The controversial redevelopment of the historic Cottage Homes site in Mill Hill is barely out of the starting blocks after council planners deemed it unacceptable.

In March the charity Retail Trust unveiled plans to build 148 flats on the sheltered Chalet estate and sell-off the adjacent Marshall estate together formerly known as Cottage Homes to developers.

But the scheme has yet to come before the Hendon area planning sub-committee and Mill Hill councillor Jeremy Davies told the Mill Hill Preservation Society earlier in the month that the planners found the application "unacceptable" in its current form.

Chalet and Marshall estates were established by Linen & Woollen Drapers' Institution in 1832 as a charity for retired and sick employees of department stores. There are now 200 former employees living there.

Speaking after the meeting Mr Davies, who sits on the planning sub-committee, said: "Everybody is concerned about what has been put forward. The proposed development on the Chalet estate side is in the conservation area and it borders the Green Belt land of St Joseph's and the Metropolitan open land of Millfield Park in The Ridgeway."

Malcolm Busby, Retail Trust chief executive, said: "We are awaiting registration for the application. It has taken longer than I expected. There is some suggestion that it is unacceptable."

But he added: "We really need a response to our application before we can do anything."

A council spokeswoman said the application was not due to go before the planning sub-committee in the "near future".

July 17, 2002 19:00