BARNET Council is set to offer a cash settlement to the owners of a Golders Green monastery to avoid a potentially costly legal battle.

The undisclosed sum of cash will be offered to developers Metro Construction Ltd to stop them making a claim for legal costs and money lost in a two-year legal fight with the council.

In November a High Court judge said councillors had acted “unlawfully” in designating the building a conservation area in a bid to prevent its demolition.

The cash will be paid to avoid the council being taken to a Lands Tribunal, something director of planning Stewart Murray described as “unknown territory”.

He told a meeting of the cabinet resources committee on Tuesday problems started when the council failed to get listed status, despite being led to believe they would by English Heritage.

He added: “It was very unfortunate. Their clear indication was they were going to be recommending the decision. They took the decision not to include it in the statutory list meant the notice fell away.

“Very few building preservation notices have been challenged and very few have gone to a compensation claim. In most cases English Heritage do support the council who imposed the notice.

“That decision opened the door for the developer to make a compensation claim to the council.”

Last year the developer was granted permission to build 45 homes on the site and redevelop the monastery, but ordered to retain the qualities of the monastery building.

Mr Murray told the committee the council's actions had the “overwhelming support of the public” who wanted the monastery retained as it is. After a debate in private to discuss figures the members of the committee, chaired by Cllr Daniel Thomas in the absence of leader Cllr Lynne Hillan, agreed to hand over the money to avoid further costs.