Barnet Council has approved outline planning permission for a major redevelopment of Edgware town centre, giving the green light to a controversial scheme that includes 25 tower blocks, a new bus garage, and over 3,000 homes.
The application was submitted by developers Ballymore (Edgware), a joint venture between the Ballymore Group and Transport for London’s property arm, Places for London. It covers the Broadwalk Shopping Centre and surrounding land.
The scheme, which is the largest planning application to come before the council in more than a decade, was granted outline consent by the council’s Strategic Planning Committee on Tuesday 23 July. It will now go to the Greater London Authority and the Mayor of London for review.
According to Barnet Council, the decision “follows a thorough planning process over several years and reflects the council’s long-term commitment to revitalising Edgware as a vibrant, accessible and sustainable town centre that meets the needs of current and future generations.”
The plans include over 3,300 new homes, a minimum of 35% of which must be affordable housing, along with modern retail and leisure space, a new library, health clinic, public squares and a park. The council said the development “aims to support local economic growth, provide badly-needed new homes and create a town centre that is safer, greener, and more inclusive.”
Despite this, the decision has faced significant local opposition, including from Harrow East MP Bob Blackman, who has led a campaign against the project for the past two years.
In a statement following the vote, Mr Blackman said: “I am deeply disappointed by the decision of Labour-run Barnet Council to approve the Edgware Towers development, despite overwhelming opposition from residents, businesses and the wider local community.
“This development, with 25 tower blocks up to 29 storeys high will fundamentally alter the character of Edgware. Labour Councillors have voted to overwhelm our local infrastructure, services and transport network, all while ignoring the legitimate concerns of the people who live and work here.
“For the past two years I’ve supported the campaign, alongside Save Our Edgware, against these flawed proposals. I’ve spoken out in Parliament, taken my petition to Barnet Council with thousands of your signatures and repeatedly called for a safe, deliverable and community-backed alternative.
“I urge residents to continue making their voices heard. Make sure everyone in your household has signed my petition, all your friends and neighbours and help us demonstrate that Edgware deserves a future built with the community not against it.”
Edgware ward councillor Lucy Wakeley also criticised the decision and expressed concern over the safety of placing an electric vehicle bus garage underneath residential buildings.
“Unfortunately, despite the vital points we made about the safety of the bus garage and the density and height of the scheme the Labour Councillors all voted against our request for the application to be deferred until the safety issues were resolved and then all voted for the application,” she said.
“This means that the outline application for the development has been approved. This is very much the first step and the developers will have to submit applications for each stage of their scheme going forward. This will take years and it will be a long time before any building starts.
The development cannot begin until the safety concerns are resolved (which we all know will never happen as you cannot park EVs under homes as it is not safe if there is a fire). So we will wait and see what solutions they come up with.
“I’m so sorry that we weren’t able to persuade the Labour members of the planning committee last night to change their minds.
“We will continue to campaign against this development and we really appreciate all your support helping us to do so. I want to especially thank Anuta and all those at Save Our Edgware for all your work and support. We have a long road ahead and we won’t give up. Edgware is our home and I want to make sure we do all we can to get a fair deal for Edgware.”
Barnet Council acknowledged the concerns raised and said it has placed “stringent planning conditions” on the proposed underground bus garage.
“Residents should rest assured that it will only become operational when the London Fire Brigade and other building and safety regulators have confirmed they are satisfied the building is safe to be used, including for electric vehicle buses.”
The council also clarified that the approval is for outline planning consent only.
“At every step of the way, the developers will need to come back to the council to agree the detail of each phase of the development.”
The planning process is expected to continue for several years, with more detailed plans required before any building work can begin. Barnet Council stated:
“We understand that change can be unsettling, and we will ensure that the developer works closely with the community to ensure that the next stages of development are delivered responsibly, with clear communication and opportunities for ongoing input. Our priority is that the benefits of regeneration are shared widely and that it is our residents who benefit in the long-term.”
Chris Mitchell is the founder and editor of Harrow Online, Harrow’s leading local news platform.
He launched Harrow Online in 2010 as a Facebook page sharing local news and information. Since then, it has grown into a trusted source for breaking news, crime, council decisions, planning, transport, business and community stories across the borough.
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