built to high environmental standards.
  • The site as a whole must be subject to a long-term management plan to safeguard and enhance the environment.

The scheme the Society was shown last year fell short on all these counts. To the developer’s credit, however, it has been improved in the light of our comments. Overall, therefore, we’re neutral about the application. But because we aren’t yet convinced about a number of critical details, we’ll submit a list of conditions that must be met before approval.

How you can comment

Have your say one of these ways:

  1. on the Council’s planning portal (ref. no. 26/0116/FUL) via the Comments tab;
  2. email comments direct to planning.consultation@barnet.gov.uk (cc tania.sacordeiro@barnet.gov.uk); or
  3. post your comments to the Planning Officer: Tania Sa Cordeiro, Planning and Building Control, Barnet Council, 2 Bristol Avenue, Colindale, NW9 4EW.

In the cases of 2 & 3, be sure to include:

  • the application ref. no. (26/0116/FUL) clearly at the top
  • the site address (Land Opposite 15 Sunset View Barnet EN5 4LB) and
  • your name, address and postcode.

Sending a copy to our MP dan.tomlinson.mp@parliament.uk and to your local Councillors will increase the effectiveness of your comments.

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Barnet Football Club abandons planning appeal over stadium at Underhill as Bring Barnet Back identifies possible new locations   

A short list of four or five possible locations for a new stadium for Barnet Football Club is now being considered in depth by supporters of the Bring Barnet Back campaign after lengthy discussions with Barnet councillors and planners.

In view of what the campaign says is now a “very positive” dialogue, the club has decided not to appeal against the strategic planning committee’s refusal last July to approve an application for a new stadium on Barnet playing fields at Underhill.

The last date for an appeal is January 24, but the Bring Back Barnet campaigners urged the club’s chairman Tony Kleanthous against challenging the council.

“Constructive conversations” with councillors and planners have succeeded in producing a shared sense of good will over the push to secure a move from the club’s existing stadium at The Hive, Harrow, and a return to the town.

A total of 51 alternative sites for a stadium were identified and evaluated by the campaign and the highest scoring four to five sites will now be assessed in greater detail.

They are all in what is described as a “ring of suitable sites” – in an area within High Barnet, New Barnet and East Barnet.

As an indication their good faith in trying to find a site acceptable to the council, the campaigner says they will not identify sites on their short list so as to prevent the long-standing controversy over Barnet FC’s return to the town becoming a political football at the council elections in May.

Bring Barnet Back had been thinking of whether to promote candidates – or a symbolic single candidate – in the May elections to demonstrate the strength of their support but decided against the move so as not to jeopardise the constructive relationship which they have established with councillors across the political parties.

However, the campaign will establish a clear public record of which candidates “clearly articulate” their backing for the principle of the club’s return so that supporters can make “informed decisions”. 

The application for a new stadium at Underhill was rejected by the strategic planning committee last July – see supporters above outside the town hall at Hendon – on the grounds that it failed to demonstrate “very special circumstances” for breaching the Green Belt.

Barnet FC’s planning consultants, WSP, and other consultants, advised that the club would have a “very good opportunity” to appeal on the grounds that the government was now encouraging certain developments within what was deemed “Grey Belt” land.

But the campaign feared an appeal might take 12 to 18 months, with no guarantee of success and even less likelihood of the council agreeing to lease a site on Barnet playing fields.

Conversations over the last few months have indicated that councillors believed the campaign had not been “sufficiently explicit” about why returning to the town was essential for the club.

At stake was the long-term sustainability of the club, given its reliance on continued financial support for the chairman.

The current stadium at the Hive is over an hour away from Barnet on public transport and over a quarter of the club’s local fans no longer attend, creating an annual deficit for Barnet FC of over £1 million.

“Without a permanent asset – a stadium – in its home town, the club’s long-term future remains structurally insecure.

“We now believe there is a shared understanding with all councillors we have spoken to that this is not a matter of sentiment, but of sustainability.”

However, the campaign recognised that the needs of the football club could not be considered in isolation and needed to be grounded in the “delivery of clear, substantial and demonstrable community benefit”.

Although the July application for a stadium had included proposals for a sports hub, medical facilities and wider economic benefits for the town, councillors were clear that a fresh application needed to be “more tightly and explicitly” linked to the need for additional community facilities and collaboratively designed to help deliver the council’s wider objectives.

Any revised plan would take into account issues like the number of school pupils with special education needs, how best to alleviate pressure on the adult social care budget, community-based medical provision and support for young people.

“Prior to these conversations Bring Back Barnet did not fully understand why the original application failed; these discussions have now provided clarity and are reshaping the approach going forward.

“Councillors stressed the importance of designing proposals with them rather than for them.

“The original application was perceived as presenting a largely complete scheme, with limited opportunity for councillors and officers to shape its form, priorities and trade-offs at an early stage.

“Finally, councillors highlighted the need for deeper consultation with key local groups prior to submission.

