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| The view today from the west bank of the Welsh Harp |
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| The view in the future if the development goes ahead |
Four years ago a united campaign of local political activists and environmentalists saw off proposals for housing developments in both Barnet and Brent areas of Brent Reservoir, popularly known as the Welsh Harp.
Those proposals are dwarfed by the enormous West Hendon development proposed by Barratts which is soon to be considered by Barnet Council.
The development is adjacent to an SSSI (site of Special Scientific Interest) on the Welsh Harp which is home to nesting birds and used by over-wintering birds. It draws visitors from all over London and beyond. The footpath is well used by many Brent residents who start their walk at the Birchen Grove end of the Welsh Harp.
The development will include tower blocks of up to 26 storeys high - double the height of the one in the photograph.The existing 597 homes will be demolished and replaced by 2,000 houses and flats including 4 tower blocks. There are proposals to build footbridges over the Silk Stream and beside Cool Oak Bridge which are likely to cause water pollution during construction. The area is already one designated as having poor air quality and the development is likely to increase traffic in the area.
Barratts have already built a 12 storey block next to Cool Oak Bridge which gives an indication of the overbearing nature of such blocks and the extent to which they rise above tree height. The new blocks will be twice as high.
There is some confusion about the date by which
letters have to be received by Barnet Planning Officers, the safest assumption
is that the deadline is April 30th. The Planning Reference is H/01054/13 and the Barnet Planing contacts is: Thomas.Wyld@barnet.gov.uk
Full documentation can be found HERE
I reproduce below a submission on the development that sums up the issues very well:
Comments on West Hendon
re-development Proposals
Significance of Northern
Reservoir/Refuge/Marsh and associated woodland.
The Northern reservoir is an important refuge used by
wildfowl when there is disturbance on the main reservoir from sailing. It functions
this way throughout the year but especially during the winter months when the
normal numbers of birds increase by several hundred displaced ducks and other
wildfowl. The area most used by these birds is along the bank next to the
estate. It is a SSSI which should afford a high level of protection under
wildlife legislation. An important screen of trees currently separates the
water from the estate. The marshy northern end of the water is also important
for breeding wildfowl in the sheltered pools and channels. Finally at the
northern end is a quiet area of wet woodland in which a number of shy woodland
birds breed (owls, woodpeckers, warblers). The area of the re-development abuts
the whole of the edge of the waterway, marsh and woodland.
Proposed re-development- key
features
The proposal involves a huge increase in the density of
housing and greatly exceeds the GLA recommended level for a site of this size
increasing from 7-800 housing units to over 2000. A key feature of the proposal
is the construction of a number of extremely high tower blocks, up to 26
stories in height; these are sited immediately adjacent to the Water and the
SSSI boundary. The excessive height of these towers seems more appropriate for
a central financial district than a North London suburb. The development will
have a major impact on the surrounding area and put a huge strain on local
health, education and road infrastructure.
Impact on the SSSI, reservoir
and local area
- There will be
a major increase in disturbance of the wildfowl refuge both during
construction and when occupied, both due to the excessive height of the
buildings and the tripling of the number of occupants
- The
developers would like to remove tree screening to open up sight lines.
This will make matters worse and increase disturbance. We can expect that
this will have a major impact on roosting and nesting birds. The existing
tree buffer hides all but the single 15 storey tower that currently exists
and in addition to increased disturbance any reduction in the tree cover
will have a major and detrimental landscape effect when viewed from the
bridge or the footpath to the west of the north reservoir. The tree screen
needs to be effectively managed and maintained.
- There will be
a large increase in the amount of night-time light pollution in what is
currently a dark area. This will affect birds and mammals such as bats.
External night-time lighting of the towers must be kept to a minimum.
Brightly lit towers have been shown to have a detrimental effect on night
flying and migrating birds
- The extreme
height of the tower blocks will interfere with flight lines for birds
trying to get away from sailing disturbance on the main reservoir. There
could also be an increased risk of bird strikes made worse by the large
number of high level glass windows.
- A proposed bridge and circular route crossing
the river further upstream will disturb and damage the wet woodland where
shy woodland birds such as woodpeckers, owls and warblers breed. This woodland
forms part of the SSSI buffer and Local Nature Reserve.
- This proposed
bridge will also disturb scarce breeding wildfowl such as Gadwall, Pochard
and others which breed in the pools and reed-beds at the end of the
reservoir next to the woodland.
- The proposed
location of the towers next to the SSSI boundary appears to be mainly for
commercial and marketing reasons and has little regard for the nature
reserve. They should be lower and further back.
- Due to the
huge increase in occupancy of the estate there will be many more people
visiting the lake and therefore greatly increasing the disturbance. The
planned occupancy level greatly exceeds the level proposed for the site by
the GLA.
- The provision
of car parking, schools and health centres appears inadequate for the
level of occupancy. This will put great strain on local infrastructure, facilities
and roads.
- The two
reservoirs have an important secondary function as a flood buffer. The
huge increase in the local built footprint and areas covered by concrete will
have an adverse effect on the carrying capacity in times of heavy rain.
Flood events seem to be on the increase at the site from my own
observations over a period of 30 years.
- The SSSI
boundary with York Park has long been a dumping ground for domestic
appliances and waste. The huge increase in occupancy will clearly make
this much worse.
Summary
This development will have a major and detrimental impact
on both the Reservoir Nature Reserve and the local community. It is inevitable
that the SSSI will be adversely affected. The planned occupancy level needs to be greatly reduced to a level
more appropriate to the area and the setting. The tower blocks should be
reduced in height and placed back from the margins of the reservoir. The part
of the development already completed shows the overbearing and inappropriate
nature of the building design next to one of London’s most important sites for
recreation and natural history.
The local council, the owners (of the reservoir) and the
developers have a legal duty under existing wildlife legislation to conserve
and improve the SSSI. As the proposals stand it is impossible for them to
achieve this aim and we can only expect deterioration in the standard of the
SSSI.
