Corporate Plan, Chapter 3: Our Corporate Priorities

Barnet – a successful city-suburb

Barnet is already a successful city-suburb of London, well ahead of other boroughs in terms of the key drivers of competitive economic performance. Barnet’s attractive suburban environment has made the borough a magnet for development and growth, drawing considerable market investment. Consequently, over the next two decades, we will experience major structural and demographic changes as the population and economy grows. This will bring significant challenges and opportunities.  

One challenge is to ensure that in the context of a changing borough, the best elements of Barnet are not forgotten – its identity as a popular, successful city-suburb with strong and cohesive communities.  Central to this is our Three Strands approach of Protect, Enhance and Grow. We want to protect and enhance the best of the borough while growing through successful regeneration and sustainable development. This includes protection of the Green Belt and open spaces and enhancement of our classic suburbs and town centres.  

In particular, we want the town centres to be the focus of economic growth and social and environmental well-being. At the same time we also want to support growth in those areas of deprivation and highest population pressure such as Cricklewood and Brent Cross, Mill Hill and Colindale and the strategic brownfield opportunity site at Mill Hill East (including Inglis Barracks).

The additional burden the growth of the borough will put on local infrastructure such as roads, schools and healthcare will also need to be managed effectively. Significant investment in new services and infrastructure will be needed in city-suburbs like Barnet, in order to ensure the whole of London’s prosperity. We have already contributed to the debate nationally with some innovative proposals, such as the Barnet Bond - a new way of raising money to fund infrastructure, without placing any extra costs on council taxpayers. This, and our work to champion the specific and neglected needs of city-suburbs, has ensured that Barnet succeeded in becoming the ‘Voice of the Suburbs’ in 2007/08.

Objectives for 2008/09 and beyond

To build on our work to date, we have set ourselves five objectives for 2008/09 and beyond:

  • Growing successfully
  • Delivering the Three Strands Approach of Protect, Enhance and Grow
  • Delivering housing growth in a sustainable way
  • Creating the conditions for a vibrant economy
  • Improving transport infrastructure to maximise movement opportunities.

Priority Improvement Initiatives

Growing successfully

  • Analyse the viability of a Barnet Bond type funding approach for the development of the Colindale tube station and its transformation into a ‘public –private’ transport interchange’
    • Milestones:
      • Initial proposal developed by May 2008
      • Submission of detailed case study to Treasury by October 2008
      • Completion of Aerodrome Road Bridge initiative by 2009
      • Works starts on site for first major infrastructure project by 2010/11.


Delivering the Three Strands Approach of Protect, Enhance and Grow

  • The Local Development Framework (LDF) will be the new spatial development plan for the borough and will play an important role in shaping Barnet as a successful city-suburb
    • Milestones:
      • October 2008: Planning Inspectorate examination of Mill Hill East area action plan
      • April 2009: adoption of the Mill Hill East area action plan
      • July 2008: preferred options of the Colindale area action plan
      • March 2010: adoption of the Colindale area action plan
      • May 2008: publication of the first version of the LDF site allocations
      • September 2008: publication of the preferred options of the Core Strategy
      • August 2010: adoption of the final version of the Core Strategy.


Delivering housing growth in a sustainable way

  • Low cost home ownership: continue to develop opportunities and advice for people who wish to own their own home, including:
    • Milestones:
      • March/April 2008 - completion of first phase of shared ownership properties at Beaufort Park
      • April 2008 – decision on whether to implement Social Homebuy as a permanent scheme
      • 2008/9 - work with Barnet Homes to improve services for council tenants wishing to buy a home
      • 2008/9 and ongoing - regularly review low cost home ownership products on the market with partners to identify those which would add value in Barnet.
  • Regeneration schemes
    • West Hendon Estate
      • Milestones:
        • determination of detailed planning application: March 2009
        • start on site demonstration phase 1 – 8 houses: March 2009
        • phase two start on site: 2010/11
        • demonstration phase one occupied: 2010/11
    • Cricklewood, Brent Cross
      • Milestones:
        • planning Development Forum completed and commercial terms finalised: March 2009
        • first phase construction work commenced: 2010/11
        • first capital receipts received: 2010/11
    • DollisValley
      • Milestones:
        • development partner secured: March 2009
        • first phase start on site: 2010/11
    • Stonegrove/Spur Road
      • Milestones:
        • Sterling Avenue Phase one completed: May 2008
        • commence first substantive stage of the scheme: March 2009
        • compulsory Purchase Order confirmed: 2010/11
        • 200 new homes completed: 2010/11
    • GrahamePark:
      • Milestones:
        • first phase start on site: March 2009
        • 319 new homes completed: 2010/11

Take forward the Housing Growth Funding Bids, specifically:

Regenerating Colindale

  • Project:  A5 Access Route (North-South Link) - the project links the existing public highways of Montrose Avenue and Sheaveshill Avenue in Colindale by means of a new road across Montrose Park playing fields (alongside Colindale tube line) and through the impending redeveloped Colindale Hospital site.
    • Milestones:
      • March 2009: initial site surveys and stage one design
      • March 2010: stage two design, service diversions and phase one construction
      • March 2011: completion of works
  • Project: Colindale Movement Hub - the reconfiguring of the highway network around Colindale tube station and improving movement links to Aerodrome Road and the wider regeneration area. This will link the access improvements to the east and west of the area to a greater and enhanced public transport interchange between buses and the tube. The movement strategy for the new 10,000+ population relies heavily on full use being made of existing bus and tube services. This scheme delivers the access improvements for bus services to fully interchange with the tube to give a better integrated and more convenient traveling environment. The project includes for a widened bridge over the tube line at Colindale Avenue and new bus stopping arrangements at Colindale tube station together with a new junction with the A5 Relief Route.
    • Milestones:
      • March 2009: initial site surveys and stage one design
      • March 2010: stage two design, service diversions and phase one construction
      • March 2011: completion of works

Mill Hill East - Area Action Plan Infrastructure

  • Project: Sanders Lane Extension - the project provides for the re-establishment of a through route between Bittacy Hill and Devonshire Road along the alignment of Sanders Lane. The scheme involves the construction of a two lane highway, with footways and a new bridge construction over the safeguarded line of a future extension of the tube line westwards from Mill Hill East tube station. The new east-west link aims to increase network routing options and reduce the movement demand on the two linked roundabouts at Bittacy Hill / Frith Lane and Holders Hill Circus that suffer from congestion and delay at peak movement periods.
    • Milestones:
      • March 2009: initial site surveys and stage one design
      • March 2010: stage two design, service diversions and phase one construction
      • March 2011: completion of works.


Creating the conditions for a vibrant economy

  • Prepare Town Centre Development Frameworks (TCDF) for priority centres
    • Milestones:
      Edgware and New Barnet:
      • Draft TCDF in place for public consultation: June 2008
      • Adopt: August 2008
    • Milestones:
      Finchley Church End:
      • Complete specification by April 2008
      • Tender: July 2008
      • Draft TCDF in place for public consultation: November 2008
      • Adopt: February 2009
    • Milestones:
      N12 North Finchley:
      • Tender: April 2008
      • Award contract: May 2008
      • Draft TCDF in place for public consultation: September 2008
      • Adopt: November 2008
    • Prepare and adopt TCDF for Chipping Barnet: 2009
    • Prepare and adopt TCDF for Whetstone: 2010/11.


Improving transport infrastructure to maximise movement opportunities:

  • Provide transport routes that are fit for purpose:
    • Milestones:
      • Delivery of Growth Area Fund project submission for year two and three funding to be submitted to GOL/CLG Autumn 2008
      • Approval : December 2008.


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