Zero Carbon project, Little Strand, receives unanimous approval

Yesterday evening Barnet Council’s Planning Committee unanimously approved our Little Strand proposals for 100% affordable zero carbon homes in Colindale, which in a briefing to the Chair of the Committee last week received high praise as “ a great scheme”.

Little Strand is part of Barnet Homes’ infill development programme for new affordable housing and the first project designed with Barnet Homes to achieve zero carbon in energy use and carbon emissions.

Within this cul-de-sac, former garage sites and bungalows will be redeveloped with the construction of 12 new 3 and 4 bedroom family houses and 23 1 and 2 bedroom apartments within a new flat block, in addition to landscaping and street improvements. All 35 new homes will be affordable rent and managed by Barnet Homes.

The new landscaping includes the creation of a new communal garden and children’s play space. Across Little Strand there will be new street trees, a resurfaced road, widened pedestrian paths and formalised parking areas. The layout and site improvements within the scheme have been carefully considered with feedback from existing residents gathered from consultation events.

The zero carbon development has been designed to be highly sustainable through the use of efficient building fabric, good air-tightness levels and avoids the use of gas boilers by adopting an all-electric energy strategy. Heating and energy will be generated by air source heat pumps and solar panels.

The project has also been featured in the NLA’s report, ’ Zero Carbon London’ published in November 2020. We are soon to commence the preparation of tender information, with a start on site later in 2021.