BARNET Council says it will not change its plans for a depot in New Southgate - despite proposals for a new train station on the site.

The council is due to relocate its depot next year to Abbots Depot in Oakleigh Road South, which will include a bulking facility for food waste and recyclables, a fuel station and parking for rubbish trucks.

But Transport for London (TfL) has earmarked the site for a potential Crossrail 2 station – and has now launched a consultation into the proposals.

It would take up to ten years to build the station, and would not open until 2030 at the earliest, according to TfL.

The council says it was always aware the site may be needed further down the line.

A council spokesman said: “Proposals for the Crossrail 2 project are still in the early stages and we continue to be in regular discussions with Transport for London about this.

“Throughout the planning process we have always considered the possibility that the site may be required in the future. However, this does not change our plans for the Abbots Depot site."

The decision to purchase the Abbots Depot site for £13.5m was pushed through last December on the mayor’s casting vote, and planning permission was secured last month.

The plans have caused a fierce backlash from neighbours over fears of noise, traffic problems and pollution, and more than 1,000 people signed a petition calling for a halt.

It was also revealed in the summer the site had been bought in June 2014 for £750,000 – information Labour said had been kept from councillors, who had been told it cost £8m a few years before.

An attempt by Labour to overturn the plans was defeated at a full council meeting in July.

Speaking during the July meeting, Brunswick Park councillor Kathy Levine said: “Crossrail 2 also may ask us to move and we have no idea what compensation we are going to get. The waste depot project has already got into a mess because of inadequate mismanagement.

“The way we had to find out about this has been absolutely abominable.”

In reply, Conservative deputy council leader Councillor Daniel Thomas said the land was being bought at market value, and to retake the decision would cost the council about £5m.

He added: “The decision making process was robust. We should carry on building this depot, Mr Mayor, as quickly as possible.”

The TfL consultation will end on January 8.