The Mayor of London has granted approval for the redevelopment of Great North Leisure Park in Finchley, London, paving the way for a new mixed-use neighbourhood.
Arada London plans include a new leisure centre, 1,485 homes, over 4,000 sq m of public realm and a new sports pavilion.
At the heart of the redevelopment is a new two-storey leisure centre, replacing the existing centre which will remain open until the new facility is complete.
The new homes will be delivered across 20 buildings and include 25% affordable housing, contributing to Barnet’s long-term housing goals and helping to address London’s wider housing shortage. The residential buildings will be arranged around new streets and landscaped courtyards, replacing the site’s vast expanses of surface-level car parking with the aim of creating a safer, more welcoming neighbourhood.
The plans also include a new sports pavilion next to Glebelands playing fields, which aims to bring added benefit to the community.
Green space and environmental improvements play a key role in the scheme, which includes over 2.5 acres of new landscaping, including play areas, ecological corridors and green roofs to provide a 150% biodiversity net gain and enhance connections to the nearby Glebelands Nature Reserve.
During the construction period, the site will host the Arada Academy, a dedicated on-site skills and employability centre established in partnership with Building Heroes. The Academy will train over 80 learners annually, including military veterans, service leavers, reservists, military families and local residents furthest from employment.
Steve Harrington, planning director at Arada London, commented: “London continues to fall significantly short of its housing targets, with schemes such as Great North Leisure Park capable of contributing in a meaningful way to the capital’s housing needs. Having submitted our proposals for the site more than a year ago, in January 2025, and experienced unnecessary and costly delays, we are pleased to be progressing the scheme with the support of the Greater London Authority on one of the borough’s largest underused sites. GNLP will make a tangible contribution to the local community, delivering amenities and new green spaces that will support the health and well-being of local residents and visitors.”
