News
The Draft London Plan 2027–2036 could have profound implications for High Barnet. Huge housing targets, Green Belt development and changes making buildings of up to nine storeys easier to approve all raise serious concerns. Our latest article examines the proposals and what they could mean for our suburban community.
Our latest newsletter is packed with news from across High Barnet. We lead with the proposed **283-flat development at High Barnet Underground Station** and the possible Judicial Review.
Also inside: **The Black Horse**, **HMOs**, local heritage, High Street news and details of our **2026 AGM on Wednesday 21 October**.
We hope you enjoy the read.
**High Barnet Station Planning Application – Decision Overturned**
The Deputy Mayor for Planning has overturned Barnet Council's refusal of the High Barnet Station development, granting approval for the scheme despite strong local opposition. In this article, Gordon Massey, the Barnet Residents Association's planning consultant, explains the reasoning behind the decision, the concerns raised by local representatives, and why many residents believe the process raises serious questions about transparency, local democracy and conflicts of interest.
The recent news surrounding The Spires has understandably prompted concern and speculation among residents, businesses and shoppers. As one of the key anchors of Barnet’s High Street, The Spires plays an important role in the daily life and economic health of the town centre, so any uncertainty about its future is bound to attract attention.
Minutes of 2024 BRA AGM
Minutes of the BRA AGM 2023
All the latest news with articles on planning, crime, conservation and keeping the high street clean.
BRA and The Barnet Society have written to local representatives regarding the refused High Barnet Station development, now referred to the Mayor, urging a decision that respects local policy and community concerns.
Details of the community litter pick on 7th March.
A new owner, an active community, and an important conversation underway.
The sale of the Sebright Arms has sparked positive engagement between local residents and Punch Pubs as the pub begins its next chapter.
BRA object to planning application to build on woodland
Barnet Council’s strategic Planning Committee met on Monday 8th December to consider the application
Our latest newsletter covering highways, planning and the high street.
AGM held in Pennefather Hall, St Albans Road, Barnet
Please find the agenda for our AGM which this year is being held on Wednesday 8th October ’25 at Pennefather Hall, Christ Church, St Albans Rd, Barnet, EN5 4LA
Barnet Residents Association 2024 draft accounts to be approved at our AGM on Wednesday 8th October 2025
This is an OBJECTION on behalf of Barnet Residents Association relating to the proposed HIGH BARNET STATION CAR PARK. PLANNING APPLICATION 25/2671/FUL
JOIN THE RALLY AGAINST THIS MONSTROUS DEVELOPEMNT
Our planning consultant, Gordon Massey, has prepared a detailed assessment describing this as the most unwelcome planning proposal he has ever seen. He warns it would harm the area’s visual identity, station users, and future residents. The summary outlines the scheme’s major flaws and counters many of the developer’s claims. We urge all residents to read the assessment and submit objections via the council’s planning portal.
Welcome to the June Newsletter!
We’re excited to share with you our newly designed edition, packed with local news, features, and community updates. In this issue, we cover:
• The devastating fire at Hollybush House
• Highlights from the Barnet Medieval Festival
• Controversy surrounding the proposed Barnet Underground development
Plus, we look at recent changes on the high street and bring you a range of other stories of local interest.
After careful consideration your committee has decided to support the planning application for a new stadium in Underhill for Barnet Football Club.
Latest news on Barnet FC’s desire to return home
Welcome to the first newsletter of 2025 which is packed with news including; Barnet FC tries again, A new future for Meadow works, Flats on Barnet station car park? An uncertain future for our post office, The Medieval festival leaves Barnet
and much more.
Barnet Residents Association has submitted a formal response to the Barnet Council’s Draft Parking Policy, focusing on its impact on High Barnet. Our key concerns include:
• Historical issues with uniform parking charges, which failed to address local needs.
• Success of 2013 reforms in enhancing parking efficiency and town vitality through variable pricing.
• Risks of reverting to a standardised model, including harm to businesses, reduced revenue, and visitor displacement.
We urge the Council to reconsider and conduct a review prioritising town centres. Our feedback also addresses future challenges, such as housing developments affecting station parking and potential capacity loss at The Spires.
Dan Tomlinson MP for Chipping Barnet adressed BRA’s AGM on 7th November 2024.
Public consultation to be held in November.
