Former Site of Finchley Memorial Hospital
Proposed Development
The planning application submitted by NHS Barnet in 2009 for this development stated unequivocally that the land occupied by the old Hospital would become a “Communal Green”. Community Health Partnerships (CHP) now propose a residential development in this communal space.
Described as “Homes for NHS Staff”, the development will involve blocks of flats of four to six storeys. CHP has launched a public consultation on the development. The Finchley Society has responded, raising three areas of concern:
Development of the Communal Green Space: Preservation of the land of the former hospital as a Communal Green resulted in only a small net loss of open space across the whole site. This was an important element in the granting of planning permission. If the Council were to grant this application, it would put in question the meaning and duration of commitments to provide communal amenities in developments.
Provision of affordable homes allocated to NHS staff: It is unclear to what extent the 50% of homes that will be “affordable” will be reserved for NHS staff. It is also unclear whether this is a good location to provide such housing: a relatively small number of staff work at Finchley Memorial Hospital itself; staff working in other hospitals may find the site has poor transportation links.
Quality and acceptability of the proposed buildings and landscaping: Four to six story blocks of flats in an area of two and three story traditional suburban houses is not appropriate.
You can download the Finchley Society’s full response here.