As part of efforts to restore The Railway Hotel in Edgware a developer wants to build 700 homes, reports Grace Howarth, Local Democracy Reporter

The Railway Hotel in Edgware has been derelict for decades

Edgware residents have raised concerns over plans to build 700 homes as part of the redevelopement of a fire-damaged hotel.

The Railway Hotel, which was built in 1931, has a Tudor-style design and is Grade 2-listed. The building, now derelict, was closed in 2006, but later suffered two fires, one in 2016 and another in 2021.

Agents Cavendish, on behalf of Edgware Limited, said: “Both Barnet Council and the local community have been clear that it needs to be protected, restored and given a viable long-term future.”

However, despite support for restoring the hotel, residents have raised concerns over the potential height and mass of the 700 homes, of which around 200 will be private studio flats, proposed alongside the restoration.

Anuta Zack, who leads the Save Our Edgware campaign group, highlighted the proposal could include buildings up to 29 storeys, but that a supplementary planning document for the area recommended a height cap of three storeys for buildings “adjacent to the Railway Hotel” and “eight storeys elsewhere”.

Tony Allan, on behalf of Edgware Community Association, said the group supported regeneration “that restores and reuses” the hotel but had “serious concerns about the scale, design and cumulative environmental impact of the proposed Forumside development”.

To the rear of the hotel, which is on Station Road, sits a large area of brownfield land, sometimes used for illegal dumping, known as Forumside, which is where the new homes will be located.

Five new buildings have been proposed, and the developer has assured they will be “lower in height than the tallest buildings” on the adjacent Ballymore scheme, which has a cap of 29 storeys.

Tony said: “We seek regeneration that is sensitive, heritage-led and compatible with local infrastructure and the character of Edgware.”

The group has requested to see alternative options and more evidence the proposal is policy compliant, with further details wanted on the impact on “air quality, noise, health, climate and ground conditions”.

A Barnet Council spokesperson said: “We are currently engaged in pre-application discussions with a potential developer for the Railway Hotel and Forumside site. These discussions have not yet concluded, so at this time we cannot confirm the proposed heights of a future scheme/planning application.

“We strongly advise and encourage applicants proposing major complex and potentially controversial schemes to consult widely with the community before and during pre-application discussions, in accordance with the adopted statement of community involvement.

“Barnet has also invested effort in developing comprehensive online advice for applicants on community engagement informed by best practice across London. Our guidance is accessible via the planning landing page.”

The council also confirmed only an “environmental impact assessment (EIA) scoping opinion” has been submitted, which is a process whereby an applicant or their agent seeks to confirm what information the council will require in an environmental statement should an application be submitted.

Following a first round of public consultation a second round is set to launch, running from 3rd-23rd November.

Edgware Limited confirmed it had reduced the number of homes from 750 to the current amount, 700, and removed 30 of the private studio flats.

Drop-in sessions with public exhibitions will be held at Shishukunj Bhavan, 25–27 High Street on Wednesday, 5th November, from 3–8pm, and on Thursday, 13th November, from 3–8pm.

A spokesperson for Edgware Limited said: “We are grateful for the constructive feedback we received in September. The updates we are bringing forward include fewer homes, refined massing proposals, clearer public-realm benefits and a viable plan to reopen the Railway Hotel.

“These plans reflect what we heard during our first public consultation. We are committed to delivering a heritage-led regeneration that serves local people for the long term.”

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