Welcome to my February e-newsletter.
I’ve been focusing on my campaign to protect the suburban environment in Barnet from overdevelopment. I’ve been involved for many years in the debate over the future of the old gasworks site at Victoria Quarter. I attended the Barnet Council planning committee, as it sat late into the evening last week, to explain why I think the owner of the land should build the scheme for new homes they were granted planning permission for in 2015, not the revised plan for higher density blocks that they have now brought forward.
I also gave evidence to the planning inquiry on North London Business Park which is another instance where a developer has been given planning permission but has come back to ask for more. I spoke against the application to increase the number of flats on the site by over a thousand. Click here to fill out my community survey on building and development.
I have continued to speak up in Parliament in support of the Jewish community and Israel, raising the plight the hostages. I met people carrying out a vigil in Parliament Square for the hostages, organised by the Board of Deputies.
I strongly condemn the recent increase in antisemitic incidents and the increase in anti-Muslim hate crimes. I have expressed my grave concern about the damage to the democratic process being caused by threats of harm towards MPs. Mike Freer’s decision to retire as MP for Finchley and Golders Green is a great loss to this borough and to Parliament. His decision was primarily motivated by the security risks he has faced, including an arson attack on his office.
Improving local transport has always been a priority for me and in Parliament this month I expressed opposition to blanket imposition of 20mph limits without local consent. These can be suitable for narrow residential side-roads, but they cause real problems when imposed on wide main roads. Widespread and effective consultation must always be carried out before a 20mph limit is introduced.
I took part in a lively debate on BBC Politics London, setting why I am against roads being closed for so-called “Low Traffic Neighbourhoods” or “LTNs” which have caused so many problems in places like Enfield.
I also lobbied Barnet Council not to go ahead with a plan to ban right turns from Lyonsdown Road into the Great North Road/Pricklers Hill after residents contacted me about the traffic problems it would cause in residential streets. I’m pleased that this plan has now been dropped. I also emphasised to Barnet Council that not enough people knew about their controversial plans for removal of parking spaces and other traffic changes around Mays Lane. They have now extended the consultation to 7th March. You can respond here.
I received lots of support for my petition against bus lanes when I took it round traders in Whetstone High Road. Please consider signing it here. It turns out that it isn’t only the A1000 under threat from these plans. Barnet Council and the Mayor want a new bus lane in Cat Hill in East Barnet as well. It’s very hard to see how this could be done without losing two-way traffic and removal of all parking spaces.
Other speeches, meetings and events this month have included:
- asking Ministers questions on matters such as early diagnosis of cancer; funding for the Inter Faith Network; and attacks on shipping in the Red Sea;
- taking part in the debate the restoration of power-sharing government in Northern Ireland;
- backing the RSPCA campaign to ban disposable vapes;
- meeting apprentices at an event for National Apprenticeships Week;
- meeting people who care for loved ones with dementia to hear about their experiences with the NHS;
- asking the Chancellor to provide an increased pay offer for junior doctors;
- visiting Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice in Byng Road in High Barnet;
- speaking at an event for the Jammu and Kashmir Study Centre to hear from blogger and activist Yana Mir; and
- attending the East Barnet police community action panel meeting to discuss issues such as improved lighting to make Victoria Recreation Ground safer, enlarging neighbourhood police teams, measures to crack down on car crime and burglary, and my continuing campaign to save Barnet police station from being sold off for redevelopment.
Further information on my campaigns and activities is available in the links below to articles on my website. Please forward this email to anyone you think would be interested to read it or might like to join this mailing list.
Best wishes
Rt. Hon. Theresa Villiers
Member of Parliament for Chipping Barnet
Increase in GP appointments welcomed
Theresa Villiers, MP for Chipping Barnet, has obtained important new figures from the NHS showing an increase in the number of appointments with family doctors in the north central London area of 50,000 per month when compared to the same period in 2022/23, or 600,000 more appointments annually. Read more….
Villiers speaks out against threats to MPs and to the Jewish community
Responding to turmoil in Parliament over the ceasefire vote, Theresa Villiers MP has expressed deep concerns about the security threats to MPs and to the Jewish community. Read more….
15 year campaign on Victoria Quarter continues
Theresa Villiers attended the Barnet Council planning committee last week to speak against the latest planning application for the former gasworks site at Victoria Quarter in New Barnet. Read more….
Villiers condemns record increase in antisemitic incidents
The Community Security Trust recorded 4,103 antisemitic incidents in the UK in 2023, the highest total ever reported to them in a single calendar year. This is an increase of 147% from the 1,662 anti-Jewish hate incidents recorded by CST in 2022, and is 81% higher than the previous annual record of 2,261 incidents, reported in 2021. Read more….
Update on NLBP public inquiry
MP Theresa Villiers addressed the planning inquiry taking place on the future of North London Business Park (NLBP). Comer Homes have planning consent for a large residential development there, but have applied for permission to expand this from 1350 dwellings to more than 2400, including several thirteen storey blocks.
Theresa has been campaigning against this proposal because she believes it would be an overdevelopment. It was unanimously rejected by Barnet Council's planning committee, but Comer Homes have submitted an appeal against that decision. This will now be determined by a planning inspector, following the planning inquiry. Read more….
Villiers calls on Barnet Council to scrap their bus lane plans
Theresa Villiers has asked Barnet Council and the Mayor of London to cancel their plans for new bus lanes on the A1000 in Barnet High Street (between Wood Street and Meadway) and in Whetstone High Road (between Ravensdale Avenue and St Margaret's Avenue). Read more….
How to contact Theresa
The best way to get help from Theresa is to email her on [email protected], ring her constituency office on 020 8449 7345, or write to her at 163 High Street, Barnet, Herts, EN5 5SU.
Theresa’s next diarised surgery takes place on Saturday 2nd March at her constituency office at 163 High Street. Constituents wishing to see Theresa or her staff will need to make an appointment in advance. You will NOT be seen if you turn up without a pre-booked appointment. Bookings for face-to-face meetings or Zoom calls can be made using the contact details set out in the preceding paragraph.
