Arada London has secured backing from City Hall for its £1.5bn regeneration plans for the 11-acre Great North Leisure Park site, overcoming what the developer described as “unnecessary and costly delays” following submission of proposals in January 2025.
The approval clears the way for one of Barnet’s largest regeneration schemes, replacing the ageing car-focused leisure park with a high-density, housing-led neighbourhood centred around a major new two-storey leisure centre, landscaped public spaces and upgraded sports facilities.
Arada London forms part of the UAE-based Arada Group, which entered the UK market last year through the acquisition of Regal London. Since launching in 2017, Arada Group has expanded rapidly across the Middle East and Australia with a focus on large mixed-use regeneration projects.
The existing leisure centre will remain operational until the replacement facility is completed to maintain local community access during construction.
The wider scheme will also deliver more than 4,000 sq m of public realm improvements adjacent to Glebelands playing fields near the North Circular, alongside over 2.5 acres of landscaping, green roofs and ecological corridors. The development is targeting a biodiversity net gain exceeding 150%.
Steve Harrington, planning director at Arada London, said projects such as Great North Leisure Park could make a meaningful contribution toward addressing London’s ongoing housing shortage.
The developer is now expected to move into detailed delivery planning and contractor procurement ahead of a phased start on site, with the replacement leisure centre likely to be prioritised early in the programme.
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