“In particular, the opposition from Northway School and Ark Pioneer Academy was seen as avoidable had those institutions been engaged meaningfully at an earlier stage.

“When a suitable location is identified and finalised by the planners, Bring Barnet Back will work with local groups to ensure the plans benefit as many as possible.”

Barnet Barnet Back campaign says it has short list of four to five locations for a new stadium for Barnet FC following club's decision to appeal over Underhill plan

Whereas the previously suggested Barnet playing fields site had scored strongly on technical planning grounds, it failed to meet the political test required for approval.

Therefore, any alternative site would have to command sufficient support from councillors to secure permission.

Until further enquiries, technical work and extensive private consultation, the campaign will not reveal the location of the four to five sites on its short list.

“Publishing a potential site prematurely, without full due diligence, would be irresponsible. It would risk exposing early-stage options to speculation, misinformation and unnecessary opposition.

“We fully understand – and share – the frustration this lack of public detail may cause. However, particularly in an election year, it is essential that any future proposals are robust, well-evidenced and carefully prepared.”

Bring Barnet Back statement in full: https://public.hey.com/p/76F1KjJccqW7Q9577B1aTzg3

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Barnet’s free book shop re-opens by sharing space with another charity in an unlet unit at The Spires Shopping Centre

After yet another move Barnet’s popular free book shop is up and running once again in The Spires Shopping Centre.

Lead volunteer Jackie O’Brien – above right with volunteer Mark Shepherd – says it is brilliant being able offer free books once again after having had to close the shop over Christmas and the New Year.

“This is our fourth move within the centre, but our regulars soon get to know where we are, and we know they love coming in and browsing through our stock.”

The free book shop is sharing a vacant unit with another charity, ADDISS, which provides information and counselling on the attention deficit disorder ADHD.

Because of space restrictions, the shop can only accept limited donations at the moment of just a few books.

“Until we get sorted and secure some storage space, we can only accept a carrier bag of books at a time – and not the trolley load that we sometimes get given by generous supporters.”

Barnet's free book shop re-opens in The Spires Shopping Centre after sharing a vacant unit with another charity.

The shop’s new location is next to the Barnet Museum display, close to the Coffee Bean café.

It had to close in mid-December when a new tenant – a cake shop – took over the former vacant EE telephone shop which had proved a particularly popular location as it was directly opposite Waitrose.

Global Education Trust, which operates free book shops across the country, takes advantage of the generosity of landlords and is full of praise for the flexibility shown by The Spires in allowing the use of empty retail premises on a temporary basis.

Up to three unwanted books can be taken on any one visit and the stock is replenished with donated books which might otherwise have been pulped or gone to landfill.  

The free book shop is open from 10am to 4pm Monday to Saturday.

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Top spot for drivers and vehicles from Barnet Classic Car Club in London’s New Year’s Day Parade  

Four entries from Barnet Classic Car Club had a prime spot in London’s New Year’s Day parade – gaining praise in the live television coverage on Sky News for adding some royal glamour to the event.

A look-alike King and Queen in the front of Derrick Haggerty’s 1955 Ford Popular were a surprise attraction.

Sky’s commentary team joined in the fun, complimenting the club for parading a wonderful collection of classic and vintage cars:

“We didn’t know the King was going to be here…and the Queen as well…no one told us. But we much appreciate your presence your majesties.”

Derek’s Ford Popular has been in his family since it was purchased in 1973 as a non-runner for £50 – and after £5 and a couple of new king pins it was back on the road.

This was the 40th anniversary of London’s New Year’s Day Parade and despite the freezing weather it was watched by crowds of well over 700,000.

More than 8,000 performers took part in the spectacular procession from Piccadilly to Whitehall treating revellers to marching bands, acrobats and eye-catching floats.

Dancers twirled away in their daffodil costumes and a cavalcade of open-top Mokes made their way through the West End.

Barnet Classic Car Club, representing the Borough of Barnet, was invited to participate by the Mayor of Barnet, Councillor Danny Rich – see above with club member Howard Pryor and Howard’s pet dog Bertie.

Councillor Tony Vourou – above with a Pearly Queen – co-ordinated the club’s entry to the parade.

The club’s four entries – which had 34th place in the parade – were a 1974 Rover P6 owned and driven by club member Peter Snow; a 1955 Ford Popular owned and driven by Derrick Haggerty; a 1952 Morris Minor Convertible owned and driven by club member Paul Reed; and a 1939 Morris Commercial driven by club member Howard Pryor.

Originally built as a utility fire engine, the Morris Commercial was converted in 1947 to an ambulance and was kindly loaned by the Whitewebbs Museum of Transport in Whitewebbs Lane, Enfield.

Entries from Barnet Classic Car Club have a prime spot in London's spectacular New Year's Day Parade and get a special mention of Sky TV

Before setting off on the parade club members lined up for a photograph – from left to right, Derrick Haggerty, Peter Snow, James Beeton, Howard Pryor and Paul Reed.

The club was delighted to have been invited to take part in the parade which drew record crowds approaching 700,000 or more, much more than the 500,000 that had been anticipated.