MINUTES OF BARNET RESIDENTS ASSOCIATION AGM HELD ON 19 SEPT 2023 IN THE JOHN TAYLOR ROOM, OPEN DOOR CENTRE, ST ALBANS RD, EN5
The Barnet Council has initiated a much-anticipated survey on expanding 20mph speed limits across High Barnet, though at a reduced scale from the original proposal.
Another stalwart of the high street is leaving Barnet.
Welcome to October’s newsletter which is packed with articles including; Barnet FC, the future of homebuilding in Barnet, Noah’s Ark Children's Hospice and much more.
The recent closure of the Barnet Food Hub, a key supplier of surplus food for foodbanks across the borough, has caused significant concern for local centres like the Rainbow Centre.
Welcome to June’s newsletter which is packed with articles relating to planning and highways issues. Plus items of local interest including a fantastic community success story.
The Barnet Residents Association attended the meeting of the Borough’s Strategic Planning Committee on Wednesday 13th March to speak in favour of the Planning Application for the building development of the Whalebones Estate on Wood Street.
New CPZs planned for High Barnet
In this issue we look at how effective is the UK planning system. New safety measures for Mays Lane and the reality of charging electric vehicles.
Salisbury Road residents find themselves entangled in a web of frustration as delays continue to plague the much-needed reconstruction of their road. What was originally planned for completion in 5 days has been extended by unforeseen events and obstacles but also poor project planning.
Please find our response to the long-awaited planning application for The 'Whalebones' Estate on Wood Street.
This newsletter is going to be published in two stages, with a second (Spires) issue being brought to you in coming weeks once we have received the second round of proposals from the Spires leaseholder.
Whalebones, the private estate on Wood Street administered by the Gwyneth Cowing Charitable Trust, was the subject of a major planning application in July 2019, for 152 dwellings.
A much anticipated and vital bus link is set to be restored between Potters Bar and Barnet, marking a significant win for the local community.
The Ultra-Low Emission Zone (ULEZ), previously implemented in central London in 2008 and expanded in 2019, is now making its way beyond the city's borders.
Since our last update in June’s newsletter Barnet Council’s Strategic Planning Committee has met to consider the application and while ‘minded to agree’ has so far not approved the application.
This report considers three aspects of this planning application: Rugby – a sport in crisis; The threat to the green belt; Use of Council-owned green space for competing activities.
Barnet Residents Association (BRA) recently met with Underhill Councillors Zahra Beg and Tim Roberts to tackle the urgent issue of traffic congestion and safety concerns within the Underhill Ward.
As an active and engaged community, we understand the importance of addressing road and traffic challenges to ensure the safety and convenience of everyone in our area.
We make no apologies for devoting this issue largely to the planned Spires redevelopment, where the construction of 5- and 6-storey blocks of predominantly small flats threatens to destroy the historic character of High Barnet.
Appraisals of the proposed redevelopment of the Spires Shopping Centre and Market site.
To save time and effort, the newsletter is now being published on the web site in PDF format only. A link is provided here as well as a list of February newsletter topics.
BYM Capital, the owners of the Spires, have shown in the clearest possible way that they have major plans for High Barnet by confirming that they have purchased the former market site in Chipping Close.
Cycling in Barnet has become more popular in recent times encouraged by health bodies, government, climate activists and cycle clubs.
Barnet Residents Association AGM 5th July 2022
In this issue: New 20 MPH zones, Gaming centre awaits decision, The Spires commits to High Barnet, Local policing, Litter pick on 22nd October, Cleaner air, What the politicians had to say.
This property is of particular significance being located in the heart of the historic town centre.
These comments reflect the collective view of our Committee
Decorated Christmas tree in front of churchIn this issue we feature the major changes to the Moxon St area. Though in the conservation area, and once part of the heart of the town, few historical reminders remain. Much of the commercial activity has disappeared, leaving a distinct feel of neglect
Our High St is on something of a roll at the moment, with a falling vacancy rate and some interesting independent shops having arrived or imminent
As we went to press there was still uncertainty whether the remaining restrictions imposed as a consequence of Covid will be lifted.
With Covid 19 still disrupting our daily lives, it has been difficult for your committee to pursue our usual activities to the full, such as keeping a close eye on the High Street for changes to the shops, watching out for breaches of the conservation area controls and visiting planning application locations
The Government is consulting on proposals that would require Barnet, in common with all other London Boroughs, to substantially increase the target for the number of new homes to be built
As we were finalising this newsletter many of the shops in our High St were preparing to re-open, something we anticipate with trepidation as it seems likely that some will have closed for good
The new decade brings with it the revised Local Plan for Barnet which is now out for consultation
We do hope our members have a keen interest in planning because there is a lot of it about. So planning does dominate this issue and we do apologise if this makes the read a little more hard going than usual.
