PROPOSALS for new council offices in the heart of Grahame Park have been given the go ahead – despite concerns it is the “wrong development, at the wrong time”.

The scheme was passed by Barnet council’s planning committee in Hendon Town Hall last night (October 1).

The office block will be built along Lanacre Avenue, to the north of the junction with Grahame Park Way, and will be up to nine storeys high.

Scheduled for 2017, 1,200 council workers will be based there – but just 100 parking spaces will be provided.

Chris Smith, who lives in Grahame Park, told the committee: “The parking quotes are unrealistic. It is the wrong development, at the wrong time. I cannot quote see why they have chosen to develop in this area, where there are 10,000 new homes.

“I am a strong supporter of regeneration. But my first thought was this is bonkers. It is too unrealistic, there are people who for all sorts of reasons will want to drive.”

Mr Smith also raised concerns over long-standing plans for a community centre, which have been shelved due to “insufficient” space.

The authority says the centre will be provided in the next stage of regeneration.

But Mr Smith said: “There will be a gap between knocking down and re-providing the community centre. It was going to be the centre piece, it seems to me to have been pushed back out there.

“Why move? Why choose the far west of the borough? The community centre seems to have been the fall guy. Let’s put it back in its rightful place.”

Officers told the committee the block would have a slight impact on daylight for surrounding properties.

However, they said it will fit with the “new character” of the Grahame Park regeneration, and a £390,000 contribution will be made to bus services and £150,000 to a controlled parking zone.

Objecting to the plans, Andrew Dismore, Labour London Assembly Member for Barnet and Camden, said: “I think this is a hypocritical slap in the face for residents. Residents will be faced with a CPZ scheme which they will have to pay for. It is basically proposing a charge to park outside their own homes.”

Speaking about the community centre, he said: “It has always been jam tomorrow for the community. The existing community centre is well used, in particular for a mosque for the local Muslim community. We will have a hiatus with no community centre.

“Where are all these people going to go? They will be displaced and ignored as usual, because they are in the way of the council offices.”

Conservative councillor Gabriel Rozenberg said the plans showed the authority was putting the “heart of Barnet” on the borough’s regeneration estates.

Cllr Rozenberg said: “I think points that have been raised about parking are not unreasonable. But I do think it is a statement of intent to put more cycle bays than are required and to expect these to be the future. I think London is changing, we are getting on our bikes more.

“I think also the building is much more improved than the previous application, and I think this is something the community, once we have sorted out the community centre, will get behind. This shows we are putting the heart of Barnet on our regeneration estates.”

The application was passed with the five Conservative members voting for, and four Labour members against.