[Reposted from Feb 2010] Colindale Area Action Plan approved by Barnet Cabinet

Councillor Melvin Cohen
Cabinet Member for Planning and Environmental Protection

As a successful city-suburb of a world class city, Barnet plays a major role in London’s success, attracting people to the city with the necessary skills to enable it to compete effectively at a global level. Whilst recognising current economic conditions are uncertain, over the long term, Barnet remains London’s fastest growing outer London borough and has a prosperous future. Our Three Strands Approach to planning, development and regeneration: Protect, Enhance and Grow, establishes a boroughwide strategy to protect our most important open and green spaces, enhance our existing centres and quality residential suburban neighbourhoods and plans for growth in appropriate brownfield locations and areas in need of regeneration and renewal. Colindale, located in the west of the Borough, has an important role in all of these priorities, especially Strand 3: Growth, as Barnet’s largest housing-led regeneration area.

Colindale is already identified in the London Plan and Barnet’s adopted Unitary Development Plan as an area that could support significant new development with new housing and jobs. Our aim is to ensure that growth in Colindale is focused around an accessible and attractive new neighbourhood centre that serves the everyday needs of local people combined with an exciting transport gateway interchange at Colindale Underground Station. It is essential that Colindale provides the full range of community and education services that are so important for communities to flourish. New areas of housing will be linked to existing neighbourhoods by an improved network of streets and quality green open spaces. The Council, with its partners, has prepared this Area Action Plan to provide a comprehensive but flexible long term strategy to manage change and deliver high quality sustainable development in Colindale.

Barnet Times: "Oriental City in Colindale to be demolished for new supermarket, homes and Far Eastern food court"

Link to web site

"Plans to redevelop the derelict former Oriental City site in Colindale into new homes, a supermarket and a Asian food court have been unveiled.

"The proposal by Development Securities, the owner of the site which closed in June 2008 and has fallen into disrepair, would see the current building demolished to make way for a new Morrison’s store, 223 townhouses and apartments and a replacement Oriental market.

"The company says the 34,000 sq m development would create 700 jobs while providing much-needed new homes and a shopping centre for the area, while staying true to the history of the site."

LB of Barnet: "Multi-Million pound boost for the regeneration of Colindale"

Published Tuesday 31 July 2012

"Barnet Council has announced a series of new measures to support the regeneration of Colindale in the west of the borough. 

"The regeneration of Colindale will see 10,000 new homes built in the area over the next 15 years. The area is one of Barnet`s priority regeneration areas.

"The Barnet Council total investment of up to £10m, which will go ahead when matched by Genesis Homes and the government`s Housing and Community Agency, will be split between improving the “public realm” in Colindale and underwriting 400 new homes in the next phase of the redevelopment of Grahame Park.

" 'Public realm' improvements will support development along Colindale Avenue and Grahame Park Way, by widening and redesigning part of Colindale Avenue to improve the pedestrian route through Grahame Park Way, down to Colindale Tube Station.

"A land swap is proposed with Barnet College, making land available for a potential new primary school and building a new college building and public library within the development at Lanacre Avenue.

Councillor Richard Cornelius, Leader of the council said:

"This council is determined to keep the rebuilding of this estate on track. Completion of this phase will make the area more attractive and help the private sector sell other new properties in Colindale. 

"We can help get people on the housing ladder by using the council`s borrowing power to give impetus to the scheme whilst retaining the security of bricks and mortar to secure the reimbursement of tax payers money. 
The council will also make a return on the investment and boost the local job market.”

Barnet Times: "Barnet Council pledges £5million pot to encourage buyers to dilapidated Grahame Park Estate in Colindale"

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"House hunters will be encouraged to invest in the regeneration of the dilapidated Grahame Park estate, with a £5million cash pot from Barnet Council.

"The authority has promised the subsidies, along with another £5million to 'spruce up' roads and infrastructure, in what it describes as a 'priority regeneration area'.

"Fewer flats than expected have been sold within the regeneration project, holding up plans to build 10,000 homes over the next 15 years in the Colindale area.