Sky News had agreed a last-minute deal with the parade and broadcast it in its entirety linking up with 1,100 tv stations around the world and a potential global audience including up to 27 million in the USA.

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Plan for additional flat rejected as Barnet Council still hopes tenant might be found for vacant community space close to Barnet High Street

Barnet Council has intervened to see if a tenant can be found for vacant community space on the ground floor of a block of flats which were built in Salisbury Road after the demolition of the former Fern Room, once the home of Barnet Old People’s Welfare Committee.

After failing since 2021 to either sell or rent the community space, the developers applied for permission to convert the ground floor into a three-bedroom flat – an application that was rejected last year.

This refusal has now prompted the council’s intervention as the planners were not prepared to allow the loss of a possible community facility so close to the town centre.

The council says it wants to work with the developers to see if a tenant can be found for a broader range of openings including possible flexible work, retail or community use as part of the town centre improvement.

Community groups and local charities – together with Chipping Barnet Town Team – are being alerted to see if there is any organisation which might be able to make use of the space.

Given the financial pressures on the voluntary sector, it is perhaps no surprise that the developers have failed to find a new tenant – the ground floor space of 1,280 square feet is on the market for a guide sale price of £400,000 or an annual rent of £25,000.

A report presented to the council on behalf of the owners by real estate advisers Newsteer says that despite having been “extensively marketed” for four years there has been minimal interest in the space for community use.

Therefore a “logical beneficial re-use” would be to convert the space into a three-bedroom flat, but the council’s planning department disagreed.

After refusing plan for additional flat Barnet Council intervenes to see if a tenant can be found for vavant community space close to Barnet High Street

Barnet Old People’s Welfare Committee – which provided activities for Barnet’s elderly residents for 75 years – had to vacate the Fern Room in 2017 when it was purchased by SAS Investments to make way for the new of flats.

Eviction from its day centre meant the loss of a wide range of activities including coffee mornings, a social advice centre, and the running of evergreen clubs and minibus outings.

After paying £875 a quarter to rent the Fern Room, the committee realised it would be unable to afford the new community space which SAS Investments said would be increased in size to 1,600 square feet and offered for hire to a much wider range of uses including sports activities such as 5-a-side football.

In the event the new community space was reduced to 1,280 square feet – the same as the Fern Room – and the planning committee noted that it remains an empty shell although the 2019 planning approval stated it would be “fully fitted out and ready for use.”

Failure to fit out the space had made the rent “potentially prohibitive” for some prospective community use and the planners considered the developers had presented insufficient evidence that the facility was no longer required.

The proposed new ground-floor flat would have no private amenity space and high-level windows to the bedrooms would provide inadequate daylight and a poor outlook, resulting in a poor standard of accommodation.

“Consequently, the proposal would provide only a single additional residential unit and whilst in a sustainable location, would not outweigh the harm resulting from the total loss of a community facility without adequate justification.”

When first applying to demolish the Fern Room, SAS Investments said it was a “very dilapidated, inefficient building” but respected the longstanding community use of the Salisbury Road site and were anxious to work with local community groups by providing a new and much larger community space.

The loss of the Fern Room is an illustration of the on-off, piecemeal development of Barnet town centre.

The site was sold by Barnet Council to the developers of The Spires shopping centre in 2009 and passed on through the ownership of UBS, the William Pears group and Hunter Asset Management before being sold to SAS Investments for redevelopment in 2017.   

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Barnet Council to reintroduce food waste collection service – households will receive new food caddies and bins over next few weeks

Householders might be forgiven for thinking they are living in a time warp in the coming weeks when Barnet Council starts to deliver homes with two containers ready for the re-introduction of a weekly food waste collection and recycling service which begins again in March.

Between January and March each home will be supplied with a brown kitchen caddy for collecting food waste indoors and a small brown outside food waste bin.

A much larger food waste recycling bin will be provided for bin stores and outside use in blocks of flats and in community housing.

Collections will take place on the same day as the regular recycling and waste collections and the service will start as from the week commencing 30 March 2026.

Food waste will be turned into clean energy and nutrient-rich fertiliser for local farmland.

“Barnet is proud to support residents to recycle efficiently – doing our bit for the environment and future generations,” says Councillor Alan Schneiderman, cabinet member for environment and climate change.

For many residents there will be a sense déjà vu about being urged to do their bit for the environment by recycling food waste. 

Until seven years every house across the borough had a kitchen food waste caddy and brown bin – see the full set above, circa 2018 – but the food waste recycling service was abandoned in a cost cutting drive.

Against the advice of the Mayor of London, Barnet Council cancelled food waste collections in November 2018 to save an annual bill of £300,000.

New government regulations now require local councils to collect food waste separately from other household waste, hence the reintroduction of the service.

Grants are being made to local authorities to meet the cost of new containers and collection vehicles.

New kitchen caddies and the kerbside bins for the borough will cost £1.3million and a food waste collection vehicle will be hired for five years from Riverside Truck Rental Ltd at a cost of £2.8million.

