Press Notice. 17 June 2010.
The Brent Cross Cricklewood Development Partners.

Contact Matthew Neylan (07958-924130) or Jonny Popper

(07771-735000), London Communications Agency (020 7612 8480).

• - Secretary of State announces he will not call in Brent Cross Cricklewood scheme
• - Decision follows backing of Mayor of London and cross-party support at special two-day Barnet Council Planning Committee
• - Major further milestone passed in the creation of a new town centre
• - £4.5bn regeneration scheme will deliver 7,500 homes, 27,000 jobs, three schools, a new train station, a new bus station, six bridges, new open space

The Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government has announced that he will not call in the Brent Cross Cricklewood regeneration, giving the green light to the £4.5bn scheme to create a new town centre in the area.

The announcement has been made in a letter from the Government Office for London to the London Borough of Barnet. This states that: ‘having carefully considered [the] planning issues raised by the proposal together with all representations received and having regard to his policy on call in, it has been concluded that the Secretary of State’s intervention would not be justified.’

The Government’s decision follows strong backing from the Mayor of London and cross-party support at a special two-day Planning Committee held by the the London Borough of Barnet.

Jonathan Joseph from the Brent Cross Cricklewood Development Partners said:

‘This is good news and a major milestone which paves the way to deliver one of the UK’s largest, most complex regeneration schemes in North West London. The BXC scheme has received detailed scrutiny from all relevant statutory agencies to ensure the regeneration is right for the area and planned in a safe and sustainable way.

'Now is time to get on deliver the 27,000 jobs, 7,500 homes, modern facilities for three local schools, new health facilities, exceptional parks and open spaces, a new high street and the unprecedented investment in transport and community infrastructure. The reward for the capital will be a vibrant new Town Centre with rapid connections to central London, and the lasting regeneration of this area.’

The Brent Cross Cricklewood Development Partners (Brookfield Europe, Hammerson, Standard Life Investments) are working with Barnet Council to finalise the Section 106 and wider community infrastructure package.

Start on site for the scheme is expected to be around 2014.

Notes to Editors

For information, please contact London Communications Agency on 020 7612 8480 and ask for either:

• Matthew Neylan, 07958-924130, mn@londoncommunications.co.uk; or
• Jonny Popper, 07771-735000, jp@londoncommunications.co.uk

1. The Brent Cross Cricklewood Development Partners comprise the owners of Brent Cross Shopping Centre – Hammerson and Standard Life Investments UK Shopping Centre Trust – and a separate joint venture between Hammerson and the development company Brookfield Europe. All three principal partners are world-class companies with a formidable track record at home and abroad.
2. The regeneration area covers over 151 hectares, bordered by Brent Cross Shopping Centre in the North, The A41 (Hendon Way) in the East, Cricklewood Lane in the South and the A5 (Edgware Road) in the West. The A406 (North Circular Road) also passes through the site East to West, as does the Midland Mainline rail infrastructure North to South.
3. The BXC scheme will provide 27,000 jobs and 7,500 homes. It is based around six core themes:

• 1. Great Parks and Green Open Spaces
• The creation of substantial new parks with a range of landscaping and habitats and the complete re-profiling of Clitterhouse Playing Fields with new sports, play and changing facilities.

• 2. A High Street of Character
• Lined with trees, shops and cafés, connecting the mainline train station and commercial district in the West to Brent Cross Shopping Centre and the bus station in the North, passing through a series of new public squares and over a new bridge across the A406.

• 3. Beautiful Residential Streets
• Distinct residential neighbourhoods providing 1, 2, 3 and 4 bedroom homes including affordable housing and new children’s play facilities, maximising density especially where close to major infrastructure.

• 4. New Schools, Jobs and Community Facilities
• New schools with enlarged capacities and modern facilities will be built for Whitefield School, Mapledown School and Claremont Primary School, as well as a major new Health Centre, second GP surgery, a new sports and leisure centre, library and community centre. The thousands of permanent new jobs created will be supported by local training and placement programmes.

• 5. A Thriving Shopping Destination
• Brent Cross will be transformed to form a key part of the new town centre, with new shops opening out into a pedestrian-only High Street and public square. Cafes, restaurants, a cinema and other leisure facilities will overlook a substantially improved River Brent and remain open into the evening.

• 6. Easy to Get To and Easy To Get Around
• A completely new train station on the Midland Mainline will be built, located next to a new a freight facility too. Brent Cross Bus Station will become a new, much larger facility and new road junctions and pedestrian bridges off the A41 and Edgware Road will create additional routes to and from the area.

4. 4. To view the plans visit www.brentcrosscricklewood.com