Freedom of Information Request to Barnet Council lays bare their negligence

 A friend (Billo) of this blog was so appalled by the neglect of the Railway Hotel in Edgware, that they sent a Freedom of Information request to Barnet Council, requesting that they respond detailing the number of visits that council officers have made to the site. It is very illuminating and damning on the former Conservative regime, the current Labour regime, but most of all, on the Council Officers who's job it is to enforce planning and also to preserve our local heritage. 

Here is there response

Barnet Council FOI Railway ... by Rog T

Just to make the point. Barnet Council has a statuatory responsibility to protect the fabric of the Railway Hotel building, which is Grade II Listed. Historic England also have a responsibility for such buildings. So the question is, are they doing this? Are they aware of the state of the building. This can irrefutably be demonstrated to be the case and we can also see the inaction from the response. 

The list is quite appalling, but lets just concentrate on the last two logged visits. 

2022

ENF/0633/22

Grade II Listed building in severe danger of irreparable harm

October 2023, September 2023. Numerous other visits not recorded.

Planning Enforcement

Notice issued. Officer not formally closed

In other words, over a year ago, Barnet Council officers logged that the building was in 'severe danger of irreparable harm' over a year ago. 

A year later, we have the following

2023

ENF/1337/23

The state in which the land has been left is detrimental to the amenity of the neighbouring properties and of the local area.

October 2023. Other visits not recorded.

Planning Enforcement

Notice issued. Officer not formally closed

So not only has the building been deemed at severe risk of irreparable harm, but it is detrimental to the amenity of the neighbours and the local area. The job of the Barnet Council enforcement is to protect residents from owners who neglect properties and cause nuisance.

The council are claiming that there have been 'numerous other visits' but haven't bothered to record them. My assumption would be that if an officer visits, they would log progress and update the case file, but clearly they either haven't bothered to do this or could not be bothered to provide Billo with the details he requested. I find it to be incomprehnsible that officers would visit the site and not make a report. It is also rather damning on the FOI team that they did not supply these details or at least provide an explantion as to why they were 'not recorded'.

Whilst Barnet Council clearly have no interest in discharging their statutory duties, some of us are concerned. Another friend of this blog, Mark Amies, kindly went down to the site and took some pictures yesterday.

Let me start with the issue of the lightning protection, that was reported was cut and non functional (Mark Amies reported this in October)

As a reminder, and over @BarnetCouncil taking no real action, still, here is the Railway Hotel this morning. Fence STILL not repaired, and a lightning conductor strip STILL not fixed.

This from a Borough bidding to be #LondonBoroughOfCulture in 2027. pic.twitter.com/NWV65teXKF

— Mark Amies (@Superfast72) October 31, 2023

This places the building at risk of a lightning strike, which would most likely result in it being burned to the ground

I had an email exchange with a local Labour councillor. I will spare his blushes as he was trying to be helpful, but when we requested this be repaired, he replied 

I have been assured that the loose cabling that has been reported is highly unlikely to be a lightning conductor and therefore protection from a lightning strike is not compromised. Nevertheless, the owner has been contacted and been asked to make repairs as soon as possible.

 My cousing happens to be the retired chief surveyor for the Diocese of Westminster and so is very well qualified to assess such issues. Having received the response, I forwarded the picture to him. This was his response.

That is what is left dangling of the copper lightning conductor strap after thieving swines nicked the lower part of the copper strap. This means that there is no lightning protection for the building. I hope the owners are still insuring the premises or perhaps they are not bothered?

I forwarded his email in full to the councillor, who responded on the 10th November stating that he would urgently raise this with officers. It is over a month since then and the cable still dangles. As stated over a year ago, the building is in danger of irrepairable damage, and this is perhaps the biggest risk.

I believe that neglecting to address this issue could be deemed criminal negligence. On many occasions, homeless people, some with alcohol and drug issues, have gained access to the building. If it was struck by lightning and burned down, should anyone be in the building, especially if they are intoxicated, they would be at severe risk of death. This has been flagged for over two months. The crews of the London fire brigade would also be put at risk. This is why this is not a trivial matter. 

As to the amenity and detrimental effect on local properties. Would you want to live next to this?

