Mayor of London chooses Optivo partnership to deliver 873 new homes in Barnet

18 March 2022

We'll be working in partnership with Countryside Partnerships to deliver 873 new homes in Barnet.

We'll work together to maximise housing for Londoners, with 60% of the homes to be affordable.

The Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC) and the Greater London Authority (GLA) have selected Optivo and Countryside to deliver this high-quality scheme following a successful bid through GLA’s the London Development Panel.

The development, which will also include community and retail facilities, will be across two sites at the former Hendon Metropolitan Police training centre and driving school in Colindale.

The development brings together Optivo’s social purpose and long-term stewardship of community and place with Countryside’s skills in place-making and delivery. Work on the much-need housing is due to start in Summer 2023 and is anticipated to complete in 2029.

The new homes will be a combination of one, two and three-bed apartments and duplexes. A range of high quality green spaces and courtyards will provide recreational space for residents.

Community facilities will include ‘bikeworks’, a drop-in space which provides access to cycling as well as a new nursery giving access to high quality childcare.

Optivo and Countryside are committed to supporting residents from all of London’s diverse communities to take up job and apprenticeship opportunities in this project. They’ll be working closely with groups including Black Professionals in Construction and Women into Construction to achieve this.

Deputy Mayor for Housing and Residential Development, Tom Copley, said: “I’m delighted that City Hall and MOPAC have selected this partnership to deliver nearly 900 high quality homes in Barnet, 60 per cent of which will be genuinely affordable. This development, in an area undergoing an exciting period of transformation, will not only provide hundreds of the genuinely affordable, high quality homes that Londoners deserve, it will also foster a strong sense of community with retail facilities, community spaces and a nursery for young families. I look forward to working with partners on these plans and seeing this ambitious vision become a reality.”

Paul Hackett, Chief Executive, Optivo, said: “We’re delighted the Mayor of London has chosen our partnership to turn this disused land into a thriving community. And we’re pleased to be partnering with Countryside who have a history of creating sustainable places where people love to live.
“We’re proud that 60% of the homes are affordable, helping Londoners off waiting lists or onto the housing ladder. We’re looking forward to working with Countryside and City Hall to bring these plans to life.”

Mike Woolliscroft, Chief Executive, Partnerships South, Countryside Partnerships, said: “We are thrilled to partner with Optivo to deliver 873 mixed-tenure new homes in Colindale. Each site has been carefully considered to maximise cohesion and connectivity in what will be a thriving new community."