Developer Arada London submitted £1.5bn regeneration plans for the 11-acre site in January 2025 but said the project faced “unnecessary and costly delays” before City Hall backed the regeneration proposals.

The approval clears the way for one of Barnet’s biggest regeneration schemes, replacing the ageing car-led leisure park with a high-density housing-led neighbourhood centred around a major two-storey leisure centre, landscaped public spaces and sports facilities.

The homes will be delivered across 20 buildings reaching up to 25 storeys, alongside a new council-owned leisure centre

Arada London is part of UAE-based Arada Group, which entered the UK market late last year following the acquisition of developer Regal London.

Founded in 2017, the group has rapidly expanded across the Middle East and Australia with a focus on large-scale mixed-use regeneration projects.

The existing leisure centre will remain open until the replacement facility is completed.

The wider regeneration will also deliver more than 4,000 sq m of public realm works beside Glebelands playing fields just off the North Circular and over 2.5 acres of landscaping, green roofs and ecological corridors. The scheme is targeting a biodiversity net gain of more than 150%.

Steve Harrington, planning director at Arada London, said: “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.”

Arada London is now expected to move into detailed delivery planning and contractor procurement ahead of a phased construction start, with the replacement leisure centre likely to be prioritised early in the programme.