Approval for new High Street retail premises and housing at junction with Moxon Street as demolition underway on two other nearby developments
Planning approval has finally been given after four years of negotiations and discussions for a new four-storey building at a prominent site in Barnet town centre at the corner of High Street and Moxon Street.
Architect Simon Kaufman is confident the new building – see above – with 11 new homes over commercial premises with a traditional shop front will enhance the character of a site at the heart of the Wood Street Conservation Area.
Moxon Street itself is currently being transformed by new housing developments.
Demolition is underway at the former Checkalow Tiles showroom, where there will be 21 new homes, and at the much larger site of the former Intec House, where there is approval for a new block of flats.
Discussions over how to redevelop the two empty shop premises at the corner of High Street and Moxon Street – where there had been a photo-copying business, a Foxtons estate agency and then a community pop-up shop – began six years ago.
Simon Kaufman Architects consulted planners, conservation officers, the Barnet Society, nearby residents and other local stakeholders.
“A collaborative design process has helped shape a scheme which responds positively to both the site and its historic setting while delivering an exciting new future for this important High Street building,” said Mr Kaufman.
Once the planning application was submitted, negotiations with Barnet Council’s planning department took another four years.
“This has been a long journey.”
“It is tremendously rewarding to see this prominent High Street building restored and given a new lease of life, making a positive contribution to the local community once again.
“The approved design carefully restores and enhances its historic character through the recreation of a traditional shop front, sensitive restoration of the masonry and architectural detailing, and a carefully designed roof extension that complements the historic townscape.
“This will bring 11 new homes, fresh investment and new life to this important part of Chipping Barnet.”
Dan Tomlinson, MP for Chipping Barnet, said he had worked closely with Simon Kaufman Architects to ensure that the site – 98-100 High Street – was brought back into life after such a long delay.
“This site spent years stuck in process and paperwork, and it was my intervention that finally stopped the administrative ping-pong.
“I am over the moon that through hard work, alongside my team, Simon Kaufman Architects, and local groups like the Barnet Society, we will finally see this eyesore turned into a new retail site and, most importantly, housing for residents.”
Demolition work is now underway on the Checkalow site in Moxon Street where a car-free mews with two rows of terraced homes is to be built to provide a total of 21 new homes for Barnet Homes.
The new tree-lined mews will connect Moxon Street to Tapster Street and will be open to pedestrians but have no access for motor vehicles.
Half the new one- and two-bedroom houses will be affordable housing, some perhaps under shared ownership.
Demolition of the former Intec House, a three-storey office block, will make way for the construction of a six-storey block of 113 homes of which 17 will be for social rent.
Approval for the redevelopment by Moxon One Ltd was given by Barnet Council in October 2024 despite opposition from some nearby residents in South Close who fear that because of its height the new block will overlook their homes.
Top image Simon Kaufman Architects
Tags: #Barnet Council #Barnet High Street #Chipping Barnet #Development #High Barnet #Planning
6 thoughts on “Approval for new High Street retail premises and housing at junction with Moxon Street as demolition underway on two other nearby developments”
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I hope someone will rescue the blue enamel Moxon Street sign on the side of the existing building. There are still a few of these scattered around High Barnet’s backstreets. If we could add a few more it would bring a nice touch of local character to the town.
Glad it’s a traditional shop front but worried it will be vacant and then let to another dodgy supermarket. From corner of union street to the tube station there are 6 mini market shops and 3 barbers, that’s not commercial sense, that’s a front for criminal activity!!
Do you have any proof to back up your claim of illegal activity?
Will the tenants ( there will be no owner occupiers) living in this cellblock have any outside space to hang a washing line or sit outside during hot weather? Incidentally the 21 small houses and apartments currently going up right next to this development are two story homes, like the existing houses in Moxon Street. The new apartment block, at four stories, will loom over the houses currently under construction and tenants will be looking down onto the gardens and bedrooms of some of the new houses. How can this be allowed?
Are there any potential tennants for the commercial spaces? Please don’t let it be another vape shop, nail bar, barbershop, or cake shop, etc. Can’t it be given back to the community like it was a few years ago?
That corner site on Moxon Street was also previously occupied by a brilliant fish & chip shop for a time – I think they used to sell lobster & chips as well as the “standard fare”!