Cockfosters car park plan 'ridiculous' - residents

Plans to build 350 homes on Cockfosters Tube station car park have been branded "ridiculous" by a wheelchair user.

Hilary Saul said she and her husband would not be able to live in the same way, if they were unable to park outside the Piccadilly Line station in north London.

Development of the site was given the green light by the government last week.

Places for London, Transport for London's (TfL) property company, said the car park's 12 blue badge spaces would be retained.

But Mrs Saul said there were not enough spaces in the first place.

Her husband, Nick, said: "Blue badge spaces are the first to fill up.

"If you can't turn up and guarantee that you're going to find a space, you cannot use the service for essential journeys such as hospital visits.

"The alternative of getting a bus to the station... it would add over an hour to our journey," he added.

"We just don't have the endurance for that.

"It would be impossible for us to do anything like we do at the moment."

Mrs Saul added: "We wouldn't be able to go into London to see theatres - we just wouldn't be able to get into London.

"Or we would have to drive into London, which we do not do, and we don't want to do."

Graeme Craig, director and chief executive of Places for London, the developer behind the scheme, said the plan was the "best use" of the land.

"I know that development is always controversial in London, but what we're looking to do is identify those places which are most suitable for bringing forward the homes, particularly the affordable homes, that London needs," he said.

"We are retaining all of the blue badge spaces, on top of that we're also retaining a small number of car-parking spaces for those who need it most," he added.

Under the plans, 40% of the 350 homes would be "affordable". Places for London said it would talk to the council about any changes needed to the designs, including meeting the latest fire safety requirements.

Transport Secretary Louise Haigh and Mayor of London Sadiq Khan both said they were "delighted" with the scheme.

Planning documents said that a new pick-up and drop-off area would be created, comprised of seven short-stay parking spaces.

There are currently 322 parking spaces at the station.

Colin Bull, chair of the Cockfosters Local Area Residents Association, said he wanted to see more parking at the station, which he dubbed "an essential transport hub".

"People who are impaired or older do use this. So that's the first immediate impact," he said.

"Secondly, if this is closed, that some 300 cars will have to park in the area.

"There is already problem parking, and the overall infrastructure is already overloaded."

TfL first requested permission to sell the land in 2021, but then-Secretary of State for Transport Grant Shapps rejected the application.

Following the general election, Ms Haigh granted a 250-year lease for the land.

Places for London said the scheme would contribute towards its target of starting construction work on 20,000 homes, including 50% described as affordable housing, by 2031.

Other areas where homes are being built by Places for London include Kidbrooke, Wembley Park, Bollo Lane, Barkingside, Southall and Nine Elms.

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