PLANNING APPLICATION 1 ... RAVENSFIELD/FENELLA/1-3 BURROUGHS PARADE/EGERTON GDNS CAR PARK
Welcome to The Burroughs, Hendon, the civic centre of Barnet and the historic heart of Hendon. The Burroughs Conservation Area was established in 2012.
Hendon Town Hall is where Barnet councillors hold their meetings (inside the rooms that haven't been leased to Middlesex University). Next door is our iconic 100-year-old library, soon to become Middlesex University Business School. And next to that, the old fire station.
On the other side of the road stands Ravensfield and Fenella: two bland buildings both used by Middlesex University, a small parade of shops with flats above and Egerton Gardens car-park. The plan is to build something new on the site of all the above. So far so potentially interesting (except for the many residents who use the car park).
Here are some photographs of The Burroughs/top of Egerton Gdns:
And here are the proposals for the new buildings on The Burroughs that will be facing the Town Hall, Hendon Library (which will become Middlesex University Business School) and the Fire Station:
View of Ravensfield/Fenella/Carpark site from The Burroughs - where's all that mysterious countryside between the buildings come from?!
OUT OF CHARACTER!
According to Cllr Dan Thomas, Leader of Barnet Council, in his message to Hendon residents on September 30th: "... new buildings are designed sympathetically and in-keeping with the character of the area.".
Except they're not in keeping with the character of the area, are they Cllr Thomas.
A 0.1 second glance is all it takes to see that these buildings are definitely out of place on that stretch of The Burroughs.
These buildings would dominate ALL the civic/listed buildings and churches in the area. The proposals for the library across the road makes it even worse - rebuilding Building 9 & making the library more dense and bulky do not negate the effects of these new builds. It only gives you the impression, whichever direction you come from, that you have arrived at Middlesex University campus, not at the historic heart of Hendon.
HENDON HUBBUB!
The Burroughs is a narrow road that is congested with traffic for hours a day.
From Egerton Gardens junction to Babington Road junction, The Burroughs is 175 yards/160m/0.1 mile/528 ft. (Google dimensions) Users of the proposed buildings in this space will be:
- Library users
- MDX students and staff - educational facility Block 1
- MDX students living in Block 2
- Myriad community groups plus NGOs - African Cultural Association, Meridian Wellbeing, Citizens Advice Bureau
- Retail shops (Lido Chinese, Costcutters, Beauty Salon to be moved here), - - MDX Marketing suite
- Visitors to Safer Neighbourhood Team
- Deliveries to buildings
- Servicing/Maintenance personnel
- Cleaning Staff etc etc
- Pedestrians - local residents, school children and parents/carers, church goers, park and allotment users, users of public transport (the bus stops are not moving), people visiting the Town Hall or businesses in the area and in nearby high streets, visitors to residential roads etc etc
- Motorists using The Burroughs - residents or business clients, school runs etc etc
WOW! THIS WILL SURELY BE THE MOST CONGESTED PART OF HENDON WHEN ALL THESE ARE BUILT AND IN FULL USE! Better start organising friendly local litter picking groups. OY! STOP STARING!
The buildings are way too tall.
Surely ALL REAR GARDENS of Babington Road and Egerton Gardens will be overlooked by some of the 16 penthouse student units on the 7th Storey (6th floor of the plans) of B2 towers!!
It doesn't matter that you are supposedly 'far away' enough. The overlooking is unacceptable.
Next thing the developer will say is that they will put frosted windows in, as was suggested by the developer of the new private residential block for 180 students on Watford Way recently approved by Barnet Council ....so students in St Mary's & St John's would not be overlooked in their school playground!!!
SCALE THESE BUILDINGS DOWN, BARNET COUNCIL!
THAT'S WHAT I THINK. BUT WHAT DO YOU THINK?
Have your say!
Planning Application 1 of 8
Ravensfield House, Fenella Buildings, 1 - 3 Burroughs Parade and 3 Egerton Gardens The Burroughs London NW4 4BD
21/4709/FUL
Existing Footprint of RFC buildings in green.
Proposed RFC Building footprint in red. Not even indicated the paved over hardstanding in the front of buildings and carpark at the rear.
Follow me on Twitter if you dare: https://twitter.com/JKHowlingOfHDN
INSANITY doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. We now all agree they are incapable of what is regarded legally normal, rational conduct or judgment!
Oh my word!! You are so right! Once the existing library on the other side of the road gets rebuilt as Middlesex University's Business School, there will be even more people on site. The footfall in the area will increase, more traffic stopping at traffic lights/zebra crossing as pedestrians push the green man/red man button at will. More standing traffic pollution.
Students do not ALL attend class at 9am and finish at 5pm. It's not as if The Burroughs will be quiet between those times as students have different time tables, may decide to bunk off, work from home or be out socialising in the day.
No doubt about it. Putting these huge ugly buildings on The Burroughs do not…
This is absolutely a toilet. The Troy lead council don't care about the residents it serves only the brown envelopes they receive. Gardens will be overlooked and natural day light will be gone for those poor sole's. STOP THIS NONSENSE and come up with a better PLAN.
Thank you for saying what we've all been saying but have not been heard. Why do Barnet Council bother holding these consultations? It's impossible not to think they are merely tick box exercises. The council now claim they have heard our feedback and cite little changes or changes we never asked for that they think make them look good so as to give the impression they're listening to us. They think we're too stupid to notice it's all smoke and mirrors and they will just be doing what they were going to do in the first place. Where is the accountability? You're howling. I'm fuming!
It will become a overbearing concrete jungle right smack in the middle of the civic centre of Barnet. Overcrowded and overdeveloped. Shame on Middlesex University for pushing for this insensitive assault on the historic heart of Hendon, leaving the community, its architectural heritage and suburban lifestyle in tatters. People are being forced to move - it can't be put any other way because you either go or you are pushed if your home or your business is in the way. Barnet Council may have proposed these proposals to the university but they could have turned then down!