This blog has been raising the issues with the building for almost a full decade. We have had assurances from both Conservative councillors, when they ran the council and now Labour ones, stating that things will be done.  Just one example from Billo's response lays this bare. This was from 2018

2018

ENF/1889/18

The state in which the land has been left in is detrimental to the amenity of the neighbouring properties and the local area.

December 2018, February 2019

Planning Enforcement

No Further Action (informal compliance)

Decision date

27.02.2019

That was five years ago. After a year, it was closed following 'Informal compliance'. Anyone who has read this blog, will know that there has been no compliance, formal or informal. All that has happened is that the building has deteriorated every year. 

I could write more, but the case that Barnet Council has completely failed to do its job, is irrefutably demonstrated. But they are not the only ones culpable, who are not doing their job. I'll finish with this entry

2020

Planning Manager (Heritage)

April 2022 which was also attended by Historic

Conservation and Design

England and a conservation architect

This irrefutably demonstrated that Historic England are fully aware, have visited the site, with a conservation architect. They are fully aware yet it has further deteriorated. It is absolutely clear that if it wasn't for people like Billo and Mark Amies continually keeping up the campaign, nothing at all would have been done and it would probably already be a block of flats.

If I was a Barnet Conservative or Labour Councillor, I would read this FOI response and hang my head in shame. I do wonder what the point of having councillors is. They should be on this. They should not let officers get away with not doing their job. This blog was the first of the Barnet bloggers and is now the last active one blogging about Barnet Council (Mr Mustard does a fine job on local parking issues still). It can be the most depressing job in the world. It seems that when Labour took over, people thought the Council no longer needed citizens to hold them to account. How wrong they clearly are. 

The Edgware Railway Hotel – Time for Action - A guest blog by Mark Amies

Recent news stories about pubs being illegally demolished, or set on fire should be a source of great concern. No more so than in Edgware, where the Grade II Listed Railway Hotel sits in a parlous state, as it has for over a decade. Now you are probably aware of my regular bulletins about this landmark building on Station Road. I have written about it many times, I have tweeted about it more times than I can count, and Roger Tichborne and I have done two videos about it.

In recent times we were given the teasing story about Barnet Council undertaking a Compulsory Purchase Order on the building. However, that was some time ago, and there is no outward sign that this is going to happen. So, instead this fine building used by so many Edgwarians over the years is still begging at us, every time we pass it. 

This morning I altered my commute to get the bus into Edgware, and got off opposite the Railway Hotel, to have look around it. Obviously, I couldn’t actually get inside it, but I was able to walk around the outside, and it is a dreadful sight. Windows open and missing, fire damage left for months, years even. The building is an appalling state, and it needs attention now, before it gets to the point of no return. Walking on to Church Path and the fencing around the pub has been left open, and so it is easy to walk into the rear. There are no signs of security, and no signs to say it is being secured.

I am not going to mince my words any more.  Barry Rawlings, Ross Houston, Lucy Wakeley, Nick Mearing Smith and Shuey Gordon, if you are reading this, then please can you get something done? You are the public servants for the Borough. It is your responsibility to ensure that the Historic England Grade Two Listing on this building is kept to. 

The owner of building, whoever that is these days, needs to be made to do more. Lastly, I am not going to spare my wrath for Historic England. I want to know what they are doing. They have a Buildings at Risk register, is this on it? Are they working with Barnet Council and the Secretary of State to get this building back into safe condition and put into use for the people of the Borough?

This month the developer Ballymore is putting in a planning application for their development on the Broadwalk Shopping centre. Now the Railway Hotel is not inside that scheme, but it sits right next to it, and if Barnet Council, who are a partner in the new development , are keen to see Edgware Town Centre made a pleasant and interesting place, then why is the Railway Hotel such a low priority in all of this?

Come on guys, pull your fingers out, don’t let me inflict BarnetEye with another article about this again!

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Mark Amies is a local Edgware resident and the BBC Radio London Industriaal History correspondent for the Robert Elms show. Mark tweets under the handle @Superfast72

Mark refers to the video we made in 2020, just before lockdown, which has now been referred to over 8,000 times. 

