A Blot on the Landscape – Object now!
A new building two thirds the length of a tube train and over 3 double decker buses high is planned to loom up and over Cherry Tree Wood. This will detrimentally and significantly impact on the visual amenity of the Wood. Object now if you want to protect the character of this unique and valuable ancient woodland.
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The development site although on the other side of the tracks is only just over 30 metres away from the Wood and will loom up over the Wood adversely affecting its character.
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A planning application for a six-storey mixed use, brick and glass building on the former sub station site adjacent to 98 Great North Road has been submitted to Barnet Council. The Friends of Cherry Tree Wood are very concerned at the visual and wildlife impact that this will have on Cherry Tree Wood, which is a Site of Nature Conservation Interest, Ancient Woodland and designated Metropolitan Open Land. The Wood is one of the heaviest used open spaces in the Borough and provided enormous solace to many during the pandemic. The path from the Station to Fordington Road is used daily by hundreds of people including commuters, families, children, local residents, dog walkers and many more. It is also part of the Capital Ring an 80 mile round London walking route and thus Cherry Tree Wood is both an entrance and an exit to hundreds of visiting Londoners and a showcase for the green open spaces of Barnet that the Council likes to promote so much. This development will ruin that showcase.
The documents submitted with the application pay no heed to the existence of Cherry Tree Wood. The only photograph of the site from Cherry Tree Wood is a long-distance shot taken from near the basketball court when the trees are in full leaf. No winter assessment when leaves have fallen is given of the significant impact this will have on this view and no thought at all has been given to the much greater detrimental impact it will have on the views, appearance and character of this protected woodland from the Gate opposite East Finchley Tube to Summerlee Avenue. Drawings included with the application suggest the ground is flat across Cherry Tree Wood whereas there is a steep slope up from the tube line to Brompton Grove which will exacerbate the visual impact of this scheme on the current open sky aspect above the tube line.
The design of the building is dictated by an analysis of built development along the Great North Road. There is no understanding or analysis shown of the open character of Cherry Tree Wood. All design attention is given to the road frontage - not to the public space where more people will actually see it over a longer time period as they walk through the Wood.
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Drawing above shows the view from Cherry Tree Wood rising over 3 double decker bus heights above the track for over two thirds the length of a tube train. This will significantly and detrimentally impact on the Wood.
A bat survey submitted with the scheme suggests that no bats roost on the premises yet “The northernmost building on the site was locked the time of the survey with no internal access possible.” The nearest bat record is given as 850m away yet from personal experience we know bats frequent Cherry Tree Wood and are often seen along the tube line. Indeed Barnet Council have funded a bat detector for the Friends in the last few months so that we can begin to record these wonderful creatures. If you have records of bats in the Wood please do let us know. friendsofcherrytreewood@gmail.com
Others may be objecting to the lack of affordable housing in the scheme, the fact that it does not comply with Barnet Councils own proposals for the site in their latest Local Plan and the inclusion of a retail unit that could undermine existing shops in our local town centre. As the Friends we are focussed on the detrimental impact this scheme will have on the enjoyment and tranquility of the Wood and open space. The ability to get away from the urbanbuilt up area and find somewhere to help improve our mental health has been much written about and experienced by many over the Pandemic. Our open space is about to be hemmed in for private gain with no public benefit.
If you share our views, please object to this scheme. You have until Thursday 18th November
How to object:
Go online to: https://publicaccess.barnet.gov.uk/online-applications/
Scroll down and go to basic planning search – In the search box put in the reference: 21/5217/FUL
That takes you to the application summary.
Click on comments – scroll down the page and fill the form and comments. Make clear you are objecting.
Some points that you could make are:
The detrimental visual impact this six storey scheme will have on Cherry Tree Wood one of the few public open spaces in our local area.
The blockage of significant open sky vistas from an attractive wooded open space with a disrespectful and poorly designed building that pays no respect to the character of Metropolitan Open Land..
The severe detriment this overbearing development will have on the character of Cherry Tree Wood which is designated Metropolitan Open Land.
The detrimental impact through light pollution that this six storey building will have on the wildlife of Cherry Tree Wood and especially the foraging bat population.
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