MP Theresa Villiers has said she will strongly oppose plans to redevelop Chipping Barnet town centre unless substantial revisions are made, including lowering the height of the buildings proposed.
BYM Capital, who own the Spires shopping centre, want to build 250 apartments up to six storeys high as part of their plan for the site.
This would overturn the height limits that have ensured that the landmark tower of St John the Baptist Church can be seen from several directions.
“Six-storey buildings are completely wrong for this location and would blight properties in roads nearby,” Theresa said.
The MP explained she was alarmed because the latest revisions disclosed by BYM do not address the concerns expressed by local people or residents groups.
“I am afraid I will have to strongly oppose BYM’s plans for the Spires unless there are radical changes,” Theresa said.
“When The Spires was built in the 1980s, it followed a very long public debate. It was relatively low-rise and carefully designed, so the scale and appearance reflected the traditional appearance of the town, and was not intrusive."
“These proposals from BYM are very different. They could greatly harm our town centre, which is such a core part of our community here in Barnet.”
Theresa also expressed opposition to the provisions on parking because BYM intend to remove the top two floors of the Spires car park and replace them with flats.
“As the Barnet Residents Association have pointed out, these changes would reduce spaces from 390 to some 130 - a two-thirds reduction. Across the town, this would amount to a cut in public parking spaces of some 37%. This would be a disaster for the commercial well-being of the town centre.”
“The development purports to be ‘car free’, so people moving in there who own cars would be competing for spaces in nearly streets such as Byng, Wentworth, Puller, Sebright and Calvert Roads.”
She also said many of the small flats would be single aspect only, with some seeing little or no sun, and others risked overheating in the summer months.
“People living in the flats overlooking the proposed new street would be vulnerable to disturbance emanating from bars and restaurants below, some of which would be expected to remain open into the late evening. Current residents in streets bordering the site, like Chipping Close and Salisbury Road, would feel overlooked."
"Many of these problems arise because of the sheer number of flats the developer has tried to squeeze in. I am urging them to think again and scrap these proposals.”
No formal planning application has yet been submitted but BYM have outlined their proposals to a number of Theresa’s constituents.