The first tranche of capital grant funding of £2.7 million has already been received by the council.

Currently Barnet’s recycling rate for household waste refuse is 27.3 per cent and that should increase by around 4 per cent with the recycling of food waste.

During the five years when there were waste food collections in Barnet, some residents complained about their properties lacking the space for so many bins.

When this service was withdrawn householders tended to find alternative uses for their waste food bins and caddies and there are large numbers of these repurposed containers still in circulation.

Food waste collection service being reintroduced by Barnet Council after it was abandoned in 2018. New food waste caddies and bins to be delivered to householders over coming weeks.

Barnet’s introduction of food waste collections in 2013 led to something almost akin to a game of musical chairs among the wheelie bins and containers which were already proliferating in the frontages of houses and flats across the borough.

2013 was also the year the previous black and blue recycling boxes – see above – were withdrawn and were replaced by a blue wheelie bin for all recyclable material, followed by the arrival of the kitchen caddies and bins that lasted for five years before being declared redundant in 2018 – and are now having to be replaced.

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Borehamwood Brass players join choirs and orchestra for Christmas carol service held by Queen Elizabeth’s Girls’ School

An orchestra, two choirs and a brass ensemble filled the chancel of Barnet parish church for the Christmas carol service held by Queen Elizabeth’s Girls’ School.

Father Sam Rossiter, team vicar of St John the Baptist, thanked the school’s musicians and choristers for a “magnificent evening” of music.

He said Barnet was blessed by the musicality of QE Girls’, and their service of Nine Lessons and Carols was a reminder of the “power of music to bring joy to everyone.”

Rehearsals for the service by the school and chamber choirs began in September and for the first time four members of Borehamwood Brass joined the orchestra.

This year’s service was also the first to be conducted by QE Girls’ recently-appointed director of music, Cosima Rodriguez-Broadbent – see above, from left to right, with Simon Mansell (tuba) and Nathan Mansell (trombone).

They were supported by two trumpeters, Isaac Holt and Stone Tung. A high spot for the brass section was when they accompanied the choirs on their rendition of Ding Dong Merrily on High.  

 Ms Rodriguez-Broadbent said the challenge of a service like Nine Lessons and Carols was that it was a packed programme of readings and carols that needed to be properly rehearsed.

Queen Elizabeth's Girls' School Chirstmas carol concert praised by team vicar Father Sam Rossiter at Barnet Parish Church

Father Sam (far right) congratulated Cosima on the arrangement she had chosen for The Holly and the Ivy.

“Your version really enthused me,” he said.

See above, from left to right, music teacher Madeleine Tabacchiera, Cosima Rodriguez-Broadbent, Jonathan Gregory (organist) and Father Sam Rossiter.

Guests attending the service included the Mayor of Barnet, Councillor Danny Rich.    

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High Barnet Place planning application refused by 8 votes to 1!

After a nearly three-hour Strategic Planning Committee meeting this evening, Barratt London’s planning application for 283 flats on High Barnet Station car park was refused on grounds of excessive height and harm to local context (see jtp Architects & Masterplanners visualisation above). It’s a magnificent vindication for the 802 Barnet residents who objected to it.

The decision follows last Thursdays’ rejection of a much larger proposal for 1,485 homes plus replacement leisure, sports and other facilities on the site of the former Great North Leisure Park off the A1000 by the North Circular in Finchley. It’s encouraging that the Council is willing to treat cases on their merits instead of simply shooing through every housing project.

The Barnet Society role

The Society had submitted a 64-page critique of the application plus a further 8 pages of comments on recent Barratt amendments. In his report, the Planning Officer summarized our comments in just 10 lines, a feat of compression worthy of a planning award. But that didn’t matter as we had circulated our full comments to all Councillors on the Committee, as well as to the Councillors of Barnet Vale, High Barnet & Underhill wards.

We’d collaborated closely with Barnet Residents Association (BRA) whose submission was broadly aligned with ours; and members of both organisations were kept informed at all stages. Of the 802 individual comments posted on the planning portal, it was notable how many were well argued, detailed and by no means standardized letters – unlike many of those supporting the application.

The meeting

At the meeting the Planning Officer summarized his 100-page report and recommended approval of the application.

Three ward Councillors then addressed the meeting in person (in addition to the nine Councillors on the Committee itself): Cllrs Sue Baker, David Longstaff & Mark Shooter. Though from three different parties, all passionately opposed the application, which may have made an impression on the members of the Committee.

A dozen objectors had asked to speak but Committee rules only allowed one. By prior agreement between them Simon Kaufman, a local architect and Society member, spoke against the scheme, supported when it came to questions from Councillors by Gordon Massey of BRA and Nick Saul of BRA & the Society.

