A GROUP of Barnet residents are celebrating changes to planning laws which could see a permanent end to garden grabbing in the borough.

People living in roads around Friern Barnet, have battled since 2006 against applications for back-yard building.

In the proposals set out on Wednesday gardens, previously classified as brownfield land making it a priority for development, would be reclassified as greenfield, giving them more protection.

Chantal Bordet-Stead has been leading the fight with the loose alliance of around 100 residents to stop developers building in a wooded area behind her home in Hemington Avenue, off Friern Barnet Lane.

She told the Times Series: “We have continually been fighting off these plans to develop behind our homes for the last four years. The council has had it very difficult in stopping these projects.

“We had the first application here in 2006 which was rejected, but taken to appeal and rejected again because there had been no survey of the protected species.

“I had to give up my job to co-ordinate the campaign against these developments, but there has been the constant threat of a new application since then.”

Mrs Bordet-Stead said the plans were in a “totally unsuitable place” for residents and would have seen increased traffic near Friern Barnet School.

She added: “People move to Barnet because there is more space and some beautiful views, but these have been eroded in recent years.

“We really hope these changes will mean the council isn't forced into allowing these developments in back gardens which are damaging the character of this borough.”

Yesterday Chipping Barnet MP Theresa Villiers welcomed the move, saying it would give council's greater freedom to protect the character of suburban areas.