Sadiq Khan has used his mayoral powers to call-in a major planning application proposed by Barratt in Mill Hill, NW7. The 450-unit scheme, which lies on green belt land, was refused consent in February by Barnet’s planning committee, against officers’ recommendations.
In calling in the scheme, the mayor of London said: “The proposed development would have a significant impact on the implementation of the London Plan… there are sound planning reasons for my intervention.”
Khan added: “I recognise that while Barnet Council has taken a positive approach to approving new homes in the borough during the last three years, it is currently significantly under-delivering against its annualised housing completions targets and the borough’s affordable housing targets.
“In my view, the proposed development has potential to make an important contribution to housing and affordable housing supply. Having regard to the potential contribution of the proposed development, I wish to fully consider this case as the local planning authority.”
Soon after the February refusal, EG Data revealed the extent of Barnet’s under-supply of new housing. Over the past five years, new-build housing completions have averaged around 1,200 units, around half of its annual target of 2,349 new homes per annum.
At the time EG said: “Around 2,000 homes are currently under construction across the borough and just over 1,000 lie in the application stage, awaiting decision. Another 16,000 homes have planning consent but have yet to start, though 7,500 of those hinge on a single scheme − the Brent Cross Cricklewood development.
“In short, Barnet is failing to deliver the number of homes it should. This brings into sharp relief the arguments against green belt development, when schemes such as the one at Mill Hill could greatly improve housing targets.”
Gary Ennis, regional managing director for Barratt London and Southern, said: “The 19-hectare National Institute for Medical Research site in Mill Hill is an exceptional development opportunity which could deliver new homes and public open space that can benefit the whole of London. We have an excellent track record of development in Barnet and we will now await the final decision of our application by the mayor of London.”
Although the scheme is on designated green belt land, the 15-hectare (37-acre) site is in fact brownfield, with just 7,500 sq ft accessible through an existing right of way across a field. The proposed scheme will increase this accessible space to 1.5m sq ft.
According to planning documents, the existing footprint of the developed land covers 1m sq ft. The site was once home to the National Institute for Medical Research, which has since moved to the newly opened Francis Crick Institute, next to St Pancras Station. However, once the development completes with 450 new homes, the amount of developed land across the site will fall substantially, to just 620,000 sq ft, therefore enhancing the openness of the green belt.
This is the third scheme to be called in by the mayor, after two high-rise schemes, Hale Wharf, N17 and Palmerston Road, HA3, were called in and subsequently approved in Haringey and Harrow respectively.
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