London Fire Brigade has confirmed that it remains concerned that a garage for electric buses threatens the “structural integrity” of much of a controversial 3,828 home development reports David Floyd

A row of red buses behind a fence — The current Edgware bus garage site behind Edgware Bus Station – (Credit – David Floyd)

London Fire Brigade has restated its concerns about the safety of a proposed underground bus garage in Edgware ahead of a council vote on the controversial development that the garage is a key part of.

Tomorrow’s meeting of Barnet Council’s strategic planning committee will consider the Outline Planning Application for the Broadwalk Shopping Centre development in Edgware, a joint venture between Transport for London (TfL) and developers Ballymore.

The scheme, which includes the building of 3828 homes, the demolition of the current Broadwalk Shopping Centre and the replacement of Edgware Bus Station, has attracted widespread opposition from local residents for a wide range of reasons.

However, the single biggest point of contention is the plan to build an underground bus garage for electric buses, known as EV buses, located underneath much of the new housing.

“Inadequate protection from structural collapse”

On October 1st 2024, a report from London Fire Brigade (LFB) stated: “The structural integrity of many of the blocks above the bus garage are intrinsically dependent on the structural integrity of the bus garage below.

It added: “This is particularly relevant in this proposal as the potential for so many EV buses poses risks that are not fully understood by the industry at this point in time. The general expectations of guidance may therefore be inadequate in protecting the structural elements of the garage in the case of an EV bus fire, and therefore may provide inadequate protection from structural collapse to the blocks of flats above.”

A spokesperson for LFB confirmed to Barnet Post on Friday (18th July) that the position outlined in the report has not changed.

On page 113 of the planning committee document, it is made clear that an important element of the development for TfL is building a bus garage suitable for EV buses, which cannot be charged at Edgware’s current bus garage (to be replaced by the underground facility): “TfL’s Bus Action Plan sets out a target for the delivery of a zero-emission bus fleet by 2030. However, the TA indicates that there is insufficient space within the existing bus garage facilities to introduce EV charging facilities without losing stand capacity.”

However, LFB’s position on the plans has resulted in the developers adopting a fallback position, which means that the garage risks being restricted to housing ‘internal combustion engine vehicles’ – petrol or diesel vehicles – until safety concerns are satisfied.

“Garage may operate solely internal combustion vehicles”

This is outlined in a section on page 143 of committee document, with the most significant sentence in bold: “Following the receipt of the LFB comments, the applicant prepared a Supplementary Fire Statement to provide further clarification. This confirms that the intention is to integrate a modern EV-enabled bus garage facility within the development and that the design approach will continue on the basis of accommodating EV buses in terms of all design, delivery and mitigation aspects.

“In the event that the new garage does not achieve the necessary stakeholder approvals by the time that it becomes operational, specific mitigations will be integrated as required for the interim period where that garage may solely operate internal combustion engine vehicles. The applicant recognises that there is still a significant amount of further design and development to be completed for all aspects of the design prior to construction.”

Barnet Post contacted TfL to ask them what would happen if they get to a point where they have only electric buses but also have an underground bus garage that has not met safety requirements to house electric buses.

In response, a spokesperson for the development said: “The safety of residents and visitors is of paramount importance and we remain in ongoing dialogue with the London Fire Brigade.

“This new garage is a vital part of delivering electric buses across London, which is a key priority for the mayor and central government. Electric buses will produce cleaner air for Londoners and as such the garage will be designed to accommodate electric buses.

“As set out in the planning application the detailed design of the bus garage will be progressed with electric buses in mind and planning conditions related to the occupation of the garage by electric buses were also proposed in the same documents.

“The bus garage at Edgware will not be operational until 2030 at the earliest and we remain clear that no electric vehicles will be permitted until Transport for London, the London Fire Brigade, Barnet Council, the Health & Safety Executive and Building Control have approved the design.”

The spokesperson also clarified that an alternative location for the proposed bus garage has not been considered.

The situation where a large part of a major development faces significant unresolved questions about fire safety has provoked incredulity amongst both local politicians and campaigners.

“Fire risks are simply not resolved”

Responding to the concerns with a joint statement, Edgware’s Conservative councillors, Shuey Gordon, Nick Mearing-Smith and Lucy Wakeley called for the council to refuse the application rather than send it on to the Mayor of London for approval.

They told Barnet Post: “Edgware Conservative councillors urge the planning committee to not approve this application because the fire risks associated with underground electric bus garages are simply not resolved.”

“As a result, the Fire Brigade has indicated the scheme as currently designed is not structurally sound. Such is the uncertainty that Parliament has banned EVs from parking underground in New Palace Yard.”

“We urge the council to reconsider and prevent such an uncertain application going to the Mayor for determination.”

The garage is also a major concern for local campaigners opposed to the development.

Writing for Barnet Post last week, Anuta Zack from campaign group Save Our Edgware noted: “London Fire Brigade has already raised serious safety concerns — but instead of resolving them, the developer appears to be pressing ahead in the hope the problems will miraculously go away. And the council, rather than demanding answers, is letting that approach go unchallenged. Yet this risky experiment is being used to justify tearing down vital public transport infrastructure.”

Fire brigade support for not using garage

One element of the planning committee document to be considered tomorrow that has the potential to cause confusion is a statement in the executive summary on page 7 (key sentence highlighted in bold).

It states: “”The proposed underground bus garage will be subject to further engagement, design, testing and analysis. There will be planning obligations and conditions requiring approval, following consultation with London Fire Brigade (LFB) and other relevant statutory regulators and consultees, such as the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), prior to the occupation of the garage by EV buses and preventing use of the basement by EVs until such time the requisite approvals are in place. This approach is supported by LFB. There are also additional processes that the applicant must undertake such as the HSE Gateways and LFB’s Qualitative Design Review.”

Barnet Post contacted Barnet Council to ask what it was about the approach to the bus garage that LFB was being said to have approved.

The council’s response (on Thursday 17th July) was: “We don’t comment on reports ahead of being discussed at committee, as this will be next week.”

However Barnet Post understands that the support from LFB should be regarded as being for the bus garage not being used to house electric buses until all safety requirements have been met.

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