Posted on 11 Oct 2023
Posted on 25 Sep 2023
Please be advised that the Trust office will be closed on Wednesday 27 September for staff training.
Messages can be left via 0208 455 1066 or mail@hgstrust.org and we will get back to you as soon as we can on Thursday.
Posted on 18 Sep 2023
Trevor Price stands down as elected trustee after one three year term.
We have received one nomination for this vacancy from Sarah Stafford - please see her candidate statement below. As there are no other candidates, Sarah will be elected following the AGM on Wednesday 20 September.
Sarah Stafford
Why I’m standing for Trust council
Hampstead Garden Suburb is a beautiful area. It’s a privilege to live here. I want to be part of the debate that shapes how this area keeps its rich heritage and wonderful aesthetics whilst responding to the greatest challenge of our times: climate change.
Through my work with REACH, the environment committee for the HGS Residents’ Association, I have heard first-hand how ill-informed residents are concerning their ability under current Trust policies to make changes that would make their homes more comfortable as well as reducing their carbon emissions. But, to be clear, we need to not only communicate better regarding the current policies, but also debate and create frameworks for a net zero future. We need to recognise and anticipate the shift from gas heating to heat pumps for domestic buildings. We need to keep talking about energy efficiency of the housing stock. We need to offer a framework in which local buildings can become carbon neutral, or very close to that. I know that the Trust is already looking at exciting projects in this area and I would be delighted to help where I can. This would be my focus, working with the other Trust council members and staff, if I were elected.
It is worth repeating that I live in this area because of its beautiful architecture and flora. I want to preserve the charm and character of this area. But I also want us to be ambitious about reaching net zero for the benefit of ourselves and future generations.
What I can offer
I am a lawyer. I will bring clarity of expression, a willingness to reach consensus and attention to detail.
I am an entrepreneur. I will bring a can-do attitude and ambition.
I am a mum of school-aged children. I will bring energy, the perspectives of the next generation and a lot of patience!
I am a home-renovation enthusiast. The very recent eco-renovation of our house in this area means that I am fully aware of the challenges faced by the Trust and homeowners to get our homes ready for net zero.
I would be very grateful for the opportunity to make a positive difference by election to the HGS Trust council.
Posted on 30 Aug 2023
The Trust recently cleared one of the two disused tennis courts below Central Square in preparation for its restoration as a green space. An online survey organised by a group of residents has since sought views on the reinstatement of this area for sports use. The Trust had no part in this survey.
The court had been out of use for a decade and was beyond economic restoration. We do not consider that the location is now suitable for a hard-court sports use, not least because of its now-isolated position and inability to meet current guidelines for accessibility.
There is also no evidence of unmet need at a level that would justify the expense of constructing and maintaining a further sports court. While there is natural pressure on any outdoor sports facility in the peak summer period, the two existing tennis courts are even then not fully utilised. These courts, together with the various other public, club and shared courts in the Suburb, already provide a level well above the general provision across Barnet and other boroughs.
Given all the above, we believe that restoring this land to green use as an orchard meadow makes best use of the space as it now is, complementing the adjoining spinney as a continuous greensward on this side of the path. It also reinstates the original use of this area as an orchard, reflecting Henrietta Barnett’s vision for the Square.
In the longer term we would like to rehabilitate the whole area between Central Square and Willifield Way. It will take some time to establish the parameters for a meaningful discussion, but we will then be a position to seek residents’ informed views.
Posted on 25 Aug 2023
The Trust's 2023 AGM will be held at the Free Church Hall, Northway, on Wednesday 20 September at 8pm.
Formal business will commence at 8.00pm but the doors will be open from 7.30pm, allowing a period for informal conversation over light refreshments before the formal business of the evening.
Details of the meeting and how to attend are set out in the formal notice downloadable here. Please see the linked PDF for the full AGM notice along with the two Special Resolutions which will be voted for at the meeting itself. Copies of this notice have now been sent by post, along with this year's annual report and accounts, to all registered Members of the Trust.
If you are not yet a Member and wish to join before the AGM, please fill in our simple membership form to join today.
Posted on 12 Jun 2023
What is happening?
We will be carrying out some work to the disused tennis court on the right-hand side of the footpath leading away from the Henrietta Barnett monument in June / July. The first phase of the work will take approximately one month to complete. We intend to remove the tennis court surface, and grass the area ready for some trees to be planted later this year or early next year.
Why?
This court has been disused for some time and could be utilised in a way that better suits the needs of the residents. Having taken over the management of Central Square from Barnet Council last year, we see this as an area where we can improve our green estate management. By restoring this historic orchard into something more appropriate for its location, our plan is to connect this part of Central Square with the existing site whilst simultaneously reducing the impact of the built environment.
Updates
We’ll keep you posted on the works as the year goes on. Keep an eye on our Central Square noticeboard or social media for more.
If you have any questions, contact the Trust office on mail@hgstrust.org or 0208 455 1066
Posted on 29 May 2023
It's now even easier to become a Member of the Trust, or to renew.
We have an online form which takes less than a minute to complete. Paper forms are still available if you'd prefer to use those. Visit https://www.hgstrust.org/membership/ to find out more.
Membership of the Trust is open to all Suburb residents over the age of 18. It's separate to paying the management charge or ground rent - in fact, you only have to live on the Suburb to be a Member, you don't have to be a homeowner.
Being a Member means you support the conservation of Hampstead Garden Suburb, and you want to be kept up to date with the work of the Trust. You'll also receive copies of our annual report in the post, as well as invitations to events like our annual winter lecture.
You'll be kept updated on the Trust's AGM, and when there is an election for Trust Council, Members get to cast their votes for the candidates to decide the new resident trustees.
Membership is not automatic. You must apply to be a Member, and renew every three years when it expires.
Just visit https://www.hgstrust.org/membership/ and fill in the online form. We just need your name, address, and the year you became a resident of the Suburb. You can also give us an email address if you'd like to recieve occasional Trust-related communications or renewal reminders.
If you want to check your current Membership status, or find out more, send us an email: mail@hgstrust.org
Posted on 17 Apr 2023
