COUNCILLORS have been advised to accept the controversial Brent Cross Cricklewood plans in a set of council papers released today.
Barnet Council's planning committee is due to meet next Wednesday to vote on the proposals, which include 98 new residential blocks, a waste handling plant, offices and shops and new roads.
The conclusion to the report reads: “This ambitious and exciting proposal is considered to be an exemplary way to create a new mixed use town centre for Barnet and North London.
“Around 25,000 new jobs and 7,550 homes will be created and the underused and disjointed parts of the regeneration area will be brought back into productive use in the most sustainable way.
“The proposal creates a coherent integrated town centre, which is well connected with the existing suburban area which surrounds it.”
Yesterday around 20 groups announced they had come together to form a coalition to formally oppose the proposal.
Objections have been received from Brent and Camden Councils, MPs Sarah Tether and Dawn Butler, who also submitted an 800 signature petition, and London Assembly members Navin Shah and Brian Coleman.
Around 800 letters have also been submitted by Bestway Cash and Carry customers, which will be knocked down if plans are approved, and more than a dozen residents' and campaign groups.
Objections range from the scale of the plans, the amount of extra traffic generated, the environmental impact and the impact of a new waste handling facility.
The group aims to have the scheme called in by the Secretary of State for communities to look at the plans more closely.
Brent MP Sarah Tether said: “This new coalition shows that the whole community are united in opposition to the Brent Cross Development in its current form..
"It simply isn't fair that Barnet gets the shiny new buildings and road improvements, while my constituents in Brent are lumbered with even more traffic and a huge rubbish dump right on their doorstep.
"With so many different groups coming together to fight these proposals, the Secretary of State simply cannot go on burying his head in the sand. The Government must call in this disastrous scheme."
Jonathan Joseph from the Brent Cross Cricklewood Development Partners said: “We are pleased that officers have recommended approval of the Brent Cross Cricklewood regeneration.
“The scheme to create a new town centre fits within and fully complies with the most up-to-date local and London wide planning policy to achieve the lasting regeneration of the area.
“The sustainability of the scheme is second to none. The measures we propose will together achieve a carbon reduction of 50 to 60 per cent.
“The £500m of investment into transport meanwhile will connect an area currently cut off from its surroundings with communities around it and the wider capital.
“Now is the time to get on and deliver the 27,000 jobs, 7,500 homes, modern facilities for three local schools, new health facilities, exceptional parks and open spaces, new high street and the largest investment in transport and community infrastructure in the area’s history, all sorely needed.”
The plan is expected to cost £4.5bn and take about 20 years to complete.
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