Barnet News
The latest Barnet news: planning decisions, council and crime updates, business and community stories, each linked back to its official source.
Top story
Woodhouse College New Building Approved: £3m Study Block
Barnet has approved a two-storey study, canteen and music building at Woodhouse College, N12. The college says 1,500 students share 530 seats.
More stories
Schools
Chalgrove Primary Ofsted: Strong in 6 of 7 Areas
Ofsted graded the Finchley school Strong standard in six of seven areas. 86% of its Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.
Environment
Burnt Oak Leisure Centre gets Barnet's first community solar
Barnet's first community solar roof is finished at Burnt Oak Leisure Centre: 220 panels, about £36,000 saved over 20 years, and a share offer next spring.
What's On
Light + Flight: Finchley Lakeside opens free for a festival
Barnet's free Light + Flight festival opens Finchley Lakeside to the public for the first time on 14 and 15 Nov, then moves to the RAF Museum and artsdepot.
Parks
West Hendon Playing Fields gets tennis, 3x3 courts, play area
West Hendon Playing Fields now has two tennis courts, a 3x3 basketball court and a bigger playground. A pitch and cafe could follow if funding is found.
Schools
QE Barnet sports hall plan: 6 Fives courts, 10 classrooms
Queen Elizabeth's School has applied for a four-storey sports hall on Queens Road with community use, ten classrooms, six Eton Fives courts and cricket nets. Comments run to 5 November.
Housing
Grahame Park: 449 homes, 21-storey tower, comment by 5 Nov
Barnet Lovell Regeneration has filed detailed plans for the first phase of Grahame Park North East: 449 homes replacing 156, half affordable by habitable room, in blocks of up to 21 storeys. Comments close 5 November.
Planning
Barnet planning applications: QE sports hall among 57 new
All 57 applications Barnet validated in the week beginning 21 September: QE's sports hall, a Plantagenet Road food hall, seven studios on Friern Barnet Road, plus the Post Office and Grahame Park bids still open.
Business
New Barnet businesses: 57 firms in a month, Indian Ace shuts
57 companies registered at Barnet addresses in a month: a fishmonger for Church Hill Road, a padel firm at Hadley Highstone, a games studio. Indian Ace on Oakleigh Road North is in liquidation.
Planning
Barnet Post Office flats: nine homes bid, comment by 12 Oct
The former Crown Post Office at 63-65 High Street would become nine flats behind a kept shop front. Neighbour comments close on 12 October and a decision is due by 9 November.
Health
Barnet drops 'gap' finding over closed Finchley pharmacy
Barnet said in June the Fairview closure could leave a gap. New analysis says it does not: 71 pharmacies become 70, and no pharmacy nearby opens Sunday.
Council
Barnet ends Capita IT deal, takes service in-house 1 Oct
Barnet is running its own IT from 1 October after a £6.2m contract award was abandoned. Capita's whole IT workforce transfers to the council under TUPE.
Schools
Garden Suburb schools to merge into one primary in January
Garden Suburb Junior closes on 31 December and reopens with the infant school as Garden Suburb Primary on 1 January, with 60 places a year group instead of 90.
Crime
Barnet hate crime up 64% in a quarter, figures show
Police logged 381 hate crime incidents in Barnet in April to June, 64% up on the same quarter last year. Violence, robbery and shoplifting rose too.
Crime
Prevent referrals in Barnet more than double in three months
Barnet made 51 Prevent enquiries in April to June, against 22 a year earlier. Adult cases rose from 6 to 27 and violence-fascination cases from 4 to 22.
Community
Brent Cross Town community fund: £50,000 for Barnet groups
Brent Cross Town's community fund reopened with £50,000 in grants of £3,000 to £10,000 for Barnet projects. Applications close on Monday 26 October.
Council
Barnet orders options appraisal on bin collection frequency
Cabinet ordered the appraisal from the floor on 15 September, after a government review told Barnet to prioritise alternate weekly bins this month.
Council tax
Barnet asks ministers how high it must push council tax
The council puts the gap between what Barnet pays and what the formula assumes at about £74m a year. It is borrowing £79.6m in emergency support this year.
Council
Barnet's 13 parklets to be charged for after petition fails
A 522-name petition to remove the Brent Street parklet was rejected. Instead all 13 parklets across eight town centres get a new licence and a charge.
