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Sadiq Khan intervenes to give green light to major London housing development
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has stepped in to approve an 844-home development in north London after it was initially rejected by the local council.
Mr Khan ‘called in’ the application to redevelop the disused Pentavia Retail Park in Mill Hill after it was thrown out by Conservative-controlled Barnet Council a year ago.
The mayor has the power to become the local planning authority if a development could have a significant impact on the London Plan, if it would impact more than one borough, or there are planning reasons for intervention.
Barnet Council originally rejected the application, submitted by developer Meadow Residential, because it felt the scheme was an over-development of the site and would not offer enough affordable housing.
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Following the mayor’s intervention, the number of homes included in the development will rise from 724 to 844, while the share of affordable housing will rise from 35% to 41%.
The 345 affordable homes in the development comprise 94 at social rent levels, 57 at London Living Rent levels, 73 shared ownership homes, and 131 for a discounted market rent.
Mr Khan said: “This is classic example of an underused site with the potential to deliver significant numbers of homes, including affordable homes at social rent and London Living Rent levels.
“I’m clear that I will use all the levers at my disposal to increase the delivery of new genuinely affordable homes across the capital.”
Barnet Council delivered 7,670 homes, of which 1,654 were affordable, between 2012 and 2017.
