Chase New Homes is appealing to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) for support to progress the delivery of new homes at the former PB Donoghue site in Cricklewood, London.
The company is ready to build but is awaiting a resolution to planning matters with Barnet Council that are preventing the scheme from moving forward.
Under planning permission 22/5238/RMA, Block B of the development is designated for 38 affordable homes. Despite an extensive marketing campaign and contact with more than 30 registered providers, no housing association has come forward to take on the units. The only offer, from neighbouring Brent Council, was not accepted due to conflicts with the Section 106 Agreement.
A payment-in-lieu agreement was eventually reached with Barnet Council on 26 August 2025. However, further clarification and communication are required to satisfy Section 106 obligations, which must be resolved before private units can be completed.
Gary Barton, Managing Director of Chase New Homes, said: “We have taken every proactive step to deliver this development, yet Barnet Council’s constant inaction and procrastination stance is stalling progress at a time when London and the UK in general, desperately needs new homes.
“Government has been clear about removing blockers and cutting through the unnecessary delays that Council’s continuingly find themselves in and speeding up housing delivery, but in this case, the Local Authority is the sole blocker. We urgently need MHCLG’s support to unlock this site to ensure that the delivery of these homes are not delayed any further.”
Chase New Homes notes that the challenges at Cricklewood reflect wider trends across London and the UK, with some registered providers showing less interest in taking on affordable housing units. Payment-in-lieu agreements, which allow councils to pool funds for affordable housing delivery elsewhere, provide a practical solution, particularly where councils already manage housing stock.
Barton added: “We are ready to build — but we need decisions and positive actions to be made by Councils to unlock growth and to get Britain building again at the level that is required to hit the targets the Government has set itself.”
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