Grahame Park
Grahame Park is Barnet’s largest housing estate with 1,777 homes built by the GLC in the 1970s. Although the estate is popular with many early residents, significant problems arose due to the concentration of vulnerable and disadvantaged people, and because of the estate’s design which isolates it from the surrounding areas.
The regeneration proposals for Grahame Park form a central part of the Colindale Area Action Plan that aims to create a vibrant new community with major infrastructure improvements, improved transport links and community health facilities.
Background and scheme proposal
A special company, Choices for Grahame Park, a subsidiary of the Genesis Housing Group,(external link) is now working with the Council to develop and implement detailed regeneration proposals.
A radical rebuilding programme is planned to transform this estate over the next 15 years. Approximately 3,000 new homes will be built forming part of a new heart for Colindale.
These plans will remodel the layout of the estate, in order to connect it to the surrounding area and link the homes and services with other developments in Colindale.The regeneration plans include new community and retail facilities, and approximately 25% of the existing homes that were built in a more traditional layout are to be retained and integrated into the new development.
The regeneration proposals were offered to the residents for a test of opinion in 2003, and there was a strong vote of support from across the estate, with a high turnout (68%) and 79% voting in favour of the proposals.
The Housing Corporation earmarked £15 million Social Housing Grant to fund the provision of 159 affordable homes on advance adjacent sites, so enabling the early re-housing of residents in the first phase of properties scheduled for demolition.
In addition, Central Government awarded £7 million from the Opportunity Borough Fund to improve access in and out of this area. This, along with contributions from both the Grahame Park and RAF East Camp developments, funded the replacement of the two railway bridges across Aerodrome Road.
The regeneration is being implemented on a phase by phase basis, dependent on satisfactory re-housing of existing residents before their homes are demolished, with a significant programme of sales of new high quality private homes.
We, the Council, will, where appropriate, consider the use of Compulsory Purchase Order powers to enable particular major developments to proceed.
Current situation:
- The Council’s Planning and Environment Committee approved the outline masterplan for the regeneration of the whole estate in September 2004.
- Following approval from the Council’s Cabinet, a Principal Development Agreement for the regeneration was signed between the Council and Choices for Grahame Park in January 2007.
- Following a resolution by the Council’s Cabinet in July 2006, a Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) was made on 7 November 2007 on properties and interests in the area known as phase 1b of the regeneration area. No objections to the CPO were received and the Council therefore confirmed the Order on 1 February 2008. Further details on this can be found by visiting the Compulsory purchase order – a schedule of properties webpage.
- A demonstration phase of 32 homes was completed in October 2007, 13 of which were for affordable rent, 3 for low cost home ownership and 16 for market sale. The delivery of this phase enabled 13 families to move from overcrowded conditions into new family homes.
- The construction of a replacement children’s facility known as the Greentop Centre was completed in December 2008 providing new facilities for the users of the centre to enjoy.
- The first major phase of the Grahame Park regeneration in the area known as phase 1a is on site. This phase comprises of 134 homes for affordable rent, 30 for low cost home ownership and 155 homes for market sale. The first properties were completed in early 2011 and all 319 new homes will be completed by July 2012. (Picture 1). Details on the new homes for sale can be found by visiting the New Hendon Village website (external link). Details on the low cost home ownership homes for sale can be found by visiting the Council’s Home Ownership Schemes webpage.
- Phase 1a also included significant improvement works to part of the open space. In April 2011, the Mayor of Barnet officially re-opened the open space, renamed as Heybourne Park. There are now a combination of facilities and habitats in Heybourne Park: areas of biodiversity and amenity, a unique environment for play and relaxation for the local and wider community have been created in an urban environment as well as a useful educational resource for students of local schools and conservation groups. The ponds have been remodelled with features such as accessible water edge decks and sustainable drainage channel with bridge sections. There is also wetland planting that will decrease the chances of floods.
- A detailed planning application has been approved for the area known as phase 0. This phase comprises of 39 homes for market sale. Work on these new homes is due to start in 2012.
- A detailed planning application has been approved for the next major phase, known as Phase 1b. This phase comprises of 446 new homes, replacement library, community centre shops, housing office, a public square and half of a new park.
For more information about the Grahame Park regeneration scheme, please use the contact details opposite.
Email this pageLast modified by: Ellie Wright on 09/01/2012