Housing
Barnet House Prices Down 4.9% Despite Five Months of Rises
The average Barnet home sold for £600,560 in July, down £30,960 on a year. Flats fell 7.0%, and June's figure was revised down by £9,460.
Jobs
Barnet Claimant Count: Under-25s Highest Since 2021
1,710 Barnet residents aged 16 to 24 claimed out-of-work benefits in August, up 95 in a month. The borough total rose 205 to 13,125, still 5.0%.
Sport
Mill Hill Village Cricket Club Wins Four League Titles
Four of Mill Hill Village CC's five Saturday sides won their Herts league divisions in 2026, a year after all five went up. It won a new T20 trophy too.
Council
Barnet Bin Crews Face End of Task and Finish, UNISON Says
Barnet wants bin crews to start and finish at the depot, citing 8 rushing incidents and a serious injury. UNISON has sent 40 questions before it will respond.
Transport
Barnet EV Charging Bays: Five to Go, Object by 15 Oct
Five on-street charging bays would go and one would move, three on Grahame Park Way. Objections close 15 October; Barnet's charger total is already falling.
Licensing
East Barnet Korean Restaurant Applies for Drinks Licence
A Korean restaurant at 35 Church Hill Road wants to sell alcohol with meals until 11pm. Comments close on 29 September, and nobody has written in yet.
Health
North London Hospice Appeal: £2m Left of £10.3m Rebuild
The hospice needs £2m more for its £10.3m Woodside Avenue rebuild. Inpatient beds are at Edgware Community Hospital until the new unit opens in August 2027.
Schools
St James' Catholic High Ofsted: Expected in All 7 Areas
Ofsted graded the Colindale school Expected standard in all seven areas. Its disadvantaged pupils outscored the national average for all pupils at GCSE.
Crime
Finchley Shooting: Man Charged, Old Bailey Trial in 2027
A man arrested in Spain is charged with murder and three firearms counts over the fatal Dale Grove shooting. He is remanded until a trial next June.
Business
Swimming Nature in Administration: Sister Firms Trade On
Administrators took charge of Swimming Nature UK on 19 August and its Finchley Road office has gone. Two sister companies at that address stay active.
Housing
Brent Cross Town: 82 Social Rent Homes, Ready From 2029
SNG has exchanged contracts for 82 social rent homes at Brent Cross Town, residents in from 2029. Barnet lets 650 social homes a year; Band 4 waits 34 years.
Environment
Barnet Flood Alleviation: £1.5m Lyndhurst Park Works
Barnet tendered £1.5m of flood works at Lyndhurst Park and The Meads, with the contract estimated to end 6 October. No contractor is named on the public record.
Planning
Mill Hill 463 Homes: Mayor Takes Over, Comments to 27 Sep
Barnet refused 463 homes at Stoney Wood Quarter on eight grounds. The Mayor took the decision off the council, and comments are open until 27 September.
Licensing
Edgware Gaming Centre Licence: Object by 13 September
East Kent Leasing wants an adult gaming centre licence at 226 Station Road, where an inspector overruled Barnet in 2024. Nobody has objected yet.
Planning
Finchley Garage: Inspector Overrules Barnet, 9 Flats Win
Barnet refused nine flats at Glebe Motors on Glebe Road in May, saying the homes would be substandard. A planning inspector allowed the appeal on 19 August.
Food hygiene
Barnet Food Hygiene: 61% Score 5, 393 Never Inspected
Six in ten Barnet food businesses hold five stars and just two hold zero. But 393 have never been inspected, and 107 carry a rating awarded in 2021 or earlier.
Burnt Oak
Burnt Oak station works start Monday and run 474 days
Barnfield Road's one-way system is suspended from 8am on Monday 31 August for 474 days, for the step-free access build at Burnt Oak station. The council's dates contradict each other.
Council
Barnet told to review council tax and go fortnightly on bins
A government-commissioned review gives Barnet until September to act on council tax and alternate weekly bins. It forecasts the deficit reaching £243.5m by 2030-31.
Finchley
College Farm Finchley reopening: funding deal, 3 hurdles
College Farm has a funding partner after 25 years shut. The Charity Commission inquiry is still open, no planning application is filed, and no sum has been named.
