Great North Leisure Park (GNLP) is the site of the Hollywood Bowl bowling alley, Vue cinema, restaurants, and the Finchley Lido leisure centre. The scheme proposed by Arada-Regal would remove the entertainment venues and build 1,485 small and unaffordable flats in tightly packed tall blocks. The area has poor transport links and overstretched public services. 

We are local residents and visitors to Barnet, and like many Londoners, we are angry that politicians, planners, and developers are forcing through bad developments and ignoring our community’s voice. 

This is an antisocial development by Arada-Regal because it does not deliver the social, affordable, and family housing that we require and fails to create a sustainable community. 

We are not “NIMBYs” or “blockers.” We support developments of well-designed and affordable housing, together with essential infrastructure. We believe there’s a better way forward for GNLP, which meets the needs for affordable housing, preserves the environment and allows residents to thrive. 

On 4 December 2025, Barnet council rejected Arada-Regal’s planning application. It was also opposed by the local MP, Sarah Sackman. The application will now be considered by the Mayor.

Our Demand

We call on Mayor Sadiq Khan to respect our community and our council and not to approve Arada-Regal’s application.

What’s Wrong with the GNLP Scheme?

Overcrowding: This will be one of the densest complexes in the country, with 4,300 people squeezed into an area the size of five football pitches. There are too few public spaces, amenities, and children’s play areas.

Unaffordable housing: The London Plan says that 50% of new homes should be “affordable”, with a minimum of 35%, yet Regal proposes a meagre 25% and no social housing.

Loss of entertainment venues: The Hollywood Bowl and the Vue cinema, the only such venues in this part of London, would be demolished with no comparable replacements. Young people and families will have no safe space to socialise, exacerbating rising mental health problems and antisocial behaviour.

Poor transport services: TfL rates GNLP as having poor public transport access. There’s only one major bus route and the Tube is 30 minutes walk away.

Discrimination against car users: Only 18% of the flats have parking spaces—a third of what is required by Barnet’s Local Plan. GNLP is remote and there are no major shops nearby. Many people and families need a car because they can’t walk or cycle long distances.

Damage to nature: The plans threaten local wildlife, including the protected great crested newts at Glebelands Nature Reserve. Arada-Regal’s scheme risks causing severe damage to this habitat. The company has failed to deliver key ecological surveys and proposals required by government.

Bad design: The cluster of blocks up to 25 storeys’ tall represents shoddy architecture. The council’s Strategic Planning Committee concluded that this “high-density proposal would result in overdevelopment of the site.”
Ignoring local people and visitors: Barnet Council failed to consult the community before allowing Regal to remove the entertainment venues.

Our Vision

We would support a redevelopment of GNLP that provides:

• A sustainable community with mostly affordable, social, and family homes,
• A better bowling alley and cinema,
• Sensible housing density and superior design,
• Adequate parking and public transport,
• Additional community infrastructure (e.g. GP practice, youth hub),
• Protection of green assets and of wildlife at Glebelands Nature Reserve,
• A new high-quality Leisure Centre developed by the council

We must act now to stop the Mayor approving this scheme!

Object on the GLA website:

https://glaplanningapps.commonplace.is/en-GB/planningapps/25-0213-FUL

For more information about Our North Finchley campaign visit https://ournorthfinchley.org

To support our campaign, please donate to our Go Fund Me >> https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-the-our-north-finchley-campaign