Simon began by circulating some of Barratt’s misleading visualisations, pointing out that the height of several blocks exceeded the limits in Barnet’s Local Plan. He disputed that the design was ‘exceptional’ as Barratt claimed. No Conservation Officer’s view had been obtained on the impact of the design; it would be visually dominant, out of character and harm the settings of St John the Baptist’s Church and High Barnet Station. He deplored the quality of the housing and public realm; the result would not be an inclusive, sustainable community. He noted numerous concerns about personal safety and vehicle congestion. Public consultation had been performative, not collaborative. The scheme offered no tangible community benefits, repeated mistakes of the 1970s and Barnet would inherit the long-term costs.

One young woman, a student of Barnet & Southgate College, spoke in support of the application – but when asked by a Councillor if she would like to live in the development, admitted that she didn’t live in Barnet and probably wouldn’t.

Barratt were represented by project director Martin Scholar and a colleague. They emphasized their experience of delivering similar housing developments and denied that financial viability was their only criterion.

Committee Chair Cllr Nigel Young probed Barratt’s justification for breaching the 7-storey height limit for the site in Barnet’s Local Plan. When they replied that the station would benefit from a tall landmark, he quoted from the Plan’s Examining Inspectors who had identified High Barnet’s skyline as a defining feature of the locality and asked whether they had given that due consideration. Barratt’s representatives didn’t have a satisfactory answer.

Committee members then debated the proposal between themselves, but when put to the vote the outcome was surprisingly decisive.

What will happen next?

The application, being one of strategic importance to London, must be referred to the Mayor of London, who may call it in or refuse it.

Barratt has the right to appeal to the Planning Inspectorate against the Council’s refusal, but that would entail months of delay with no guarantee of success.

A simpler solution would be for Barratt to slice the tops off blocks over 7 storeys and modify the design to look more in keeping with the existing neighbourhood. That would probably mean offering less than the 40% of affordable housing in the rejected scheme. However, if they could significantly improve interchange and accessibility between all forms of transport around the station – and even provide some car parking – they might surprise themselves by the amount of public support a new scheme could attract.

Below (L to R): Gordon Massey (BRA), Simon Kaufman & Nick Saul display three shades of happiness at the scene of their victory.

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Public consultation on proposed new house in Christchurch Lane spinney

Local developer Christchurch Grove Ltd expects to submit a planning application soon to build a house within existing woodland on the east side of Christchurch Lane (see plan above by Helene Landscape and Garden Design). It raises an increasingly urgent question in Barnet: how much, if any, green space should be sacrificed for new homes?

I wrote about this peaceful haven of wildlife less than 200 metres from Barnet High Street in a recent web post. Situated within the Monken Hadley Conservation Area, with numerous trees protected by Tree Protection Orders, it forms a ‘green corridor’ between two major pieces of Green Belt land, Old Fold Manor golf course and Hadley Green. Its value for biodiversity is greater than its small size (0.438 hectare / 1 acre) would suggest. https://www.savechippingbarnetwoodland.org/ is petitioning to save it from development.

The Barnet Society got involved 18 months ago when the Council decided to sell its portion of the land for £430,000, subject to the buyer obtaining planning consent. Since the part of the site where development is proposed has the least ecological value, a case could be made for building a single house.

Our concerns were twofold. The quality of the wood had to be conserved and enhanced wherever possible. And any house and garden must be in keeping with their natural setting and built to high environmental standards.

The initial plans fell short on all counts. To the developer’s credit, the scheme has now been revised. Whether it meets our original concerns we’ll find out at a public consultation on Friday 12 December from 4.30pm till 7:00pm at Pennefather Hall (next door to Christ Church), St Albans Rd, Barnet, EN5 4AL.

The developer’s team of planning, architectural, ecology and Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) consultants will be on hand to advise on their proposals. They are also offering to place a covenant on the site to the Barnet Planners to restrict planning permission to one residential property only, to allay concerns about any future or further development of the land.  

They trust that this transparency will dispel many negative comments, especially on the ecology and BNG improvements to the site. 

There is limited parking available on site, which is only a 5-minute walk from The Spires and alternative parking. 

Below is a visualisation of the proposed house by Alan Cox Architects.

Response from Andrew Robinson, Project Manager, Christchurch Grove Ltd.

As the person responsible for bringing forward the plans for a new home on this neglected pocket of land in Hadley Green, I am obliged to the Barnet Society, for giving me the opportunity to correct a number of errors in the recent article and the basis for the petition which has recently been organised.

Robin’s article queries that the site in Christ Church Lane, which he describes as a “haven of wildlife” has not been included in the London’s wildlife plan [Nature Recovery Plan]. The answer is simple. Whilst the site is home to a number of fine tress (all of which are protected) it has a low level of biodiversity. We know this because we have had it surveyed by an expert ecologist.

This survey has shown that there are absolutely [no] mammals living here. No badgers, foxes, bats, deer or hedgehogs as the promoter of the recent petition would have you believe or, in fact, any protected species.

Nature needs nurturing. Unfortunately, this site been left unkempt for over 60 years! Whilst many of us see an abundance of greenery as a good thing, here the result of our survey has shown that due to neglect the area has become overrun by invasive species which are undermining the quality of the soil and preventing daylight to the understorey, thereby killing of what remains of the indigenous habitat.

