Mill Hill Preservation Society
...making change worthwhile

WHAT WE DO

PLANNING: Working through our committee we scrutinise planning applications monthly. We examine aspects of Planning, Transport, Traffic, Road Safety, Environmental Issues and local wildlife habitats, together with Green Space, Trees and the Green Belt, and Climate Change implications. We communicate with councillors, our MP, Barnet Council and affiliated bodies in order to press our case as best we can. We may co-ordinate and work with other charitable organisations in the area. MHPS are represented on the Local Area Conservation Committee.

The Village Ridgeway 1896

Mill Hill Village & Ridgeway 1896

We do not always object to applications. On many occasions we feel it appropriate to leave matters up to local residents, and in other situations (far too few regrettably) we are able to advise at an early stage and assist in the design process, and support an application at planning stage.

Successes: Challenges that have been met are many, including obtaining Village Green status for Simmond’s Mead (see articles), fighting to retain the Cottage Homes on Hammers Lane, and the upgrading of the Marshall Estate, the restructuring of the banks of Darland’s Lake in the Totteridge Valley. Some completed schemes have benefited from our input at planning stage and we have assisted in making change worthwhile. A good example of this is the new Favel Building on the Ridgeway completed 2007 – part of Mill Hill School Centennial projects.

In the pipeline: Still to be decided is the development of the old Barracks Site, Mill Hill East with 2000+ homes, the development of St Joseph’s in Lawrence Street as a retirement home, various developments near the High Street, the Bedford Estate and many others yet to show their face.

FOOTPATHS: We organise three annual footpath walks, in Spring, Summer and in Autumn. The aim is threefold – to ensure that the footpaths gets walked regularly and check on their condition, to meet fellow MHPS members in an informal atmosphere, and to enjoy the countryside where we live. Buy one of our new footpath maps and use it to roam our lovely countryside.

ENVIRONMENT: We organise maintenance of our local ponds, check on their condition, and we have been know to manage the inhabitants! We consider the implications for wildlife on planning applications. We check on proposals for the protection of open space, trees and hedges and the landscaping of new developments. We arrange for tree planting to take place throughout the NW7 area. We are especially concerned to protect trees and the protection of trees with Tree Preservation Orders.

ADMINISTRATION: We produce a comprehensive Annual Report and three newsletters each year. These publications are delivered by our road-stewards. We hold two annual meetings, the AGM and another when a talk or film show is presented, followed by discussion. If you wish to join and increase our numbers then check out our ‘join us’ link