Policy information sourced from Barnet’s Local Plan Development Management Policies

DM01: Protecting Barnet’s Character and Amenity

  1. All development should represent high quality design which demonstrates high levels of environmental awareness and contributes to climate change mitigation and adaptation.
  2. Development proposals should be based on an understanding of local characteristics. Proposals should preserve or enhance local character and respect the appearance, scale, mass, height and pattern of surrounding buildings, spaces and streets.
  3. Development proposals should ensure attractive, safe and, where appropriate, vibrant streets which provide visual interest, particularly at street level and avoid blank walls.
  4. Development proposals should create safe and secure environments and reduce opportunities for crime and minimise the fear of crime.
  5. Development proposals should be designed to allow for adequate daylight, sunlight, privacy and outlook for adjoining and potential occupiers and users.
  6. Development proposals for lighting schemes should not have a demonstrably harmful impact on residential amenity or biodiversity.
  7. Development proposals should retain outdoor amenity space having regard to its character.
  8. Conversion of dwellings into flats in roads characterised by houses will not normally be appropriate.
  9. Loss of houses in roads characterised by houses will not normally be appropriate.
  10. Development proposals will be required to include hard and soft landscaping that:
    • is well laid out in terms of access, car parking and landscaping
    • considers the impact of hardstandings on character
    • achieve a suitable visual setting for the building
    • provide an appropriate level of new habitat including tree and shrub planting
    • make a positive contribution to the surrounding area
    • contributes to biodiversity including the retention of existing wildlife habitat and trees vii. adequately protects existing trees and their root systems
  11. Trees should be safeguarded. When protected trees are to be felled the council will require replanting with suitable size and species of tree where appropriate.

For more information please see Barnet’s Local Plan Development Management Policies