We are a local campaign group made up of residents from in and around Finchley Central. We exist to support and strengthen the voice of local residents who are opposed to a development at this scale.

Our aim is to get as many as people as possible to sign up to our campaign and ensure that we respond with a clear, loud and unified voice. This campaign needs as much support as possible. Our MP for Finchley and Golders Green, Mike Freer, is a Government Whip which means he would find it difficult to raise local issues for debate. Additionally, to date no other local group has offered unequivocal and wholehearted backing to our cause.

The current proposed development will….

dwarf and overshadow the surrounding streets

completely change the character of the area

strain local services, take away parking facilities and stretch infrastructure.

The current proposed development does not meet the housing needs of Barnet, there are far too many units crowded into the small space, skyscrapers are totally out of character and inappropriate in a low-rise suburb, the buildings will cause a serious lack of daylight and sunlight and are not environmentally friendly.

Barnet Council’s Local Plan requires developments to respond to local context by delivering buildings and spaces that are of a scale, appearance and shape that respond to the identity and character of the locality. Barnet’s own Characterisation Study describes the area as being generally cohesive and coherent. However, this profit-driven, massive, inappropriately dense development will permanently blight the area and blight our lives.

WHAT THE DEVELOPERS CLAIM

They claim that this is an "important opportunity to deliver affordable high-quality homes" and "design-led quality development". But these cannot be achieved with the proposed high density, which will produce an unacceptably harmful impact on the surroundings.

40% Affordability:

• Their provision is not truly affordable: shared ownership which most public sector workers cannot afford becomes increasingly unaffordable.

They will create a place that enhances the local character of the area:

• At 20 storeys, their highest block will be the tallest building in this part of Barnet and many storeys taller than anything in the adjacent streets. It is completely out of keeping with the character of the area.

Better routes to and from the station enhancing public transport connections to improve transport accessibility:

• This doesn’t deliver a new station interchange; it just lets you walk underneath their building to get to the old station entrance.

A sustainable and thriving community:

• Energy-hungry buy-to-let tower blocks with high carbon footprints and high service charges will house mainly transient incomers and fail to serve local needs.

A new pocket park:

• This unattractive slither of leftover space will be an unsupervised magnet for antisocial behaviour.

PLEASE PROTECT YOUR NEIGHBOURHOOD AND SUPPORT THIS CAMPAIGN IN ANY WAY YOU CAN

1. Tell all your neighbours and local friends about the plans and ask them to sign up on our website for advice on when and how to respond.
2. Spread the word on-line and in your neighbourhood.
3. Sign and share our petition and help continue to raiseawareness: http://chng.it/mxVJ4LQdZm
4. Sign up to our newsletter here
5. Write to Eva Greenspan, Head of Barnet Planning Committee (cllr.e.greenspan@barnet.gov.uk), and Dan Thomas, Council Leader (leader@barnet.gov.uk), to let them know your thoughts
6. Like and Follow us on Facebook so you’ll see posts from us and know when to act
7. Write to Eva Greenspan, Head of Barnet Planning Committee (cllr.e.greenspan@barnet.gov.uk), and Dan Thomas, Council Leader (leader@barnet.gov.uk), to let them know your thoughts
8. If you would like to join our campaign group please see below for information.

JOINING OUR CAMPAIGN GROUP

If you would like to join our campaign group we’d love to hear from you. All are welcome and we would appreciate any experience or time you can offer:

• Do you have experience of campaigning?
• Can you volunteer to distribute leaflets?
• Are you involved in local politics, and if so will you promote our cause?
• Will you write letters of objection?
• Do you have planning or legal experience that can support us?
• Are you familiar with rights of light issues?
• Are you an expert in social media or digital marketing?

To join HOFC campaign group please email: handsofffinchleycentral@gmail.com