Campaigners claim Barnet is heading towards a housing crisis as it is on the verge of becoming the most populated borough in London.

A total of 393,000 people will live in Barnet by the end of the year, overtaking Croydon, which will have 381,000, according to figures released by the Mayor of London.

Enfield is projected to have 322,000 people living in it by the end of the year, while Harrow is set to have 248,000.

By 2021, an estimated 415,000 people will live in Barnet, increasing to 469,000 by 2039.

Tayieba Shah, from the campaign group Barnet Housing Action, said she feared the increase would put a huge strain on housing in the borough.

She attributed the rise in population to young people moving to London to work, and said: “There isn’t the infrastructure of affordable housing. A lot of these people will be working in jobs that pay by the hour and on minimum wage. It’s very difficult to afford rents in this borough.

“Even though there’s plenty of building going on, it’s for overseas markets and buy to let investors, that keep pushing the rents up.

“A lot of people are multiple sharing. It’s not conducible to young adult life. It’s important to realise the human impact the lack of affordable housing is having. What we need is a proper policy on housing.”

Ms Shah, who lives in Finchley, said private investment could not be relied on to build affordable housing, as “they are not about building communities, they are about profit and loss.”

She added: “I don’t think the council realises the impact it will have on this borough. They have their heads in the sand. It’s going to be a real crisis.”

Councillor Richard Cornelius, leader of Barnet Council, said the population increase would present a challenge to make sure the necessary infrastructure, schools and health services were in place, and that it showed the “importance of us getting on with our regeneration schemes.”

Cllr Cornelius added: “This news has not come as a shock to us, the borough has been steadily growing and we have been preparing for this for years.”

Dr Debbie Frost, a GP and chairman of Barnet CCG, said: “With population rates rising, and our residents living longer, we are working hard to plan for the future. Our priority is to ensure patients receive the right care in the right place at the right time.”