"Where will all the cars go?" was the first question asked by many local residents attending the first exhibition of the latest plans to build blocks of flats over the car park and self-storage container yard at High Barnet tube station.
Transport for London, through its property development subsidiary Places for London, is making a joint application with Barratt Homes to build four blocks of flats to provide around 300 new homes.
This will result in the loss of all 160 car park spaces at the station – the only space remaining will be for disabled drivers with blue badges and for dropping off passengers.
No final decisions have been taken on the height of the blocks or the final design as the development team are anxious to test local opinion before holding another exhibition in the New Year and before submitting a planning application next spring or early summer.
On seeing the draft proposals on display at Chipping Barnet Library, residents seemed almost unanimous in criticising the withdrawal of all car parking spaces – a previous outline plan in 2020 had proposed the retention of 32 spaces.
The residents’ overriding fear was that the loss of the entire car park would only increase the pressure for off-street parking on streets around St Albans Road, Meadway and Underhill which are outside CPZ controls.
Patrick Clark (above) who is leading the team from Places for London told the Barnet Society that the Mayor of London’s current policy was not to replace car parking spaces in new housing developments at tube stations or nearby brownfield sites.
The mayor’s aim was to encourage active travel, by public transport, cycling or walking.
Mr Clark emphasised that the plans were at an early consultative stage. The previous 2019 application had cut the height of the proposed blocks of flats to six to seven stories, instead of 10 to 12 as originally planned.
The latest idea was to construct four blocks and if the developers were to keep to the target of providing 300 new homes – of which 40 per cent would be affordable – then they would need to be higher than six to seven stories.
He acknowledged concerns expressed locally about the stability of the ground on Barnet Hill around the tube station.
There would be extensive surveys before final decisions were taken and cost of work on foundations would have to be taken into account, as the aim was to build homes that “would last long into the future”.
Mr Clark stressed that TfL was keen to hear local views especially on how to improve the approaches to the tube station and whether the new buildings nearest the station should incorporate a cafe or corner shop.
Five years ago, after hearing of concern expressed at previous consultations, TfL had examined whether there was any possibility of providing a shuttle bus service between the tube station and High Barnet town centre.
The conclusion then was that such a service would not be viable, but TfL would re-examine options as part of the consultation process.
In his first reaction to the latest proposals, Robin Bishop, who leads for the Barnet Society on planning and the environment, said the society would not object to some housing on the car park.
“But it must be an appropriate mix. You must create a viable community – not a ghetto on a very tricky long, polluted site on unstable ground.”
Mr Bishop said High Barnet was proud of its identity and Barnet Hill was an attractive approach to an historic town.
The planting of trees by the society over the last 25 years had mitigated the “unsightly container depot” – the depot has well over 100 self-storage containers which are stacked on what was originally a station coal yard.
Mr Bishop echoed the residents’ fears over the loss of the car park.
“What do local residents and users of High Barnet station have to gain?
“Our station and its natural surroundings have some charm and environmental qualities, but access and modal interchange are dysfunctional.
“The short and long-term effects of this project will be deeply disruptive.
“In return, the least we should expect is an accessible and environmentally enhancing transport hub worthy of the 21st century.”
