Tower blocks up to 29 storeys high will be built at a tube station after a major redevelopment was approved by councillors.

The Transport for London (TfL) scheme will create 313 homes – half of which will be classed as affordable – at Colindale Underground Station in Barnet.

They will be built in three tower blocks rising to 29, 21 and six storeys high in an area that has already undergone significant regeneration.

TfL’s plans will provide a larger, modern tube station with step-free access in an area with growing demand for public transport.

But they also involve building over the station’s commuter car park – and, apart from ten disabled bays, there will be no car parking for residents of the new development.

Julie Davies, whose home at Agar House will be demolished to make way for the scheme, spoke out against it at Barnet Council’s planning committee on Wednesday (July 24).

She said: “The size of the towers will look completely out of place.

“The superimposed photos the developer has provided frankly show how preposterous the 29 and 21 storey blocks will look against the surrounding landscape. They look like some comedy hoax.”

Ms Davies said TfL’s daylight report showed there would be “considerable overshadowing and loss of light to neighbouring properties”.

The redevelopment plans were opposed by London Assembly Member for Barnet and Camden Andrew Dismore and several Labour councillors

Labour councillor for Colindale Cllr Gill Sargeant said: “There were 17,000 people living in Colindale in 2011. There are going to be 45,000 people living in Colindale.

“This development is really going to put huge strain on the whole of the borough.”

Labour councillor for East Finchley Cllr Claire Farrier added: “Although the whole area has changed in character, there are still parts that have the old houses.

“They still have people living there who have lived there for years and are now surrounded by a new Hong Kong.

“Of course we want more affordable housing, but I think this area is overdeveloped. I hope the station can go ahead with much-reduced housing or taking it away completely.”

But Conservative councillor for Oakleigh Cllr Stephen Sowerby said Labour councillors usually support schemes that provide affordable homes.

Labour councillors voted in favour of a tube station housing development – which was opposed by the Conservatives – at a meeting of Chipping Barnet area planning committee on July 16.

Cllr Sowerby said: “Here we have a scheme supplying 50 per cent affordable housing, which I thought (Labour members) would welcome in an area where we need affordable housing.

“In the context and setting, these three blocks would seem entirely appropriate to an area of regeneration.”

The plans were approved after seven Conservative members voted in favour and three Labour councillors voted against.

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