By The Mill Hill Preservation Society,
The Barnet Eye has asked if there has been a change in emphasis at the Mill Hill Preservation Society… and just as the whole of society moves on perhaps there has been, but it has not been a conscious, abrupt change. We recognise that there is something contradictory in talking about ‘preservation’ and ‘change’ in the same breath. We have been in existence for 60 years, and in that time the perception of ‘preservation’ has evolved, and the rate of change around us has accelerated.
There are some parts of NW7 that we unashamedly feel need to be ‘preserved’ - the Green Belt; Common Land and the Wastes of the Manor of Hendon; other green spaces including verges and Village Greens; trees, hedges and wildlife habitats; footpaths; the Conservation Area; statutory Listed Buildings and locally Listed Buildings.
However, these areas do not represent the whole of NW7 (which is our watch), so what do we do in the remainder? We try to influence change. Although the parts may evolve through time, there needs to be harmony with that which exists, so that the whole retains its character. Change is inevitable - trees grow, buildings decay, institutions mature and families need a larger home. There is also the ephemeral whim of those with deep pockets uncluttered with taste, style, or any appreciation of community values; or the developer with tomorrow’s ‘two-bedroom-slums’, crammed in to squeeze that extra £100,000 from an over-developed site. No matter what the underlying reason, change should be managed, controlled and, in extreme cases resisted. Change needs to be worthwhile for us all.
So there you have it … our Society exists to give voice to the people of the whole of Mill Hill; to comment on, and perhaps influence, any proposed change in its constituent parts. We try to make change worthwhile for all of us, and where people involved in the process solicit our opinion, we will always encourage them to hold a similar approach to our own.
MHPS March 2010
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The Barnet Eye always welcomes guest blogs. We also welcome responses to the questions we pose. Thanks to the Mill Hill Preservation Society for there response clarifying their attitude to change in Mill Hill. To find out more or to contact them please visit their website - http://www.mhps.org.uk/
