Robert Jenrick hails Brent Cross development as 'model' for UK
The Secretary of State for housing, Robert Jenrick, visited the new Brent Cross West station last week. Pictured: Barnet Council deputy chief executive, Cath Shaw (l); Programme director for Brent Cross Cricklewood regeneration programme, Karen Mercer; Mace senior programme manager for Brent Cross West, Ian McLeod; Secretary of State for housing, communities and local government, Robert Jenrick; Mike Freer MP, and Barnet councillor Peter Zinkin (r). - Credit: Barnet Council
Housing secretary Robert Jenrick has hailed the new Brent Cross development as a model he would like to see rolled out across the country.
The top Tory said he was “delighted” after visiting the Brent Cross West station and Brent Cross Town developments last Thursday (September 2) with Finchley and Golders Green MP Mike Freer.
Due to open in December 2022, Brent Cross West will be the first major new mainline station in London in more than a decade.
The station and town are part of the Brent Cross Cricklewood regeneration programme, which Barnet Council said covers 370 acres and will deliver a “new vibrant town centre”, 7,500 homes, up to 27,000 jobs and 455,000 square metres of commercial space.
Mike Freer MP (l), cllr Peter Zinkin, Robert Jenrick and Argent Related partner Andre Gibbs (r) toured the Brent Cross Town site - Credit: Barnet Council
Mr Jenrick told the Ham&High: “This is a development I've been involved with for several years, and I'm delighted to see it coming to fruition.
“It's going to play a major role in meeting the housing needs of this part of London.”
He said it was important to the government that new developments brought “real benefits for the local community”, including new infrastructure, playgrounds and public realm.
“And what I've seen today shows all of those things are coming together on the site,” he added.
The housing minister praised the effort being made to ensure the development is environmentally-friendly and sustainable.
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He added: "This is going to be one of the first major net zero communities in the country, so all of the buildings being constructed in the years ahead will either be net zero or net zero-ready, meaning that nothing will ever need to be extensively retrofitted.
“And that's a model for what we'd like to see on other sites across the country.”
Asked about the ongoing cladding crisis, Mr Jenrick said all buildings with unsafe cladding will be remediated by the end of the year, bar a few "exception" cases.
Karen Mercer () Robert Jenrick, Cath Shaw and Ian McLeod (r) talked through Brent Cross West site progress - Credit: Barnet Council
He explained: "We're providing five billion pounds of funding to help leaseholders to meet the costs of that work and any other remediation that might need to be done.
"If substantial bills are falling on the doorsteps of these holders, I urge them to push back and to see whether these are truly necessary, because we are seeing extreme risk aversion and that needs to be tackled," he added.
Mr Freer said it was a "great opportunity" to invite the secretary of state to Brent Cross Town.
The MP said: “This is a significant and exceptional development that will be transformative for the area and local community."
“Over the next 15 years, Brent Cross Town will become an entirely new community hub in the north of London," he added.
