Barnet House, in Whetstone, London is a former council offices building. It became the focus of redevelopment plans last year but the proposals met some tough opposition. The main issue was the size of the flats that were proposed for the site. The studios were criticised for being too small.

Initially the plan was to add two new storeys to the main building and demolish an annex at the back of the property. This would have been replaced with a new building that ranged from two to six storeys in height. The former office spaces would have seen a change of use to residential, allowing the creation of 254 homes.

These plans were subsequently altered, adjusting the number of homes to 229 and then 216. As part of this the sizes of the properties increased, allowing the creation of more two and three bedroom homes rather than a multitude of studios. New community, retail and commercial spaces would also have been created.

The adjusted plans have since been rejected by the Council’s planning committee. There may have been a number of reasons for this, including the continued issues with the size of the homes. More importantly, the provision of just 20% affordable housing across the development may have deterred the local authority.

The project will now have to head back to the drawing board. There is still a lot of potential for the former office building. The area needs more housing and any spaces that benefit the community and inspire businesses will be appreciated.

Finefair keeps an eye out for noteworthy developments across London. As a result we can offer advice to investors of all shapes and sizes. It also means we can adjust our services to ensure we can meet any needs.

One area where we stand out is as the best team for estate management Barnet has. Estates are challenging to manage due to their size, scale, and the number of shared spaces. Fortunately we can take on these jobs and provide excellent results.

If you would like to discuss estate management with us please feel free to get in touch.