Long-standing plans for a new community centre in Grahame Park have been shelved in order to make way for Barnet council’s new offices.

The centre was scheduled to be built on the eastern side of the estate regeneration, and was approved by the council in 2004.

But the plans have been dropped from the proposed site as the new office block, scheduled for 2017, means there is “insufficient” space for it.

The authority says it remains “committed” to providing community facilities at the heart of Grahame Park, but Colindale councillors say they fear the promise will not be kept.

An emergency motion on the issue was discussed at the full council meeting in Hendon Town Hall last night, calling on the council to reaffirm commitment to building a centre in line with the agreed plans.

Colindale councillor Gill Sargeant, who put forward the motion, said: “I never thought I would have to bring something up about the community centre here, because the regeneration of Grahame Park has really gone apace, in terms of the community facilities, with a great deal of non-partisanship.”

The Labour councillor said herself and her ward colleagues were “shocked” when they found out last week.

Cllr Sargeant added: “Why it matters so much is that this was part of the development plans. This is what we all signed up to. And there’s a great theme of this lack of trust that this is not provided for.

“We weren’t explained that this was going to happen. We had to ask the officers, where is the community centre? This small community centre is now not going to be built.

“The importance of this community centre is it was going to be in the heart of the new Grahame Park. It was going to be opposite the college. It wasn’t going to be some shoved away little thing. It was going to be a beacon for the future.”

An amendment to the motion, added by council leader Councillor Richard Cornelius, was passed, which said the council remains committed to new community facilities at the heart of Grahame Park.

It added that details will be set out in a planning document later this year.

Citing plans to replace facilities for the Somalia Bravanese Welfare Association, following an arson attack two years ago, Cllr Cornelius said: “It gives us an opportunity to say what a good record this administration has in actually living up to its promises to deliver community facilities.

“As per the amendment in my name, this will happen. There will be a community centre there.”

Labour councillor Adam Langleben said West Hendon estate residents had been told they would get a new centre as part of the regeneration, which was no longer the case.

Cllr Langleben added: “The devil is in the detail.”

A spokesman for Barnet council said: “There is currently a planning consent in place for a community centre as part of a residential scheme on the site now proposed for Barnet council's new office.

“We have looked at incorporating the community into the new office building, but there is insufficient space.

"The council remains committed to building new community facilities at the heart of Grahame Park and will set out the details in the Grahame Park Supplementary Planning document to be considered by the policy and resources committee this autumn.”