Blog
Write to your councillors
8th July 2023
Following on from this week's final masterplan, we're encouraging residents to write to their councillors to raise their concerns.
Your local councillors have a duty to represent their constituents' interests and concerns. They also play a crucial role in the planning and development process. By expressing objections, residents can influence councillors' opinions, encourage them to consider alternative proposals, and potentially result in modifications to the masterplan that address the community's concerns. The more local concerns that are sent to councillors, the greater the impact we can have in our objections to the plans.
Below is a template structure you may wish to use in your email:
Dear [Councillor's Name],
Introduce yourself as a resident and briefly mention your connection to the community.
Share your concerns regarding the masterplan, highlighting specific aspects that worry you and potentially impact the community negatively. Consider mentioning issues such as the projects density, height, lack of infrastructure or any other concerns you feel strongly about.
Provide personal anecdotes or examples that illustrate the significance of these concerns and their potential consequences for our community.
Offer constructive suggestions or alternative proposals that address your concerns while still allowing for responsible development. Consider suggesting measures such as scaling back building heights or densities, sharing out new homes to other sites identified in the SPD, or any other alternatives that align with your vision for the community.
Express your request for the councillor's support in championing the concerns of the community during the decision-making process.
Thank the councillor for their attention to this matter and encourage them to reach out for further discussion or clarification.
Who should I contact? Barnet's strategic planning committee is where our voices matter the most. They get the deciding vote on these plans.
The councillors and their emails can be found here.
Please note, they won't be able to 'agree' as that will then mean they are not allowed to vote on the application if they make any predetermined decisions. But that doesn't stop you reaching out to them, just be aware they are limited in how they can respond.
It's also worth emailing your other local councillors. You can find them here.
You could also email your MP, which for Hendon is Matthew Offord and for Harrow East is Bob Blackman.