This tree-lined suburb situated on the outer reaches of London is an ideal location for families and those seeking to retire. Surrounded by London’s greenbelt, which has not been developed upon since the Second World War, residents and visitors can enjoy rolling fields interspersed with an abundance of wildlife. The eastern side of this neighbourhood is occupied by the enormous Oak Hill Park, a popular sporting area for residents to play bowls, tennis, and cricket. Despite being a country-filled area, there is still a large concentration of shops, cafes, supermarkets and restaurants which supply residents with all the amenities of modern city life. This area is exceptionally good for families due to the number of schools and nurseries in the area, whilst the nearby train stations of Oakleigh Park and New Barnet have frequent high-speed trains into Central London for those who work inside the city.

St. Mary’s Church in this neighbourhood area dates back to the 11th century. After William the Conqueror took control of Britain, the feudal system was put in place across the land, allocating roles such as lords, serfs, and peasants. Along with this, the Normans began to replace the small wooden churches that were popular across Britain at the time. They were replaced with stone churches, which came to be known as the ‘jewels of British Christianity’. St. Mary’s Church in East Barnet was one of these. The stone parish churches thus came to provide a central role in the life of the community, open to all, and became frequent venues for community meetings, markets, festivals and rituals. St. Mary’s is now the oldest surviving building in the borough and continues to play an active role in the local community.

Oakleigh Park Station was built in the late 1800s. The train line connected the northern area of London to the city, resulting in a booming industry which drew thousands of workers to the area.

One of the downsides to this neighbourhood is that although it is a great place for families, the catchment areas are not very big, with some being as small as 0.2miles. The council has also built a new secondary school in the area in order to support the growth in population.

Situated within the London-Stansted-Cambridge Corridor, this neighbourhood has been identified as a regional growth area. With the expansion of the Crossrail 2 service, the council predicts that the area will continue to grow, and aims to provide space for small and medium-sized enterprises to start up in the area. The Council is also developing the Lee Valley Heat Network which provides cheap, sustainable energy to new and existing businesses in the area. As such, there are a number of projects currently underway in this neighbourhood, the largest of which are the four new apartment buildings under construction on Cockforsters Road. A similar scheme is set to be completed on Cockfosters Road in 2024 adjacent to the picturesque Trent Park.