Key Points
- Barnet Council faces challenges enforcing its policy to retain or provide affordable employment space, such as workrooms and offices, in new housing developments near High Barnet town centre.
- Highlands House in Bath Place, off the High Street, sees a new application to convert former offices and graphic printing space into seven car-free one-bedroom flats; previously used by RHM Event Graphics, now relocated to Borehamwood.
- The building has remained vacant with “To Let” signs, highlighting lack of tenant interest in commercial space.
- Nearby Lightfield housing development, built by Shanly Homes on the site of Brake Shear House (once housing 20 businesses with 4,000 square metres of employment floorspace), was required to retain 754 square metres of affordable workspace.
- Developers report no interest in Lightfield’s commercial space despite marketing; a follow-up application for eight flats with 210 square metres of ground-floor employment space was refused, and a planning inquiry upheld the council’s decision.
- The planning inspector noted no evidence of competitive pricing or marketing, and additional flats would reduce employment potential.
- Salisbury Road sees council intervention to find tenants for 1,280 square feet of vacant ground-floor community space in a new flats block, priced at £400,000 to buy or £25,000 annual rent; marketed for four years with minimal interest.
- Council refuses conversion to a three-bedroom flat and plans to approach community groups and charities.
- Prior Highlands House application rejected last year due to traffic and highway safety concerns; new bid promises legal agreement restricting car parking permits.
- Council insists on mixed-use developments per Barnet Local Plan when housing replaces commercial premises; new government regulations may allow permitted development without full planning approval.
High Barnet, London (North London News)Â January 26, 2026 – Barnet Council grapples with mounting pressure from developers seeking to convert prime commercial spaces near High Barnet town centre into housing, amid claims of zero demand for affordable workrooms and offices. The latest flashpoint centres on Highlands House in Bath Place, where a fresh application proposes seven self-contained one-bedroom flats in the long-vacant former offices of sign makers RHM Event Graphics. This follows repeated failures to attract tenants for mandated employment space in nearby sites like Lightfield and Salisbury Road, testing the council’s commitment to mixed-use development under the Barnet Local Plan.
What is the Latest Challenge at Highlands House?
Highlands House, situated just off the High Street in Bath Place, previously served as offices and graphic printing facilities for RHM Event Graphics, who relocated to Borehamwood, leaving the building empty. Prominent “To Let” signs underscore the persistent vacancy, a point echoed by other local developers who cite it as evidence of waning demand for commercial space near the town centre.
The current application seeks prior approval for a change of use to seven one-bedroom flats under new government permitted development regulations, bypassing full planning permission. Developers promise the flats will be car-free, backed by a legal agreement to block parking permits, addressing prior concerns.
As detailed in the planning documents, a previous bid last year was rejected due to its “detrimental effect” on traffic flow and highway safety in the narrow Bath Place. Council planners must now weigh whether this revised scheme complies with evolving national rules while upholding local employment policies.
Why has Lightfield Development Struggled with Employment Space?
Just yards from Highlands House lies the Lightfield estate, developed by Shanly Homes on the former Brake Shear House site, which once accommodated 20 businesses across 4,000 square metres of small factories and workshops. Barnet Council mandated retention of 754 square metres of affordable employment space as a condition of approval for 40 homes in flats and houses.
Post-completion, developers reported zero interest in the space. They submitted a follow-up application for a four-storey block featuring eight flats atop 210 square metres of ground-floor commercial area. The council refused it, prompting an appeal to a planning inquiry.
The inspector sided with the council, ruling there was
“no evidence the employment space had been advertised at a genuinely competitive price.”
Furthermore, developers
“had not demonstrated satisfactorily that there was no demand,”
and the scheme would cause a
“significant decrease in the employment potential of the site.”
What Role Does the Barnet Local Plan Play?
Barnet Council’s Local Plan requires affordable employment space in developments replacing commercial or industrial premises, aiming for mixed-use vitality near town centres. This policy has consistently guided decisions, from Lightfield to ongoing interventions.
In Highlands House’s case, planners must assess if prior approval aligns with these aims under permitted development rights. The policy seeks to counterbalance housing growth with job space, preserving economic activity amid High Barnet’s commercial evolution.
Developers argue market realities undermine viability, pointing to vacancies as proof. The council, however, insists on rigorous evidence before concessions, as seen in the Lightfield inquiry.
How is Salisbury Road Involved in the Dispute?
Further illustrating the tension, Barnet Council has stepped in at a new Salisbury Road flats block, refusing permission to convert 1,280 square feet of vacant ground-floor community space into a three-bedroom flat. Developers claim extensive marketing over four years yielded “minimal interest.”
The space is listed at a guide sale price of £400,000 or £25,000 annual rent. To avert loss, the council will contact community groups and local charities for potential tenants, prioritising community over residential use.
This mirrors broader efforts to enforce mixed development, where housing gains must not erode public or employment facilities without alternatives.
What Do Developers Say About Demand?
Developers across sites maintain there is no viable market for town centre workrooms or offices. At Lightfield, Shanly Homes highlighted post-completion disinterest, fuelling their eight-flat proposal. Similarly, Highlands applicants and Salisbury Road owners cite prolonged vacancies and marketing failures.
RHM Event Graphics’ departure from Highlands to Borehamwood exemplifies firms seeking cheaper, peripheral locations. Adjoining Lightfield’s woes amplify claims that “To Let” signs signal structural decline in central commercial appeal.
Council responses counter that inadequate pricing or promotion skews perceptions, as per the Lightfield inspector’s findings.
How Does Government Policy Affect Decisions?
New regulations on permitted development rights could streamline Highlands House’s conversion, requiring only prior approval rather than full planning. This national shift prioritises housing delivery, potentially overriding local employment safeguards.
Last year’s rejection hinged on highways impacts, now mitigated by car-free pledges. Planners must balance this with Barnet’s Local Plan, deciding if national flexibility trumps local mixed-use goals.
The Lightfield inquiry demonstrates council resolve, but permitted development may test boundaries further.
What Evidence Supports the Council’s Position?
The planning inspector’s Lightfield report provides key ammunition: lack of competitive advertising proof and unproven no-demand claims. Building extra flats would diminish employment prospects, he concluded.
Barnet’s proactive Salisbury Road outreach to charities shows commitment to alternatives over outright conversions. Policy consistency across applications reinforces the push for evidence-based exceptions.
Vacancies persist, but the council views them as marketing shortcomings, not market failure.
Why is High Barnet Town Centre Critical?
High Barnet’s High Street anchors local commerce, where retaining workrooms sustains jobs and footfall. Losing spaces like Highlands and Lightfield risks hollowing out the centre, favouring housing over economic diversity.
The Barnet Local Plan targets such zones for mixed development, countering residential creep. Developers’ housing bids reflect pressures, but council resistance preserves balance.
Proximity to shops and transport suits small businesses, yet tenants elude, fuelling debate.
What Happens Next for These Sites?
Council planners will rule on Highlands House prior approval, scrutinising highways mitigations and employment impacts. Salisbury Road tenant hunt via community outreach could resolve that impasse.
Lightfield sets precedent: appeals demand robust marketing data. Broader policy may evolve with government housing drives, but Barnet vows to defend town centre vitality.
Stakeholders await outcomes, with developers eyeing national rights and council upholding local plans.
