Vision

In order to develop the new AAP’s vision and focus, the areas existing assets were identified and discussed to inform the final vision.

Connecting existing assets using green infrastructure

Colindale and Burnt Oak contain a number of green spaces which are underutilised and unconnected. The AAP provides the opportunity to revitalise and reinvigorate green infrastructure - particularly the green areas around the Silk Stream - to form a network of key venues and spaces. which belong to the community and highlight the existing infrastructure of assets in Colindale

Highlight architectural value and materials forming the aesthetic character of the area

Burnt Oak is characterised by architectural value and materials in the form of burnt wood which Colindale currently lacks. Highlighting, identifying and incorporating architectural value and materials will create an aesthetic character which is a strength in Burnt Oak, but a weakness in Colindale.

Use vibrancy and diversity as a placemaking tool to incorporate varied communities

Colindale has a vibrant and diverse community represented in local retail and food options. Bang Bang food hall, representing the Asian community, optimises this cultural mix which is present in Colindale. The evolving and unique diversity of Colindale should be maintained and celebrated.

Vision

Existing AAP Vision for Colindale:

By 2021, Colindale will be a vibrant, successful and diverse neighbourhood where people will want to live, work and visit. It will accommodate high quality sustainable developments within four ‘Corridors of Change’ and a new neighbourhood centre. Colindale will become a successful suburb in North London, providing existing and new communities with high quality local services, improved transport and access to enhanced green space and leisure facilities. (Barnet Council, 2010).

The APP’s vision describes the ambitions and aspirations for Colindale, centred around four corridors of change. The vision presents an atypical strategy of creating a successful, high quality and sustainable neighbourhood. The vision is characterised by generalised aspirations which lack the contextual grounding Colindale deserves.

The vision’s generic wording could be applied to any area in London and does little to describe what will make Colindale distinctive and different by 2021. A localised approach to the vision would unlock a vision which values Colindale and its unique context to shape the accompanying policies and tools. This critique of the existing vision and a shift in policy focus has resulted in the adoption of an alternative vision for the new AAP.

Centres

A New Vision For Colindale and Burnt Oak

Character

My Colindale and Burnt Oak will have a buzzing central hub where all the action happens. I will wander down my bustling high street to access all the services I need. What’s better, is the smaller neighbourhood hubs I can visit when I just fancy a wander. There will be life on every corner, easy to reach on foot with my baby in her pram. My Colindale and Burnt Oak will be the perfect new home for me and my family. Our new build home will be of top quality and beautiful design. The new buildings in my neighbourhood will complement each other to make for an exciting and vibrant mix of styles and aesthetics, that the long-time locals love as much as we do.

Sustainabili t y

Colindale and Burnt Oak will be welcoming and warm places for new and old residents and visitors alike. With an exciting but homely sense of place, the two neighbourhoods will make a wonderful home for a diverse mix of communities. With bustling high streets and neighbourhood centres, there will be leisure and work opportunities for all. Biodiverse and beautiful green and blue spaces will be universally accessible, and above all, environmental sustainability will sit at the heart of life in Colindale and Burnt Oak.

Diversit y

My Colindale and Burnt Oak will look to the future by embracing environmentally friendly practices and lifestyles. I will feel proud to be part of a neighbourhood that showcases pioneering green technology and design at the local level. My Colindale and Burnt Oak will be built conscientiously, with future generations and the natural environment in mind. My Colindale and Burnt Oak will be bursting with a range of leisure, work and residential options for everyone. It will be an inclusive and friendly place to be and live. I’ll see different cultural communities thriving alongside each other with restaurants, shops and community spaces from for all age groups and backgrounds. My Colindale and Burnt Oak will be for everyone.