Guest blogs are always welcome. Contact via the email or DM @Barneteye on Twitter

Save The Railway Hotel - Please sign the petition now

Just over a week ago, our local Pub champion, published author, industrial historian and BBC Radio London contributor Mark Amies launched a petition to get Barnet Council to take serious action to protect the Railway Hotel in Edgware. 

You can sign this petition here - www.change.org/p/barnet-london-council-historic-england-return-edgware-s-railway-hotel-to-use

In this time, the petition has attracted a very health total of nearly 500 signatures, not bad considering that this is all via retweeting and sharing on Facebook. We are championing this cause because it will send a poweful message to developers that the locals of Edgware and The London Borough of Barnet are not prepared to let our heritage be destroyed. The Railway is Grade II listed, but has been left to rot for sixteen years. Mark has asked for Barnet Council to take out a compulsory purchase order to get the Railway restored, if the current owners will not take proper action to protect this grade II listed building. 

Some London Boroughs have taken strong action to prevent unscrupulous developers from destroying such buildings.

Rising from the rubble: London pub rebuilt brick by brick after illegal bulldozing https://t.co/ioc9tBXOL5

— Cockney Campaign (@cockneycampaign) March 22, 2021

Please be aware of this when people tell you 'Nothing can be done'. Westminster Council took firm action and other owners will think twice before pulling that stunt in Westminster. This is not a Political point. Westminster Council are run by the Conservatives. We simply want Barnet Council to follow the excellent lead of Westminster. If developers know a council is serious about enforcement, they don't take liberties, which is ultimately the best for all. The residents don't get bad development, the council costs are reduced as developers don't bother trying it on and developers come up with better schemes.

If you are unaware of the issues, please watch these two videos we made with Mark. 

This first was made two years ago in 2019.

And this one was made lasty year

Please spread the message far and wide. We are hoping to get over 1,000 signatures by the end of the month. 

Time for action to save the Edgware Railway Hotel - Please support this petition

For the past five years, I have been working with Mark Amies, who is the an expert on Londons heritage, a BBC Radio London contributor and published author, on a campaign to Save The Railway hotel. Mark has recently launched a petition to save this historic landmark. We would like to see Barnet Council take proper enforcement action, against the owners, who have let this rot for far too long. If the owners refuse and do not reverse the years of neglect, with a proper schedule of renovation and a timetable to bring the hotel back into use, we would like to see the Council issue a compulsory purchase order and then ask for bids from local groups to run as a community pub/community cafe/arts space/community space, with low cost accommodation attached for key workers and young people in the spare hotel room areas. We believe that this would make the Railway hotel the centrepiece Edgware deserveds. The space at the front of the hotel could be used at weekends for community events and it would give a massive lift to the area.

This is what Mark says in his petition.

 

 "We call on Barnet Council to use the powers available to force the owners of the Railway Hotel in Edgware to maintain the building as required for a Grade 2 listed building. Furthermore we request the Council to urgently review the case for a compulsory purchase order, to return the building to its former role as a centre for the Edgware community"

Please click here to sign this petition. Please can you also circulate this petition with your friends.

Two years ago, I made a film with Mark highlighting the issues around the Railway Hotel to try and force Historic England and Barnet Council to take action.

As nothing happened and the decline of Edgware Town centre got worse, we made another film last year. This has had over 4,500 views. People do care. There was much social media response, but sadly with the pandemic, this petered out.

 

 

Mark recently visited the Railway Hotel and in over a year, nothing has improved. It is clear that the assurances of Barnet Council mean nothing. We need action.

Mark first raised a petition in 2016, getting over 2,000  supporters. Sadly this was also ignored.  

There is a by-election in Edgware ward in May. We intend to make this symbol of the Council's neglect of Edgware the centrepiece of the campaign. We ask everyone to support Marks petition to ensure that the strength of public feeling is recognised. The by election represents a unique opportunity to focus the eyes of the council on Edgware. If you are an Edgware resident, the neglect is having a huge negative impact on property values in the whole area, the flytipping, litter, graffiti is a festering boil spreading out across the whole area. If there was a vibrant community hub in an attractive, properly restored, listed building, then it would lift the whole area. Please support Mark Amies in his work to return the Railway Hotel to its place as the centrepiece of Edgware High Street.