Welcome to our first twelve page newsletter. On some occasions we have struggled to pack everything into eight pages and the resulting product has sometimes looked unappealingly dense, so we hope you like the new layout
Planning matters continue to dominate our agenda with several major schemes to report on along with a foretaste of major changes to planning policy coming later this year
We have heard a lot of concern expressed over recent shop closures though not all is doom and gloom. Anti-social behaviour by a small group of adults has become a source of public anxiety as we discuss below.
There has been a great deal of publicity about the difficulties High Street chains have been experiencing of late, with household names such as Mothercare and M&S embarking on major closure programmes
In this issue we have a lot to report, so apologies if members find some of the text somewhat heavy going. We discuss anticipated changes in the High St, the market and the Spires car park that open up some exciting possibilities
The Mayor of London has published his draft housing strategy, aiming to build 50,000 new homes a year. It is a radical plan and comes with the statement that “it will mean medium rise developments across a much broader swathe of London”.
With the planning application for Meadow Works, on which we report below, we can see that high rise urbanisation of the outer London suburbs is creeping ever closer to our area
The rebuilding of The Spires is proceeding well, with the expectation that all will be up and running sometime in the summer. We have waited years for some Highways schemes to progress but suddenly we now have several on the move
The work now starting on the H&M store in the East Courtyard of The Spires has generated a buzz of excitement around town.
The town centre continues to improve both in shop occupancy levels and presentation, albeit rather slowly, but all eyes are now on the forthcoming changes to the Spires.
Members will be well aware of the overheated property market in central London – not just soaring prices, but new blocks of flats towering ever higher, international investors buying up properties then leaving them empty, and the fashion for digging out vast basements
We recently heard a whisper originating in the property industry that High Barnet was going to feel the full impact of a tide of new investment that was sweeping out from central London, and this was attracting the interest of large property investment companies.
The long anticipated rebuild of the front of The Spires and the associated opening of Carluccio’s have finally happened.
Over the winter period things have been very quiet on the planning front, though we believe a number of applications affecting the High Street are in the pipeline. It is pleasing to report that the rate of shop closures on the High Street has slowed and new openings have picked up.
Welcome to our new look newsletter. Upgrading to colour does come at a cost and if we stick with it we will need to consider an increase in subscription rates at next year’s AGM, probably by £1. Your views on this are invited.
This newsletter is a little more optimistic than usual. We have some positive things to say on redevelopment of The Spires and major housing projects.
Some members have commented that our newsletters can be rather gloomy. Alas this does reflect the reality of what we do, which is to focus on problems around our town. But for a pleasant change this issue starts with a number of good news items. Of course, the grim stuff then follows as usual!
We had a full house for our AGM in June when Charlotte Dunlop from William Pears Group, the new owners of The Spires, shared with us some initial thoughts on the future of our shopping centre
When we published our February Newsletter we thought winter was coming to a close – we were wrong about that. We thought that approval of the planning application to redevelop the market was imminent – we got that wrong as well.
This time last year we reported a catastrophic spate of local shop closures, almost all national chains. Mercifully this has not – so far – been repeated over this winter, but we do not discount the possibility of more bad news to come.
Our AGM in June doubled the best turnout of previous years, with our room at the Wesley Hall squeezing in over 70 people.
We do have our ups and downs around the town and recent events are no exception.
Over the winter the weather has been mercifully mild up to the past couple of weeks.
A lot has happened over the summer and we have much to report. There is one piece of very good news, but this is overshadowed by the bad news on other fronts, especially the impact of parking charges.
Our AGM is on 14 June. This year we are starting at 7.15pm with an informal gathering where you can discuss local issues with members of the committee.
As the December snow and ice sapped our spirits, even more depressing news began to filter through about planned changes to council services and charges.
Matters have largely gone rather well for us over the summer: lots of interest and new members from our stalls at the events in Ravenscroft Park and the Environment Centre, the newly opened College looking rather splendid, the arrival of a Farmers Market, good progress with the work on our Town Centre Strategy, and the possibility of a diminished threat from a new supermarket in New Barnet.