We all know that wildlife needs help to flourish in urban environments. That is why the scheme that we will bring forward will guarantee a habitat management scheme supervised by experts. This will cover 70% of the site with the remainder forming the garden for the new home.

Gardens themselves are good for nature of course. The RHS research has shown that levels of biodiversity are just as high in cultivated gardens and that is why Hadley Green generally benefits from having so many. Even with a new home here built within the site, we will provide a 10% increase in biodiversity!

Indeed, according to the Council’s Conservation Area Appraisal a quarter of Monken Hadley is in residential use, typically large houses, in substantial plots with cultivated gardens. So I question why would any supporter of the Barnet Society want to oppose a plan for scheme which so typifies the area.

Why would anyone support the continuation of neglect of an area where the habitat and protected trees are being slowly eroded by invasive species?

I would also like to point out that the beneficiaries of this proposal will be Barnet residents. That is because the two landowners promoting it are, the Council and the Barnet Recreational Trust. The latter is a local charity which in the last five years has financially supported almost twenty different local organisations including the Parish of Monken Hadley where it has recently donated £110,000 toward the re-building of the Church Hall. The proceeds flowing from this project would similarly be invested.

Finally, I would like to thank all those who attended our public consultation last week. I was grateful to be able to have the opportunity of providing the evidence behind the claims we have made in relation to the project. If anyone who was not able to attend would like to see the material, please do not hesitate to let me know.

Footnote I would also like to put the record straight as regards that my option deal is with Barnet Estates and not with Barnet Homes.

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High Barnet’s Christmas tree adds some festive spirit to the High Street ahead of the town’s annual Christmas Fayre on Sunday    

Switching on the lights of the Christmas tree beside the parish church set the scene for festive events to be held during the annual Barnet Christmas Fayre on Sunday December 7.

Father Christmas and characters from The Bull Theatre’s Christmas pantomime Alice in Wonderland and the Stolen Christmas List joined in the ceremony.

Firefighters from Barnet Fire Station stepped in to erect and install this year’s Christmas tree when help was needed at the last minute.

Nick Staton of Statons estate agents – who has sponsored the tree for the last decade – was joined for the event by the team Vicar Father Sam Rossiter.

The fayre will be opened at 12noon on Sunday by the Mayor of Barnet, Councillor Danny Rich, who will cut a ribbon on the High Street close to Barnet Church.

Together with elves and other characters from the Bull Theatre, he will proceed to the marque on the Christmas Courtyard in the piazza outside Barnet College where he will welcome everyone and start the event.

Stalls will line the High Street; there will be the traditional fun fair close to the junction with St Albans Road; craft stalls in the Tudor Hall and more stalls on the Christmas Courtyard, through the Spires Shopping Centre and in Wesley Hall.

There is a full programme of events and entertainment: children’s activities and dancing by local groups in the Christmas Courtyard; live music, singing and choirs plus teas, mulled wine and refreshments at the parish church; live music, tea and cakes at the Wesley Hall; live music, choirs and performances at The Spires Shopping Centre, plus street entertainers outside Waitrose.

The Bull Theatre will be joining in the festivities, hoping to create a magical festive experience for families.

Santa’s Grotto will be open from 12.30pm to 4pm, with free entry and optional

donations towards the Christmas Fayre.

Visitors can enter through the front gate, follow the path along the side of the building, and come in through the open Studio/Café door (step-free access available).

There will be two performances of Leon’s Magic Show at 1.30pm and 3pm

(tickets £5). Two of Santa’s elves will join him on stage as they work towards

 earning their magician’s assistant badge, adding an extra touch of festive fun.

Bob Burstow, who helped to organise the installation of the tree, said it had been a close shave getting the tree up in time – and that is why the local firefighters were asked to help.

“We are so grateful because each December we get a Christmas tree supplied from Crews Hill by Tyler Bone, who runs a stall at Barnet Market.

“Unfortunately, this year’s delivery was a bit tight so when the tree arrived all our volunteer installers were at work – and that is when white watch from the fire station stepped in.”

Nick Staton said he was delighted to sponsor the cost of the tree. “We have been helping provide a tree for a decade or more and it is a great way of celebrating the community spirit of High Barnet and promoting the Christmas Fayre.” 

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Christmas appeal to train volunteers for Citizens Advice Barnet which advises people visiting Chipping Barnet Foodbank

Thanks to the assistance of Citizens Advice Barnet, the Chipping Barnet Foodbank is reporting real progress in its long-term aim of reducing people’s dependency on supplies of groceries and essential household items.

Over the last 12 months with guidance from Citizens Advice, the foodbank says that 247 of the households they support are now better off financially and 82 of them no longer need foodbank assistance.

Citizens Advice Barnet hopes such a vivid illustration of the impact of their role will boost a Christmas appeal when – during the first part of December – any donations are doubled in value by match funding from the charity Big Give.

