Public meeting at St Alban’s Church Hall: steeled for the fight
14 October 2026
On Wednesday 14th October, Our North Finchley (ONF) held its latest public meeting at St Alban’s Church Hall, Nether Street to provide an important update on our ongoing campaign against the proposed Regal/Arada redevelopment of Great North Leisure Park (GNLP).
Despite the Autumnal weather, a considerable number of the local community attended the meeting and, along with all speakers invited, praised the professionalism of the ONF team in the management and co-ordination of a very well organised event.
In the absence of Michael Levitsky (currently recovering from illness), Jez Simms stepped up to the plate as the main anchor in smoothly co-ordinating proceedings. In a sobering introductory speech, Jez stressed how far Regal/Arada’s perceived vision for GNLP is from reality with a stark three-dimensional Google maps scale model drawn up by ONF to highlight how grossly disproportionate the proposed high rise-high density apartments will be to the existing suburban surroundings and green spaces, particularly the Glebelands Nature Reserve. To reiterate this allegedly disingenuous public relations spin propagated by Regal/Arada, photos were then displayed to show how GNLP’s car park is always busy with all ages, including the disabled and faith groups who regularly attend the Hollywood Bowling (HB) Alley/Arcade and Vue cinema in stark contrast to Regal/Arada’s assertion that GNLP is an underused “brownfield” site.
Then in an informative and engaging presentation, ONF’s legal representatives, Jed Holloway, Solicitor from the Southwark law Centre and Alex Shattock, Planning Barrister, provided an overview of ONF’s legal strategy in the context of the pending Section 106 (S106) decision under the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 involving the GLA, Barnet Council and Regal/Arada.
Following a Questions and Answer session, and refreshment break, Filip Spelak, ONF member and Ecology campaigner, gave an impressively informed and detailed analysis of the threat to the wildlife in Glebelands Nature Reserve and outside the Reserve’s perimeter on the grounds of GNLP. Filip focused particularly on the protected Great Crested Newt population (currently the largest in Greater London) and the bat populations and highlighted the failure of Regal/Arada to adhere to regulatory requirements and conduct a proper assessment of risk mitigation.
Cllr Charlie Thompson, Green Councillor for the Woodhouse ward then gave a speech focusing on the failure of the Regal/Arada development to address the affordable housing crisis, with the absence of genuinely affordable housing for local young people and families forcing them to move out of Finchley. Cllr Thompson also discussed the poor design of the envisaged apartments and the disruption that will be caused by the protracted building works, the loss of the much used leisure and community facilities and their impact on the community, the intended demolition of the popular Albanian Clubhouse, the impact on parking for the elderly in the Glebelands Bowls Club and reiterated Filip’s concerns about the threat to Glebelands Nature Reserve. Cllr Thompson stressed decision makers must be “held to account” and called for “national changes” to the planning system.
Local resident, ONF campaigner and mother, Amy Fox then gave an impassioned presentation on the impact the Lodge Lane redevelopment and any redevelopment of GNLP will have on families and small children and used the example of her own son who has Special Educational Needs. Amy’s inclusion of a photograph of her son enjoying himself at the HB really struck home with the audience.
The final speaker, Cllr Josh Mastin-Lee, Conservative councillor for Finchley Church End ward, highlighted the scale of the challenge facing ONF and other local campaigners under London Mayor Sadiq Khan’s draft London Plan and nationwide. Cllr Mastin-Lee drew attention to green belt sites in Barnet identified as ‘potentially suitable for grey belt’ in the Mayor’s ‘London Green Belt Assessment.’ Cllr Mastin-Lee said: “Labour Councillors need to understand that this is about far more than a tick box consultation exercise, but a battle for the soul of our Borough.”
Cllr Mastin-Lee encouraged all attendees and residents to both continue to support the ONF campaign to stop the ill considered effective urbanisation of North Finchley with the proposed Regal/Arada GNLP development and to individually email the Mayor’s Office with their objections to the proposals to build on green belt land in the borough of Barnet under consideration within the draft London Plan by the deadline of 5pm, 15 October.
There then followed a closing Question and Answer session before all involved departed under no illusions about the challenges ahead but steeled for the fight!