Your Concerns

Hampstead Garden Suburb Trust's response to Golders Green Station Planning Brief

Read: http://www.hgstrust.org/news/

Concerns raised by residents

A. COMMUNICATION FROM THE COUNCIL

1. Why weren’t we informed of this planning brief by Barnet?
2. We were only told about it by other residents?
3. My sister and her neighbours in Golders Green knew nothing about this?
4. Surely it’s wrong that Barnet did not communicate widely – is it legal?
5. There’s no time for us to respond.
6. Why no adverts in the local press?

B. THE BRIEF ITSELF

1. The Brief is vague, and self-contradictory in places. It’s open to too many interpretations of what might be allowed in the future.
2. It must be much tighter if it is to lead policy and plans
3. The Brief doesn’t take into account National Guidelines. It doesn’t mention methodology for assessing the effect of a tall building.
4. This development is not a priority for Barnet. Surely there are more suitable sites elsewhere.
5. The representative from TfL at the Parish Church meeting said they needed Site B for operational purposes for the next 10 to 15 years.
6. Why is it in the Brief then? Shouldn’t it be removed?
7. The Council should take a stand and protect this unique environment while preparing a hugely different Brief for its residents.
8. Development of a more attractive bus interchange with capabilities to handle greater capacity and new style electric buses and taxis can be welcomed but none of this is in the brief. It is not forward thinking.
9. Drainage and other main amenities will not accommodate an increase produced by 1300 flats. There will be risks of burst pipes, subsidence, and light problems.
10. There must be many planning considerations which make development here difficult. The land is contaminated. If the site B is concreted over, water run-off could be a problem. What about light and overlooking adjoining properties?

C. TRAVEL AND TRAFFIC CHAOS

1. What will happen when they shut down the station to build over the top?
2. Will the Northern Line Service as a whole be affected?
3. Have the bus companies agreed to a major disruption to their services as and when the development goes ahead?
4. Where will bus services go for drop-off, pick-up and timetable waiting?
5. How could Golders Green Tube cope with such a huge increase in passenger numbers if so many flats were built in such a small area?
6. How will people cope with using the station during rush hour?
7. Golders Green area is already highly populated and traffic can be very dense, especially at rush hours. The sense of openness and space around the station compensates for this.
8. Users of the Tube Station have not been informed of the potential major redevelopment. Surely that will cause huge disruption to travel. Will they be compensated?
9. The development will be car free. Laughable. New residents will have cars. Most of their visitors will have cars. Where will they park? Parking is already a huge problem in Golders Green - it will be increased massively.
10. The roads are too narrow as it is, with single file, with cars parked on both sides.
11. The current road junction works well. Why change it?

D. THREATS TO HEALTH AND SAFETY

1. The Mayor talks of the dangers of pollution and creating lungs for London. This plan is the antithesis of his elected stance.
2. Environmental issues matter. More traffic and diesel fumes. Golders Green is congested. There and throughout London it is killing our children. We should get our children to write to Sadiq Khan and say “Stop Killing Us”.
3. With building over the bus station, the air inside can become polluted like Victoria Station. Even with fans running around the clock. Think of the electricity use. And the noise.
4. Evidence shows high density developments and lack of open spaces leads to an increase in crime.
5. Undercroft developments elsewhere are disliked. They are anti-social, dirty, dingy, and unpopular.
6. The likely disruption, given the difficult nature of any development on these two sites, will be extensive and take a long time, say 5 years. This won’t be healthy mentally and physically for residents. There will be upset, disputes, legal battles, and claims could result.
7. Most GP surgeries already have long waiting lists, and Emergency Services, A&E are working to full capacity. How will they cope with another 4000 residents?

E. THREATS TO HERITAGE AND AMENITIES

1. Golders Green and Hampstead Garden Suburb are conservation areas. How can the Council approve new development of this scale in the middle of these areas?
2. The Mayor talks of protecting historic views. Views from the Garden Suburb, the Heath Extension, and Golders Green Crematorium were specifically designed to be free of tall buildings apart from the Churches and the Institute – an uninterrupted tree line, visible on the main arterial roads (eg the North Circular and the A41). This brief pays no regard to such Heritage issues
3. Properties within adjoining roads in Hampstead Garden Suburb are locally listed and cannot be demolished to make way for new access roads to a new development. Without access the development is unviable.
4. If there is to be development at the bus station, and hopefully there won’t be a big development, it must be capped below the existing height lines of the Hippodrome and listed Shopping arcades, to ensure it is in keeping with these other buildings in a conservation area.
5. Given the International status of Hampstead Garden Suburb surely the buildings and views must be protected.
6. Look what Tally Ho Corner tower block has done for the view from Totteridge. Tower blocks, like Tally Ho, visible for miles on the skyline are a planning blight. Golders Green must not follow.
7. The War Memorial was created by the people of Golders Green for the people of Golders Green. It must not be touched.
8. My grandfather helped to raise the money to build the War Memorial. The moving of it is arrogant and disrespectful.
9. Golders Green doesn’t need more shops. There are closed shop fronts and a number charity shops already. And masses of cafes and restaurants. Closed shops, charity shops, and an excess of cafes doesn’t demonstrate a thriving retail area.
10. A new development of shops and services will not improve the current problems local retailers face on Golders Green Road. It may badly affect the sense of mixed community which is a fundamental characteristic of Golders Green.
11. Already the local primary school in the catchment area has the maximum number of children allowed.
12. Currently there is a serious shortage of Secondary Schools available for local children. The council is not creating new schools and will not have the financial resources to do so. Will the developer pay for new facilities?