A historic arcade under threat of being knocked down to make way for new flats and shops could be added to the borough’s heritage list.
The Grand Arcade in High Road, North Finchley, could be demolished as part of plans drawn up by Barnet Council to regenerate the town centre.
A campaign to save the arcade, which was built in the 1930s in the Art Deco style, has won high-profile backing – including from The Kinks guitarist Dave Davies, who used to shop there as a teenager.
Despite Historic England recognising the “historic value” of the arcade, it was left off the borough’s local heritage list when it was recently updated for the first time in more than 30 years.
The list is designed to provide information for councillors to consider when making planning decisions affecting the buildings or their settings.
At a meeting of the policy and resources committee on Monday (January 6), councillors agreed to review the document every year – meaning the Grand Arcade could be added next year.
Cllr Ross Houston (Labour, West Finchley) called for the Grand Arcade and Rex House to be added to the list and for it to be left open so more nominations could be made.
He said members of the public had told him they felt a consultation on the local list had been “inadequate”.
Cllr Houston said: “There were concerns about where the press notification was advertised – it was not clear to me where it was advertised.
“There was an advert in the Finchley Press, which a lot of people would miss.
“As a councillor, I wasn’t once updated on that consultation.”
Cllr Houston pointed out the consultation had taken place during the summer, when many residents were away on holiday.
Cllr Shimon Ryde (Conservative, Childs Hill) said he thought it would be wrong to put the Grand Arcade on the list if it hadn’t first gone through the same process as the other buildings that were added.
He suggested reviewing the list on an annual basis so it could be kept regularly updated.
Cllr Houston and other members of the committee gave their backing to the proposal.
An online petition set up by North Finchley resident Ian Dunn to save the Grand Arcade has so far attracted more than 1,330 signatures.
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