Years of doubt and uncertainty about the future of the much-loved eight-acre nature reserve in Byng Road could finally be over.
The donation to the Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice has come from the Barnet-based charity the Hadley Trust and its confirmation has delighted the Friends of Barnet Countryside Centre
In March 2012 planning permission was approved by Barnet Council for a new £4.8 million children’s hospice on the site of the partly-disused former school buildings beside the Byng Road entrance.
This is fantastic news
A condition of the approval is that Noah’s Ark grants a sub lease to the London Wildlife Trust and works in collaboration with the Friends of the Barnet Countryside Centre
This three-way partnership is about to bear fruit following the £750,000 donation to Noahs Ark Hospice.
The donation will enable clearance of the site to start in the summer holidays once school visits finish; work is due to commence later in the year on a new eco-friendly building to replace the existing classrooms and kitchen used by the environment centre.
Dick Elms, chair of the Countryside Centre Trustees, expressed their delight on hearing of the donation. “This is fantastic news. Discussions will now be held with the London Wildlife Trust and Noah’s Ark to finalise the terms of the sub lease and other arrangements.”