The Fall of Edgware - Time for action on the massive Edgware Railway Hotel fly tip - Do this now!

There has been huge interest in the film by Mark Amies and the blog we wrote detailing the issues. About the fall of Edgware  and the appalling state of the pub and the huge fly tip at the back, on the former metalworks. Marks film is the most watched video in the Borough of Barnet this week, with over 1,500 views in a couple of days. This is quite unprecedented for a locally produced film and shows the strength of feeling.

Now is the time for action. There have been hundreds of comments on Facebook and Twitter, but this means nothing. If you want to stop the destruction of Edgware then you need to take action. Several people have asked for a petition. There is no need for a petition, as there is something far more powerful, that ensures the Council take notice. That is to leave an objection on the planning application. There are currently 24. The time to do it is now and it is very easy. This is the text of the comment I left.

"This site was formerly an industrial site. The policies of both the Mayor of London and Barnet Council state that industrial sites should not be turned into car parks. The owner has deliberately allowed the site to become a rubbish dump to pressure the local community into accepting their plans. The council should issue a compulsory purchase order and use the space for the benefit of Barnet residents, rather than someone who clearly is unfit to manage such a space"

Put your own comment in the comment box, make sure you click the "Object" box and also select whether you are a member of the public or neighbour.

Click this link now to enter your objection. We need as many as possible to show the stength of local feeling. Barnet Council needs to be made aware that local people have had enough of this neglect.

https://publicaccess.barnet.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=makeComment&keyVal=Q2YYJ6JIIEZ00


When you have done that, share this with all of your friends and family who know about the pub and make sure they do. If you haven't seen Marks film yet, please watch this and share with all of your friends (click on this to play)



Thank you for your support

The fall of Edgware and the demise of the Railway Hotel pub

Yesterday I got up a tad earlier than usual to visit Edgware to make a short video with Mark Amies, the BBC Radio London local historian, about the appalling state of the Railway Hotel, a Grade II listed building that has been left to go to rack and ruin for several years. What greeted us was truly appalling, but what was even more appalling was it emerged that what we were seeing wasn't just the demise of a much loved pub. What we are actually seeing is the fall of Edgware as we know it. Please watch the video. It was a rather rush job, but I felt it was important to get this made, while there is still something to fight for.


It has become clear that the issue isn't just the railway, it is becoming ever more clear that Edgware is next on the list for "Colindaleisation". If you wonder what this means, have a drive around Colindale. Ten years ago, this was just another sleepy part of the Borough. Now it has been transformed into a hellish visionn of a mini Manhattan, with all the soul drained out (apart from a few small bastion such as The Chandos Arms).

The first phase of this has started, with an application for a huge car park on the land behind the Railway. This has become a huge rubbish dump, as you can see in the film. You can read about this application by clicking here.

The area in red behind the pub car park is the location

As we looked at the plan, the question became clear. Why is a temporary 175 place car park required in Edgware? As we walked around and discussed what was going on, it became absolutely clear. Any major construction scheme requires a base and a substantial amount of parking for workers and a depot for deliveries. A cursory trawl through the council website reveals that this has started. A plan has been submitted for the adjacent plot. This states

Non-material amendments to planning permission reference 16/0112/FUL dated 13/01/2016 for 'Demolition of 120-124 Station Road and full planning permission for the rebuilding and extension of 102-120 Station Road to provide 1,705sqm retail floorspace (Use Class A1/A2) including a new frontage to Approach Road; redevelopment of rear car park for new buildings ranging in height from 3 to 17 storeys with podium level to provide 122 flats (Use Class C3) and a further 150sqm of new retail floorspace (Class A1/A2/A3) to Approach Road. The provision of car parking, landscaping and amenity areas and environmental improvements to Station Road and Approach Road, a pedestrian site access from Station Road and Approach Road and vehicular site access from Approach Road'.Amendments to include, roof handrails for safety reasons, balcony detailing, fire escape route, blocks C and D are relocated 225, away from the boundary, door and column omitted on the east elevation.

You can read all of the details here. This has been approved with  no objections and the local population seems totally unaware that plans for a new 17 floor tower is about to appear on the High Street. When I studied the plan, I realised that it was simply changes for a previous plan, also approved with five objections. It is clear to me that the community were not made properly aware of this application.

