Residents from the Whitefield Estate have moved into new homes in Conductor House reports Sophie Mitchell

A group of people cutting a ribbon outside a new housing block — The opening of Conductor House, Brent Cross Town – (Credit – Barnet Council)

Brent Cross residents moved into new homes last month with the opening of part of one of the borough’s biggest development projects.

Conductor House, part of the Brent Cross Town scheme, was opened on 16th May with an event that included new residents who had previously lived in the Whitefield Estate, and moved into the new properties after being relocated as a part of the Brent Cross Cricklewood regeneration programme.

Representatives from Barnet Council, development partner Related Argent and housing association L&Q joined the Conductor House residents and the Whitefield Estate resident steering group to celebrate the opening day.

The ribbon was cut by Eileen Touil who moved to Whitefield Estate in 1974. At the gathering of neighbours in the new Visitor Pavilion, she said: “I love my new home, I think it has been designed very well and feels safe and secure. As we’re less than a five-minute walk from our previous home, I love that I can still use the same buses and go to the same shops I always do.”

Conductor House is part of a wider Brent Cross Cricklewood redevelopment programme that Barnet Council promises will deliver more high quality, affordable housing to the area, as well as new retail space and sports facilities. The high-rise residents have been placed in properties at social rent rates, completing the transition to new buildings for old tenants. It provides 120 homes in total, including shared equity and London Living Rent apartments.

Barnet Council Cabinet Member for Environment and Climate Change Alan Schneiderman said: “We are committed to doing everything we can to deliver high-quality social housing and affordable homes for people living in Barnet.

“This is a huge moment for us and our partners at Brent Cross Town who have worked together to deliver these fantastic new properties, and I am delighted to see residents settling in well.”

Barnet Council, in partnership with Related Argent, will provide 6,700 new homes as a part of the wider Brent Cross Town development, aiming to ease concerns over affordable housing in the area. Green spaces like Claremont Park and a new train station, Brent Cross West have already been completed as a part of the initiative.

Social housing, private renting, private sale and student accommodation will all be a part of the area, which welcomed its first residents in March. The £8 billion development promises to be net-zero by 2030 with the use of renewable energy supply and carbon offsets.

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