Planning
Finchley shisha lounge: retrospective bid, comment by 24 Sep
A 50-seat shisha lounge with a retractable roof has been built behind 225-229 Regents Park Road without permission. Barnet's site notice runs to 24 September; decision due by 19 October.
Arts
Waylamps of Barnet: where the four new lampposts are
Four sculptural lampposts now stand between Colindale Station and Tally Ho Corner, linked by the 125 bus. Here is where each one is, who it is named after, and where to get the free map.
Council
Barnet bin workers vote 100% to reject holiday pay offer
Every vote cast rejected the council's six-month offer, UNISON says. It now wants a formal strike ballot, and talks with the council are set for 14 September.
Sport
Barnet FC top League Two after 3-1 win at Shrewsbury
Goals from Reeves, Lakin and Knowles put the Bees top on goal difference after two games. Cheltenham visit The Hive on Saturday 29 August, 12.30 kick-off.
Housing
Barnet house prices rise £9,840 in a month to £603,753
Barnet's average sold price rose to £603,753 in June, up £9,840 on May and the biggest monthly rise in eleven months. Still £28,214 below the July 2025 peak.
Charity
Noah's Ark Barnet appeal: every £1 doubled from 1 Sept
Every pound given to the Byng Road children's hospice is matched from 1 September to 10pm on 12 October. Noah's Ark is aiming to raise £1 million.
Parking
Barnet parking changes: 14 junctions, object by 27 August
Barnet wants double yellow lines at 14 junctions, from Denman Drive NW11 to Raydean Road EN5. Objections close on Thursday 27 August, quoting SCR724.
Planning
Barnet housing target: 32,730 homes, the most in London
Barnet has the biggest ten-year housing target of any London borough in the draft plan: 32,730 homes, 7,000 in the Green Belt. Comment by 15 October.
Jobs
Barnet claimant count: 13,185, and a fourfold ward gap
13,185 Barnet residents claimed out-of-work benefits in July, 5.0% of those aged 16 to 64. Cricklewood is on 8.5%, Hampstead Garden Suburb on 2.1%.
Schools
Moss Hall Junior, Finchley: Ofsted strong in all six
Ofsted graded the Nether Street school Strong standard in all six areas of its new report card, from achievement to inclusion. Safeguarding met.
Schools
Barnet Hill Academy: fees dropped, state-funded 1 September
Barnet Council approved the switch on 4 August: the Hendon Islamic primary becomes voluntary aided this September. Fees go, voluntary contributions stay.
Council
Barnet bin and street cleaners ballot for strike action
Depot, bin and street cleaning staff have been voting since 5 August. UNISON says 12 years of holiday pay is owed, about £6m, and that the council has offered £250,000.
Housing
Barnet house prices: £42k off the peak, only Camden fell more
The average Barnet home sold for £590,583 in May 2026, £42,483 below last July's peak and 4.3% down in a year. Only Camden fell further among the neighbours; Haringey and Hertsmere rose.
Education
Barnet A-levels 2026: 40% at A*-A against 28.3% for England
Provisional results from 22 of Barnet's 28 sixth forms: 40% of A-level grades were A* or A, ahead of London (32.7%) and England (28.3%). Why school figures are not comparable, and the 20 August remark deadline.
Health
Finchley Memorial Hospital pharmacy closing 30 Aug: act by 28th
Fairview Pharmacy at Finchley Memorial Hospital shuts for good on Sunday 30 August. Collect prescriptions and re-nominate by Friday 28 August: the last two days are collections only.
Transport
Barnet bus strikes: five routes hit on 15 days from 14 Aug
Routes 34, 102, 221, 307 and SL1 will run little or no service on 15 days to 19 October. TfL's full date list, the Barnet stops affected and the buses still running.
What's On
Heritage Open Days Barnet 2026: three churches open free
Barnet has three entries in Heritage Open Days from 11 to 20 September, and 17 of the free tours are at Finchley's oldest building. Dates, times and how to book.
Business
Taste of Raj takeaway company in Edgware enters liquidation
The company behind Taste of Raj on Deansbrook Road went into creditors' voluntary liquidation on 4 August, with Hudson Weir's Kevin Weir appointed liquidator.
Planning
Wren Academy phone mast could rise to 21.35m under new plan
A notification filed on 10 August would extend the 17.4m lattice tower at Wren Academy in North Finchley to 21.35m. Barnet has until 31 August to decide.