16/0112/FUL | Demolition of 120-124 Station Road and full planning permission for the rebuilding and extension of 102-120 Station Road to provide 1,705sqm retail floorspace (Use Class A1/A2) including a new frontage to Approach Road; redevelopment of rear car park for new buildings ranging in height from 3 to 17 storeys with podium level to provide 122 flats (Use Class C3) and a further 150sqm of new retail floorspace (Class A1/A2/A3) to Approach Road. The provision of car parking, landscaping and amenity areas and environmental improvements to Station Road and Approach Road, a pedestrian site access from Station Road and Approach Road and vehicular site access from Approach Road | 102-124 Station Road And Car Park To Rear Edgware Middlesex HA8 7BJ

The full details are listed here. Oddly three of the five comments are not shown. This is very much a Trojan horse development. Although there is already a tower on the site, this is a massive increase in size and scale, as this drawing shows.

What is clear is that this proposal was only the start of the process. The Railway is a key site in all of this. The site is worth millions of pounds but a Grade II listed building is a very inconvenient obstacle. Why else would the current owner have allowed it to deteriorate and have open windows, holes in the fence etc?

You may ask what are the 'Local Councillors' doing about all of this. The answer is that they are rather sadly doing nothing. They are not rallying the community. They are not explaining why a developer  wants a 'temporary car park'. They are not organising public meetings. why could this be? One of them, Sarah Wardle works as a 'planning consultant' has this expertise been used to the benefit of the local community who voted for her and pays her allowance, has her  Could it be because of their lack of local associations with the site and the history of Edgware? I don't know, but I do know that the Railway Hotel is loved by the local community and the total lack of action is completely bemusing.

A few words must be said about English Heritage and Historical England. Both have been made aware of the situation on numerous occasions, by many people. Mark Amies has campaigned non stop, but has received nothing but fob off communications saying Barnet Council are dealing with it. One of the reasons I make these films is to ensure there is a historical record of what has happened. This means that when local politicians tell porkies, we can hold them to account. We made this video a year ago on 7th Jan 2019.

.

These two videos, a year apart, show exactly what happens. What do you think the video and blog we put together in January 2021 will show? If I was a betting man, I'd say that it will show something very different indeed. I would also put my house on these planning applications not being the last major changes to the High Street in Edgware.

You may have your view on what we are seeing. I have mine. I believe we are witnessing the fall of Edgware as we know it. I honestly believe that unless people wake up, what we are seeing in Colindale will spread all the way up The Edgware Road, around the corner into Edgware. I don't think that this will be as part of a single grand scheme that we can unite against, but as a 1,000 small cuts, none of which benefit the local population and as small schemes, none of which will deliver any of the infrastructure needed to support such a change. Make no mistake, none of this is about providing social housing. This is about 'luxury flats' to make billions for developers.

The Railway Hotel in Edgware - Latest update

This morning, there has been all sorts of activity at The Railway Hotel in Edgware. It appears that three months after the fire, the temporary repair has been secured.

Edgware Councillor Sarah Wardle stated on Twitter that a multi agency task force had been set up to ensure that the Grade II listed building is properly looked after.

 Whilst it is clearly a good thing that the hotel is finally waterproofed, it is ridiculous that it has take 3 months to get to the point where this work has  been done. We clearly hope that this is just the start. We will be giving regular updates to our readers on this matter. We are sure that Sarah will find these useful in her tireless efforts to ensure that Barnet Council enforcement department are able to say they are on the case.

 As regular readers will know, there is a planning application on the Barnet Council website to turn the car park into a Coach Station. It seems that this is already happening, despite the fact that the council have not granted permission. We urge the Council to take proper action to deal with this. The bottom image implies that the coachers will be small minibuses (see picture at bottom from planning application). As you can see the coaches are massive and have trailers.

It is quite clear that Barnet Council and Sarah are being lead a merry dance by the people who are operating this service. If we can see what is going on, why can't the Council Officers, who are paid your taxes to enforce this, do their job?

If you want to get a full update on the awful state of this Grade II listed building, watch the video at the bottom

Image from planning application