Mill Hill News - Barratts seek planning to add another 52 additional homes to the NIMR site

I have been contacted by residents and businesses affected by the development at the National Institute for Medical Research on the Ridgeway NW7, alerting me to a new planning application from Barratts, the developers. This is seeking planning consent to increase the number of dwellings by 52.

The details are as follows

19/3208/S73 | Minor Material Amendment to condition 2 (Approved Plans), Condition 26 (Play Equipment), Condition 32 (Car Parking), Condition 44 (Inclusive Design), Condition 45 (Energy Statement) and Condition 49 (Accessible Units)of Planning Permission for 16/4545/FUL dated 22/12/2017, to provide for the following design changes: Amendments to the approved floor plans of Blocks A, B and C to allow for the provision of 52 additional homes (within the same building mass of the original approved scheme, with no change to above-ground building volume or floorspace); Amendments to the basement floor plan of the Cruciform Cluster (Blocks A-C) to enlarge the basement, in order to provide a pro-rata increase in the provision of car parking spaces (52 additional spaces); Associated floor plan amendments to Blocks A-C and basement to accommodate pro-rata changes to cycle parking, refuse storage, private amenity space etc; Minor changes to elevations of Blocks A-C as a result of floor plan amendments; Pro-rata increase in the provision of affordable housing (to maintain 35% by habitable rooms); and Minor alterations to the floor plans of Blocks J1 and J2, to allow for an increase in M4(3) wheelchair adaptable units within these blocks | National Institute For Medical Research The Ridgeway London NW7 1AA
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I am quite shocked to see that they are describing the addition of 52 additional dwellings and parking spaces as a "Minor Material Amendment". This will increase the scale of what most people in Mill Hill already regard as a bad scheme by a significant amount. It is clearly an attempt by Barratts to squeeze even more profit out of the scheme. Anyone familiar with the scheme will know that it is already pushing the local roads and transport infrastucture to the limit. The existing scheme went through a full review by The Mayor of London. To try and change this under the false pretences of a "minor amendment" demonstrates that Barratts are keen only to maximise profits.

I have spoken to many local residents who have their lives blighted by dust, noise and congestion. It is most unfair that Barratts are now seeking to make their lives even worse. I would ask all Mill Hill Residents to object to this scheme as a matter of urgency. 

Please object to this scheme via this link

https://publicaccess.barnet.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=makeComment&keyVal=PSOMPWJII0F00

I would suggest that the following grounds be considered.

1. Lack of parking and public transport infrastructure to support such a development
2. Overdevelopment of an already intensive development
3. Will interfere with the activities of Residents, Finchley Nurseries and the MillHill Village Cricket club.
4. The Mayor has already approved the previous plan, which Mill Hill Residents felt was over intensive

This scheme is clearly an attempt by Barratts to squeeze even more profit out of an already very flawed scheme.

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If you want to see some of what local residents have had to put up with, checkout these videos.

This one shows what residents and businesses have had to endure.

And this one, filmed for my band The False Dots,  shows the destruction of the NIMR building as a backdrop for the final scenes. We wanted to ensure the destruction was filmed for posterity.