Donations received during the Big Give Christmas challenge – from December 2 to 9 – will fund training for the advice volunteers who support residents across the borough facing challenges such as financial hardship, debt and homelessness.

www.barnetcab.org.uk/christmas-2025

A volunteer adviser from Citizens Advice Barnet holds a drop-in session at Chipping Barnet Library every Tuesday (although the library is closed for essential electrical work from December 8 to January 4).

Juliana Fonseca (above right) who became a volunteer with Citizens Advice Barnet five years ago, now works as a part time adviser at the twice weekly Chipping Barnet Foodbank.

Under the leadership of foodbank manager Victoria Miller (above left), Chipping Barnet leads the way for foodbanks across the Borough of Barnet in being able to provide support and advice about benefits, jobs and housing as well as offering emergency food supplies.

Each month there is a programme of free support and advice at the foodbank.

Juliana represents Citizens Advice Barnet every Tuesday and Saturday. Staff and volunteers from other services and agencies such as Barnet Homes attend on a regular basis.

Victoria and her team say the latest results for the foodbank demonstrate the success of their work in helping foodbank clients manage their affairs and to cut down or eliminate dependency on the need food parcels.

Statistics presented at the foodbank’s annual meeting revealed that 247 clients were helped by Citizens Advice Barnet in the 12 months up to September and that a total of 672 separate issues were sorted out.

With Juliana’s help and advice on problems such as debt management and benefit claims, there was a financial gain of £274,332 for the 247 households, with 82 deemed to no longer need support from the foodbank.

“What is so important is seeing people face to face, listening to their problems and then working out how to help them,” said Juliana. 

“It really is so satisfying finding ways I can be of use. When people come to the foodbank, Citizens Advice can be a first port of call.

“I sense their relief at finding someone who will listen and who can help them sort out their priorities, perhaps over debts or legal rights, or how to get benefit increases or possibly claim for new benefits.

“Housing is a massive issue. A lot of vulnerable households get                                behind with their rents and then become homeless and they can be desperate for help and advice.”

Juliana is a Brazilian by birth and completed her legal training in Brazil. After moving to the UK, she became engaged in human rights work and joined Citizens Advice as a volunteer.

Three years ago, when the Chipping Barnet Foodbank obtained a financial inclusion grant from Trussell, the trust which supports foodbanks across the country, Juliana took on a part-time post as CAB adviser.

Appeal to fund training of more volunteers for Citizens Advice Barnet as it celebrates success of helping people who visit Chipping Barnet Foodbank

Chipping Barnet Foodbank, which was established in 2012, is open twice a week, on Tuesdays (12pm to 2pm) and Saturdays (10am to 12pm).

It is held in the parish centre at St Peter’s Roman Catholic Church at 63 Somerset Road, New Barnet.

Over the last 12 months it distributed a total of 7,835 food parcels which supported 5,273 adults and 2,562 children, most of whom live in the six local wards of High Barnet, Barnet Vale, East Barnet, Brunswick Park, Whetstone and Underhill.

For manager Victoria it is the foodbank’s pioneering work in offering a wraparound service of advice which explains why it is the leading the way among foodbanks across the borough.

The latest help on hand is from an NHS talking therapist who visits each Tuesday and who can advise on mental health issues.

After two years’ experience, it is yet another indication of the scope of the foodbank’s initiative in offering people a multi-agency approach.

“When people arrive seeking help, we try to get to the root causes of why they need support,” said Victoria.

“Our monthly schedule of visiting advisers and volunteers from other agencies and charities provides that solid basis of support and is proving very successful.

“We have just had our annual meeting and even though there has been a 6 per cent increase in the food parcels we have issued, we have seen a drop in the number of people applying for help.”

Victoria helped to set up the Chipping Barnet Foodbank 13 yeas ago and became part-time manager three years ago.

In June she was honoured in the King’s Birthday Honours for her “services to the community in Chipping Barnet” and awarded a British Empire Medal which she was presented with by the Lord Lieutenant of Greater London, Sir Kenneth Olisa, at a ceremony at the Tower of London.   

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New zebra crossings and a mini roundabout for Mays Lane area…and a new controlled parking zone is also on its way  

Barnet Council has completed a major programme of road safety measures around Mays Lane and surrounding roads.

A controversial width restriction has been removed, new zebra crossings installed, a 20-mph speed limit zone extended, more yellow lines painted on the roads and dropped kerbs provided.

In announcing what it says is the completion of the largest ever such scheme in the borough’s history, the council fails to mention that further changes are about to be made.

Despite vociferous opposition from the Underhill Residents Group, the council is going ahead with an experimental controlled parking zone in 16 roads north of Mays Lane which are on either side of Chesterfield Road.

The new Underhill South zone – to be designated the US zone – is to be operated on an experimental basis for 18 months from Monday 15 December.

Originally the council proposed the zone should extend to a total of 29 roads on either side of Mays Lane but after a groundswell of opposition this was cut back to the 16 roads where a council survey indicated “extremely high levels of parking stress” caused by the demand for off-street parking by Barnet Hospital staff, patients and visitors.

