Policy information sourced from Barnet Local Plan Core Strategy DPD September 2012

CS5: Protecting and Enhancing Barnet’s Character to Create High Quality Places

We will ensure that development in Barnet respects local context and distinctive local character creating places and buildings of high quality design. Developments should:

  • address the principles, aims and objectives set out in the following national design guidance: By Design, Secured by Design, Safer Places, Inclusive Design, Lifetime Homes and Building for Life:
  • be safe, attractive and fully accessible
  • provide vibrant, attractive and accessible public spaces
  • respect and enhance the distinctive natural landscapes of Barnet
  • protect and enhance the gardens of residential properties
  • protect important local views from places within Barnet (as set out in Map 8)
  • enhance the borough’s high quality suburbs and historic areas through the provision of buildings of the highest quality that are sustainable and adaptable.

All development should maximise the opportunity for community diversity, inclusion and cohesion and should contribute to people’s sense of place, safety and security.

Heritage and character

We will work with partners to proactively protect and enhance Barnet’s heritage including conservation areas, listed buildings, locally listed buildings, registered parks and gardens; scheduled monuments, areas of archaeological significance and London’s only battlefield site.

We will require proposals within or affecting the setting of heritage assets to provide a site assessment which demonstrates how the proposal will respect and enhance the asset. Policy CS13 addresses the adaptation of heritage assets to reduce carbon emissions and ensure efficient use of natural resources.

We will ensure through our programme of Conservation Area Character Appraisals that these areas are protected and enhanced.

We will ensure through our Green Infrastructure SPD that the key characteristics of Barnet’s landscape (Barnet Plateau and Finchley Ridge) are protected and enhanced.

We will encourage community involvement in the review of the Local List of important local buildings.

The Barnet Characterisation Study forms the baseline for the identification of places with a consistent and coherent architectural character. Within the typologies identified in the Characterisation Study we will through our Development Management Policies DPD and Residential Design Guidance SPD develop a framework to protect and enhance those high quality suburbs in Barnet not protected by Conservation Area designations.

Tall buildings

Tall buildings (8 storeys (or 26 metres) or more) may be appropriate in the following strategic locations:

  • Brent Cross – Cricklewood Regeneration Area
  • Colindale – Colindale Avenue Corridor of Change, Edgware Road Corridor of Change (in accordance with Policy 5.3 Building Heights in the Colindale Area Action Plan, 2010)
  • Grahame Park Estate
  • Stonegrove and Spur Road Estate
  • West Hendon Estate.

And the Priority Town Centres of:

  • Edgware
  • Finchley Church End and
  • North Finchley.

Proposals for tall buildings will be considered in accordance with DM05 – Tall Buildings, London Plan Policy 7.7 – Location and Design of Tall and Large Buildings and Guidance on Tall Buildings (2007) by English Heritage and CABE Outside of these specific locations, proposals for tall buildings will not be supported.

For more information please see Local Plan Core Strategy DPD September 2012