Barnet architects

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Barnet Residential Architects

If you are seeking Barnet architects, we’d be delighted to assist. Architecture for London is an RIBA Chartered Practice working across Barnet and the wider north London area. We design residential extensions, refurbishments and new homes, with particular experience in upgrading period properties to modern standards of comfort and energy performance. View our project portfolio, or if you would like to discuss your project, please contact us.

Recent work in Barnet includes a low-energy refurbishment of an Edwardian house on Halliwick Road, N10 and a new build Passivhaus property. We have also completed a recent initial design session for a house extension in Haslemere Avenue. For more information, please download our recent PDF planning approvals in Barnet.

At Haslemere Avenue, a full-width rear and side extension creates a large living room and kitchen. These rooms will be opened up to the garden with aluminium-framed bi-fold doors. A stone floor runs from the kitchen out to the terrace, visually and physically connecting inside and out.

Internal walls are to be reconfigured to create a more efficient plan, with a home office and new ground-floor WC. A small extension to the front of the property creates much-needed extra storage for the house. Several internal alterations are proposed to first floor, including redecoration throughout.

Project case study: Low Energy House

A key example of our residential work in the borough is a low-energy refurbishment of an Edwardian terrace in Muswell Hill. Owned by the director of Architecture for London, the project was used to test cost-effective ways of retrofitting existing housing to a much higher environmental standard.

The design introduces a continuous airtight layer, insulation to the full building envelope and a new timber structure. The Edwardian front façade is retained and insulated internally, while the rear and side elevations are insulated externally. Materials such as stone, timber and lime plaster were chosen in place of cement-based products.

Energy efficiency was further enhanced through the installation of triple glazing and significant improvements to airtightness. The home was also enlarged with a new rear extension and a loft conversion.

Planning in Barnet

Barnet Council supports the use of sustainable design measures in both new homes and alterations to existing properties. This is in line with the local plan and London-wide climate goals. If you are planning sustainable improvement works to your home in a conservation area, you may need planning permission. This will be the case for alterations such as triple glazing or external insulation in a conservation area.

The borough’s character is largely suburban, with a large percentage of low-rise family homes. As a result, the council will assess how proposals affect neighbours’ privacy, residential amenity and parking.

Contact us now on 020 3637 4236 for a free 30-minute telephone consultation to discuss your project.

When you plan changes to your property, the council expects proposals to:

• Fit with the established local character. The appearance, detailing, materials, layout and relationship to gardens and streets should sit comfortably within the area and, ideally, improve it.
• Use brickwork and roof materials that match or complement the existing house.
• Respect the proportions and design of the original building. Extensions and alterations should feel like a coherent part of the whole, rather than an afterthought.
• Reflect local building forms and rhythms along the street.
• Protect local biodiversity and provide adequate internal and external space for current and future occupants.

Planning consent for sustainable refurbishment

If planning to retrofit your home, Barnet has provided detailed guidance for architects and homeowners. Retrofitting simply means altering existing buildings to improve efficiency and reduce environmental impact – a key priority given the role of older housing in CO2 emissions.

To encourage this, Barnet has extended permitted development rights so that some energy-efficiency measures do not need a full planning application.

For most houses (but not flats, listed buildings or homes in conservation areas), planning permission is generally not required for:

• Installing double or triple glazing
• Adding or changing external solid wall insulation
• Installing solar or PV panels
• Installing ground source heat pumps

Building in conservation areas in Barnet

The unique character of a conservation area is defined by its architecture, materials, trees, and streetscape. It is crucial to preserve these features; any new proposals will be expected to preserve and strengthen this character, rather than compete with it.

There are 16 designated Conservation Areas in the borough, each with its own architectural and historical qualities. If your home falls within one of these, you may need additional permissions for alterations.

In Hampstead Garden Suburb, for example, external alterations require approval from the Hampstead Garden Suburb Trust, in addition to standard planning permission.

Barnet also includes extensive areas of Green Belt open land. These open landscapes, surrounding settlements such as Mill Hill, Totteridge and Monken Hadley, are protected to prevent urban sprawl and to maintain the identity of existing towns.

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The Architecture of Barnet

The London Borough of Barnet covers a large area of North London. Its suburban landscape features a diverse range of architectural styles and infrastructure, primarily consisting of detached and terraced housing. Notable historic residential areas include Hampstead Garden Suburb, Totteridge, and Cricklewood.

The borough expanded significantly in the interwar period, when many semi-detached houses with generous gardens were built. Today, this housing stock offers both opportunities and constraints when planning extensions or energy upgrades.

Architecture for London has worked on a range of projects in the area. We have previously bid for one of the GLA’s ‘Small Sites’ in north London. This programme was designed to open up publicly-owned sites to developers and community organisations to help address London’s housing shortage.

Furthermore, our architects have completed various works on homes within Barnet and the wider north London region, including house extensions and renovations of Grade II listed properties.

Housing styles in Barnet

• Victorian and Edwardian homes: Characterised by ornate detailing and bay windows.
• Arts and Crafts homes: Built from the late 19th to early 20th centuries, these homes feature pitched roofs, leaded windows, and timber framing.

The Barnet council places a strong emphasis on good design, recognising its role in achieving planning objectives such as meeting housing aspirations and enhancing the suburban character. New developments should aim to improve the quality and character of the area, while complementing the existing architectural features.

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Listed building consent in Barnet

Barnet boasts a wealth of listed buildings, including a number of churches such as the Grade I listed St Jude’s and The Free Church, both of which were designed by renowned architect Edward Lutyens. Many late Edwardian houses in the borough are also listed for their architectural interest.

Nearly all works to a listed building will require listed building consent. This process is focused on understanding and protecting what is significant about the building, and on managing change in a careful, proportionate way.

Architecture for London has worked on numerous projects in Barnet and has expertise in local planning issues. There are over 2,220 listed buildings and 1,600 buildings of local importance.

How are listed buildings designated?

• Age and rarity – older buildings and the best examples of particular periods or types, such as Victorian and Edwardian houses
• Aesthetic merits – including overall form, detailing and craftsmanship that reflect local traditions and materials
• Landmark qualities – buildings that stand out positively in their setting and act as focal points in the street
• State of originality – whether historic interest has been eroded by cumulative changes or unsympathetic repairs
• Group value – buildings that are part of a larger group of similarly designed structures
• Social and communal importance – places that hold particular meaning for local communities

Our team has extensive experience working with heritage buildings and navigating local planning policy in Barnet. We regularly collaborate with conservation officers and consultants to find a balance between contemporary living requirements and the long-term care of historic fabric.

Barnet project architects: Ben Ridley, Louise Halpern

Locations: Halliwick Road N10, Laurel Way, Totteridge N20 & Haslemere Avenue, Barnet EN4

View Architecture for London’s portfolio of recent residential projects.