The new road safety improvements in Mays Lane extend all the way from its junction with Barnet Lane in the east to Shelford Road in the west, with additional measures in Chesterfield Road, Quinta Drive and Whitings Road.

A new mini roundabout has been installed on Whitings Road at the junction Whitings Road and Bells Hill.

Perhaps the most contentious change is the removal of the width restriction on Mays Lane close to the junction with Manor Road and Leeside.

London Fire Brigade had raised concerns because the restriction impeded fire engines and reduced their response time.

There were also complaints about unacceptable levels of emissions resulting from queueing vehicles, but residents in two nearby roads – Hillside Gardens and Manor Road – claim that the removal of the width restriction has already led to increased traffic – and larger vehicles – using short cuts to avoid jams in Barnet town centre.

Quinta Village Green Residents Association says the increase in heavier vehicles along Mays Lane has fundamentally changed the nature of what was always, outside the commute period, a quiet, residential lane. –

However, on potential change following the removal of the width restriction is that it might be possible to re-route the Uno 243 bus between Barnet Hospital and Hatfield via Underhill, Mays Lane and Manor Road.

At present the 243 stops at Barnet High Street and High Barnet tube station on its route from Hatfield to Barnet Hospital and on its return to Hatfield stops at the Wood Street and Union Street junction and again in Salisbury Road.

Councillor Nik Oakley, Hertsmere Council’s cabinet member for transport – who led the campaign for the restoration of a bus service between Potters Bar and Barnet – told the Barnet Society that possibilities for amending the route of the 243 had been suggested to Uno bus.

Barnet Council completes its largest ever traffic improvement scheme in Mays Lane area -- where a new controlled parking zone is coming.

Barnet Council’s go ahead for the Underhill South CPZ – in the face of sustained opposition from the Underhill Residents Group – will require the installation of resident parking bays, yellow lines and signs and posts in 16 roads on either side of Chesterfield Road.

This work will need to be completed by the start of the scheme on Monday 15 December.

Residents in the affected roads will have a six-month period during which they give their reaction to the CPZ. A final decision on its operation will be taken by the council after the 18-month trial.

The Underhill Group has already collected over 750 signatures for a petition opposing the introduction of a CPZ which it says was opposed by a majority of the residents and had been rejected by 60 per cent of those living in the 16 roads included in the scheme.

https://www.change.org/p/oppose-a-controlled-parking-zone-in-underhill-south?utm_medium=custom_url&utm_source=share_petition&recruited_by_id=24715750-8834-11f0-9cee-83b7a10cb9e8

In explaining why the CPZ was approved, the council says parking stress surveys indicated there was support for parking controls and only “the most problematic roads” had been included in the experimental scheme.

Given the introduction of extensive new double yellow lines, the Quinta Village Green Residents Association says it fears this will result in a loss of car parking spaces and only amplify the problems caused by the long-standing displacement of parking from the hospital.

The roads included in the new US CPZ are Chesterfield Road, Dexter Road, Dormer Close, Edwyn Close, Greenland Road, Howard Way, Jarvis Close, Juniper Close, Matlock Close, Niton Close, Nupton Drive, Sampson Avenue, Sellwood Drive, Shelford Road, St Anna Road and Stanhope Road.

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Judgment Day for High Barnet Place

UPDATE 2 DECEMBER 2025 Back in September, the Barnet Society submitted a 64-page critique of the planning application for 283 flats on High Barnet Station car park. The application will be decided by the Strategic Planning Committee at 7:00pm on Monday 8 December.

You can find our full submission here (dated 17 November). 802 objections have been received by the Council and only 104 ‘supports’. Strangely, many ‘supporters’ of the application show no knowledge of the site and have been canvassed by an organisation called Just Build Homes.

Despite the unambiguous proof of local opposition to this application, the Planning Officer is recommending its approval. The Council is committed to delivery of new housing and its Planning Committee could accept the recommendation. If it refuses permission, the developer is likely to appeal against the decision.

Alongside Barnet Residents Association we stand ready to speak at the meeting. If you care about the outcome, you can attend the meeting at Hendon Town Hall or watch via video.

Since the original application, Places for London have submitted numerous amendments and clarifications, which they claim respond to consultation feedback.

The design amendments are mostly minor changes to the appearance and internal layout of the buildings. Their height and footprint are unaltered. Misleading errors in key views have not been corrected. The Barnet Society’s extensive criticisms have been ignored.

High among our concerns is the almost complete lack of improvements to accessibility and safety for both residents and users of the station – indeed their worsening through loss of the car park.

We are also convinced that the site that should never have been considered suitable for 1,000 new residents. The resulting excessive density and poor design – and the operational difficulties that will beset tube users, residents and the public, commercial and emergency services trying to serve them – risk repeating the mistakes of postwar housing estates. That would be to the lasting cost of the community, Council and the identity and character of Chipping Barnet.