DIY, that most parodied of pastimes, is alive and kicking in the borough of Barnet.

One stop shops like The Home Place and Homebase are becoming as common as McDonald's, but the latest application by the latter is sending green groups red with rage.

Homebase, which already has two outlets in the borough, wants to build a third on the former Finchley Bus Garage site in Woodberry Grove. Permission was expected to be granted by councillors last night.

If the plan bears fruit, the Homebase home and garden store will be open seven days a week, five days from 8am to 8pm and on Fridays until 9pm. Opening hours for Sunday would be from 10am to 4pm.

Green groups and neighbours argue the development would increase traffic, and therefore pollution, and annihilate the existence of small town traders.

Barnet planners have drawn up a number of strict conditions but believe the development would make an important contribution to the regeneration of the town centre. They are also impressed by the promise of 89 new jobs.

Gardi Vaswani from Barnet Green Party is not convinced. "This development will bring more traffic pollution and noise to this already congested area. Some people call Tally Ho the Asthma Triangle and people have moved out of this area because their children suffer from asthma."

She adds: "In the Local Agenda 21 strategy, issue number one is to reduce road traffic. The Traffic Reduction Act and Barnet Traffic Strategy aim for a reduction in car use and encourage alternatives. A Homebase with 176 parking spaces will surely have the opposite effect."

Objections have also been expressed by the Finchley Society in a 46-signature petition.

According to a report presented to council last night however, such opposition may have come too late. Despite residents of 192 properties being asked for their views, only 25 replied. The officers feel "the proposed development is acceptable and approval is recommended."

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000.Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.