Peel Centre development needed “like a hole in the head”
Andrew Dismore AM, Labour London Assembly member for Barnet and Camden, says Colindale needs the proposed Peel Centre development “like a hole in the head”, after visiting the developers’ exhibition of their plans.
Mr Dismore said:
“This is yet another huge scale development being imposed on Colindale by Mayor Johnson, on top of the thousands of homes already going up on Grahame Park, Beaufort Park, the former Colindale Hospital site and other plots in the immediate vicinity.
The area just cannot accommodate yet another 2,000 homes and 1200 student flats too, with little contribution to Barnet’s crying need for affordable accommodation, but homes for sale to the highest bidder, bringing yet more people to this rapidly overcrowding area. The roads cannot cope as it is, with single lane carriageways on Aerodrome Rd, Colindale Ave and Grahame Park Way. The speculative link proposed through to Colindeep Lane will add to the pressure on that road too.
The utilities-drainage, water, gas and electricity-do not have the capacity to cope with this on top of everything else, and there is no additional provision for health services, either.
They talk of a new park, but the existing sports facilities such as the running track are going to be demolished under the scheme, instead of being preserved for local people- as is the last of the historic buildings from the original Grahame White aircraft factory, which should really be a listed building and preserved, as have been the other factory buildings that were on the Beaufort Park site.
It is not fair on the existing residents who will see little benefit, and will suffer more traffic jams, overcrowded public transport, high buildings, long queues for public services and overstretched utilities.
Adding all the new homes planned for Colindale together, this puts the total to over 10,000 in a short stretch of only half a mile or so of road frontage. The Council must reconsider its Colindale Area Plan and the Mayor must see sense. Colindale needs this huge scheme like a hole in the head”.
