Barnet faces highest housing target in London under draft London Plan

Barnet faces the prospect of the highest housing target in London under the draft London Plan, which mandates the construction of 32,730 new homes between 2028 and 2038. This represents a 38% increase compared to the borough's previous housing target. The plan, which sets development priorities for the capital over the next decade, also proposes allocating 7,000 of these new homes to Barnet's green belt land.

Designated Growth Areas and Policy Changes

Specific areas within Barnet, namely Mill Hill and Chipping Barnet, are designated as 'Green Belt Broad Locations for Growth'. This designation suggests these green spaces could be considered for development. The draft plan introduces a new 'Sustainable Access Measure', replacing the previous Public Transport Accessibility Levels (PTAL) system, which previously helped to restrict dense development away from transport hubs. Furthermore, the definition of a 'tall building' is revised, with the minimum height increasing from six to ten storeys.

Concerns over Urbanisation and Infrastructure

Councillors have expressed deep concern that these measures could lead to rapid densification and urbanisation, potentially altering Barnet's suburban character. They argue that building 32,730 homes in ten years, with a significant portion on green belt land, could increase Barnet's population by nearly a quarter without a corresponding increase in social or transport infrastructure. This scenario is described as potentially creating 'Zone 1 density with Zone 6 services'.

There is also a concern that developers may prioritise smaller one and two-bedroom flats over family-sized homes, a trend already observed in current planning applications. The plan's focus on 'site optimisation' could also lead to a shift away from building houses towards constructing flats exclusively.

Comparison with Other Boroughs and Consultation Period

Barnet's Conservative Councillors highlighted that under the current London Plan, Barnet has had a high housing target but has also been a strong performer in meeting it, partly due to regeneration projects. They contrast this with other boroughs that have delivered a fraction of their targets but are set to receive lower or static housing targets in the new plan. The draft London Plan is currently open for public consultation, which is scheduled to end in mid-October. Concerns have been raised about the consultation period overlapping with the Summer and Jewish High Holy days, with a request made to extend it.

A cross-party working group, including Barnet's planning officers, is being formed to develop a unified response to the draft plan. Residents and residents' associations are encouraged to submit their views to londonplan@london.gov.uk.