Barratts development on the Ridgeway - No enforcement by Barnet Council

One of the conditions of planning permission for the Barratts development on the Ridgeway, of the National Institute for Medical Research was that all lorries leaving the site would have their wheels washed, to prevent the spread of contaminants on the site being spread around Mill Hill. 

The planning process identified various high risk materials that may potentially pose a risk to local residents and children at a local school located less than 100 yards from the boundary of the site. These include radioactive materials, bio hazards, dangerous chemicals and asbestos. It was agreed by Barratts that all wheels would be washed on lorries leaving the site as part of the process to mitigate these risks.

So how has this gone. Our friends at A Better Mill Hill have been tracking progress. Have Barratts complied with the condition and have Barnet Council been keeping an eye and using their stuatory powers to ensure compliance.

On Friday 17th September, I got this rather surreal response, however I see no evidence of any action at all. I've been corresponding with Barnet on this issue for nearly two years (I've spared the officer his blushes by not naming him).

Sent: Friday, 17 Sep, 21 At 16:15
Subject: RE: Enforcement Acknowledgement Letter ENF/0925/21

Dear Mr Tichborne,

Thank you for your emails.

Based on the further photographs you have provided, I will be preparing a report recommending that a formal breach of condition notice is served.

Please note that the breach of condition notice can only require the developer to adhere to the details set out in the approved CEMP, ie that wheels of all groundwork and delivery vehicles are jet washed prior to vehicle egress. The notice would not be able to specify the quality of jet washing.

Kind regards,

******* *********

So you have some flavour of what I'm talking about, here's a few tweets (and a few replies) - I'll let you make up your own mind. The oldest is from March 2019. 

We have escalated this with the relevant team. Best wishes, Carrie.

— Barratt Homes (@BarrattHomes) October 26, 2021

Good afternoon,
We shall pass this to the relevant team.
Kind wishes,
Holly

— Barratt Homes (@BarrattHomes) October 21, 2021

Good afternoon,
Sorry to see that this is happening.
I have passed on these photos to the appropriate department this afternoon.
Best Wishes, Grace

— Barratt Developments (@Barrattplc) September 17, 2021

I am very sorry to see this. I have escalated this now asking that the vehicle drivers are reminded to wash their wheels.

Best wishes, Amy.

— Barratt Developments (@Barrattplc) September 16, 2021

Dear @BarnetCouncil @CouncillorsMill the CEMP for Barratts NIMR development states vehicle wheels must be power washed before leaving the site. Despite repeated reports to you, this is still not being done properly. This was the Ridgeway at 9.30 this morning. What will you do? pic.twitter.com/CbS8v7RqJS

— A Better Mill Hill 🔸🌈🇬🇧🇪🇺 (@ABetterMillHill) May 29, 2021

Dear @BarnetCouncil @CouncillorsMill the CEMP for Barratts NIMR development states vehicle wheels must be power washed before leaving the site. Despite repeated reports to you, this is still not being done properly. This was the Ridgeway at 9.30 this morning. What will you do? pic.twitter.com/CbS8v7RqJS

— A Better Mill Hill 🔸🌈🇬🇧🇪🇺 (@ABetterMillHill) May 29, 2021

As you can see from this dashcam video shot today, The Ridgeway by NIMR/Barratts site is covered in mud from lorries. So much for washing down the wheels @ValDuschinsky @golnarb what is happening re enforcement pic.twitter.com/E90ANaciEt

— A Better Mill Hill 🔸🌈🇬🇧🇪🇺 (@ABetterMillHill) March 6, 2019

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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.