Stop Press - Pentavia Planning application closes with 635 public comments

We thought that, in advance of our local MP Matthew Offords public meeting this evening at The Hartley Hall, local residents may be interested in an update on the the planning application for Pentavia Retail Park.

The deadline for comments expired yesterday. As part of our mission to make Mill Hill Better, it is vital that we make sure our MP knows the strength of feeling on this issue. Make sure you go along to Hartley Hall tonight and share your views with Mr Offord. Whilst the main theme of tonights meeting is Crime and public safety, it is essential that we make the most of the opportunity to get across to Mr Offord the huge level of opposition to this scheme locally.  If you get the opportunity to speak to Mr Offord privately before or after the meeting this will be an excellent time to raise the issue.

Barnet Planning website issues

Several residents contacted me about continuing access problems with the website saying that they could not access the site to leave comments. If this problem affected you, please contact the Hendon Area Planning Committee. Click this link for the details. If you are in Mill Hill Ward, contact Sury Khatri and if you are Hale Ward Contact Hugh Rayner. These are your local representatives on the committee.

It appears to me that the issue may be related to the IT infrastructure supplied by Capita, which has become increasingly problematical of late for residents. It would be a travesty if Mill Hill residents were denied their say due to computer glitches.

The overwhelming number of respondents have opposed the scheme. Of the 635 comments received, 632 opposed the scheme and only 3 supported the scheme. I am rather surprised that there are only two comments listed as coming from consultees. Given that the three ward Councillors were consulted, along with the Mill Hill Residents Association, Mill Hill Preservation Society and the Mill Hill Neighbourhood forum, this seems rather strange.

You can review the comments BY CLICKING HERE (assuming the website is working).

It is absolutely clear that public opinion in Mill Hill is staunchly against this scheme. I have never seen such a low level of support for such an application. Most developers at least manage to rustle up a couple of dozen friends to support the scheme.

Since we featured the story on our newsletter a couple of Sundays ago, we've seen the number of public comments nearly double. It is vitally important that the Mill Hill Community works together to oppose schemes such as this. The best way to do this is to follow blogs such as this and the Mill Hill Families Facebook page.

John Gillett from the Mill Hill Neighbourhood forum adds

 If you have not already made your views known you can still write to the Case Officer and the Mayor of London. As a major project consultation is 13 weeks from date when all documents were displayed online for viewing. That takes us to end March. Doubtless those who may support this application, who are unlikely to be local residents will be preparing their responses. So if you think it will be as damaging to the very fabric of Mill Hill as those who have already objected do please still make your views known in writing.

For GLA comments write to Sarah Considine, Planning, GLA, City Hall, The Queen's Walk, London SE1 2AA. Label as concerning the Pentavia Retail development in the London Borough of Barnet Ref - 17/8102/FUL for the Pentavia RETAIL park