Mayor of London backs Arada London’s plans to transform Great North Leisure Park and deliver new homes

The Mayor of London has today granted approval for the redevelopment of Great North Leisure Park (“GNLP”) in Finchley, London, setting the stage for a new mixed-use neighbourhood designed around health, wellbeing and community life.  

Arada London plans include a state-of-the-art leisure centre, 1,485 new homes, over 4,000 sqm of new public realm and a new sports pavilion. The approval marks a significant step towards transforming an outdated, car-led 11-acre site into a vibrant, modern destination for the community.

At the heart of the redevelopment is a new, purpose-built two-storey leisure centre, which is designed to be fully accessible and inclusive. The space will offer swimming, fitness, rehabilitation and family-focused activities, ensuring residents of all ages can enjoy an active and healthy lifestyle. The existing centre will remain open until the new facility is complete, guaranteeing uninterrupted access for the local community.

Arada London’s scheme will also deliver 1,485 homes across 20 thoughtfully designed buildings, including 25% affordable housing, contributing to Barnet’s long-term housing goals and helping to address London’s wider housing shortage. These 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.

A new sports pavilion next to Glebelands playing fields will also bring added benefit to the community, replacing the current dilapidated structure with modern, secure and fully accessible changing rooms, directly supporting youth teams and local clubs which train and play on the site.

Green space and environmental improvements are central to Arada London’s plans. Over 2.5 acres of new landscaping, including play areas, ecological corridors and green roofs will deliver more than a 150% biodiversity net gain, enhancing connections to the nearby Glebelands Nature Reserve. Safer, better-lit walking and cycling routes and active street frontages are designed to encourage footfall, improve visibility, and reduce opportunities for antisocial behaviour.

The project will also bring wider social and economic benefits through contributions to the Community Infrastructure Levy, local transport and cycling investments, and construction training opportunities will generate long-term value for the borough.

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. By combining accredited construction training with hands-on experience on the site, the Academy provides a direct pathway into jobs, ensuring the regeneration delivers lasting social value alongside new buildings.

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 wellbeing of local residents and visitors.”