A councillor has called for all of Barnet’s parks and green spaces to be protected amid fears some could be used as sites for solar farms.

Labour’s environment spokesman Cllr Alan Schneiderman warned against proposals he claimed would restrict access to parks and green spaces deemed low-value and low-quality by the council.

A total of 45 of the borough’s open spaces have been put into this category – and a savings proposal drawn up by the council revealed some could be used for solar farms.

The environment committee approved a review of these spaces “to assess the feasibility of installing renewable energy solutions such as batteries at substations and solar farms” during a meeting in November.

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At a full council meeting on Tuesday, Cllr Schneiderman (Woodhouse) said: “I think we all agree parks and green spaces have become more important than ever during the (Covid-19) pandemic. That is why the Tories’ latest plan to try and fill the council’s financial black hole by restricting access and building on them is so appalling.

“There are 45 parks and open spaces on the council’s low-value, low-quality list – but they are only low-quality because this administration has let them get that way, and only low-value in the eyes of this administration.”

But environment committee chairman Cllr Dean Cohen (Conservative, Golders Green) said the committee approved a parks and green spaces strategy in 2016 that included an assessment of the quality and value of open space in the borough – and Labour did not oppose it.

Cllr Cohen said a large number of parks had benefited from investment thanks to the strategy, leading to improvements for residents.

“It is this administration that is working to improve the condition of the borough’s parks and green spaces, making them inclusive and accessible,” he added.

Cllr Nizza Fluss (Conservative, Hendon) said the council leader had tried hard to keep parks open and running smoothly during the pandemic. She added the council had invested £5 million in one park, while the mayor initiated six heritage walks to encourage people to stay fit and active.

But councillors continued to raise concerns over the savings proposal.

Cllr Jess Brayne (Lib Dem, Underhill) said there were problems in some parks, but this was due to underinvestment. Building on them would make them more difficult to access and be “hugely detrimental” to Barnet, she added.

Cllr Ross Houston (Labour, West Finchley) suggested fitting solar panels to council-owned buildings as a better way of helping to protect the environment.

At the end of the debate, an amendment by Cllr Anne Clarke (Labour, Childs Hill) calling for the environment committee to scrap the savings proposal was voted down by the Conservative group.

Cllr Schneiderman’s motion calling on the council to continue to protect all of Barnet’s parks and green spaces was amended by Cllr Cohen to recognise the investment made by the council and the fact that the opening of an exploratory park at Brent Cross had given residents more access to green space during the pandemic.

Conservative, Labour and Liberal Democrat councillors then voted in favour of the amended motion.