A plan for part of a major regeneration scheme that was put on hold last year is being revised, a council official has confirmed.

New plans for the Brent Cross North scheme – set to include a revamped shopping centre – are expected to be submitted to Barnet Council in the next few months.

It comes as the traditional UK retail market continues to face challenges from the rise of online shopping.

The £1.4 billion plan to extend Brent Cross shopping centre was stalled for a second time in July last year, with developer Hammerson blaming “turbulence in the UK retail markets” for the decision.

A £319 million grant was awarded by the Government in March to allow key parts of the southern half of the development to go ahead, despite the ongoing uncertainty over the shopping centre expansion.

A report discussed at Monday’s (September 16) meeting of the council’s assets, regeneration and growth committee says the retail market “remains challenging”.

It adds there has been “no update” on the planned start date for the Brent Cross North scheme.

But Stephen McDonald, the council’s director for growth, told the committee: “We have some confidence they (Hammerson) have at least activated the planning application.

“They have indicated to us they will be coming forward with a revised plan.

“We will have better sight of that in October-November, when they will indicate whether they are going to proceed some time within the next year with the revised scheme.

“It will be a new plan – not the existing plan.”

Cllr Geof Cooke (Labour), Woodhouse, said: “I hope the developer will be revisiting the transport side of the existing plan.

“My concern is their competitors have much better public transport connections than are proposed for Brent Cross, and I can’t see them being successful against those competitors unless the transport offer is improved considerably.”

The council report shows the proposed West London Orbital railway could be linked to the Brent Cross development.

Two options for connecting to the rail scheme – planned to run from Hounslow to Hendon and West Hampstead – will be considered by the council.

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