Welcome to The Barnet Society

The Barnet Society is a non-political organisation that campaigns for the preservation and improvement of the environment of Chipping Barnet and surrounding areas and for protection of the Green Belt.

Founded in 1945 by Trevor Jukes and Gwyneth Cowing, the Society was established to give a voice to local people who believed that the Green Belt needed defending. We continue with that cause today but also campaign on many other local issues. Please refer to our News page for details of current campaigns and other items.

The Barnet Society works to ensure that we get the best for our town and its environs and that any change enhances and improves the area for all who live, work and study here.

High Barnet is a great place to live – open spaces, friendly village atmosphere, prestigious schools and historic public houses. The Barnet Society, the voice for High Barnet and surrounds, is committed to keeping Barnet a welcoming and thriving locality whilst encouraging positive developments.

Our website is a reliable source of news and information about life in our locality and the Society’s work in campaigning for a better Barnet, from Arkley and Hadley to New Barnet and Oakleigh Park.

The Barnet Society is proud to publish a detailed newsletter brimming with local news, community updates, and historical tidbits. Become a member of the Barnet Society now and enjoy early access to our insightful and engaging newsletters for active community participation.

Find Out More About the Barnet Society…

Our Work

Barnet Society

The Barnet Society is actively involved in shaping and monitoring development within Barnet. The society engages in pre-application discussions for major developments, providing updates via newsletters and formal responses to planning applications.

In Chipping Barnet Town Centre, we collaborate with local groups to enhance the area’s appearance and vitality. We also participate in various consultations, responding to proposals from local and regional bodies like the London Borough of Barnet and the Mayor of London, with a particular focus on Green Belt issues, reflecting our historical commitment to protecting green spaces since their founding in 1945.

Our involvement extends to submitting detailed reports in newsletters and at committee meetings, discussing environmental and planning matters. Additionally, the society conducts talks and presentations to educate the community about local issues.

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Our Membership Newsletter

The Barnet Society

The Barnet Society stands as the voice for High Barnet and its environs, passionately committed to maintaining our community as a welcoming and flourishing place while championing positive developments.

Our website is your premier source for local news and a deep dive into the Society’s efforts to enhance Barnet. It’s an invaluable place for discussing and debating current, sometimes contentious, local issues where our input can be pivotal.

But the real highlight of membership is early access to our quarterly Newsletters. Issued four times a year, these newsletters are cherished for their extensive coverage and in-depth analysis of our work to protect the Green Belt, improve our town centres, and elevate design standards in new housing and commercial projects.

By becoming a member, you’ll not only support these initiatives but also receive these insightful newsletters directly, ensuring you’re always in the loop and part of the conversation shaping our community’s future.

Join the Barnet Society today to have access to informed and engaging community involvement through our newsletters.

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Latest News from The Barnet Society

13 Sep 2025 | Written by Robin Bishop
Last chance to have your say on Barnet Heights
… or High Barnet Place, as the development proposed next to High Barnet Station is officially called (see above). But Barnet Heights would be a more accurate description of 283 flats over the whole of the present car park in blocks of 5 to 11 storeys high. Whichever, it’s the most serious threat to Chipping Barnet's character and functioning in decades. And Friday 19 September is the deadline for public comments on the planning application.


13 Sep 2025 | Written by Nick Jones
Years of neglect prompting residents’ bid to get Barnet’s former Quinta Youth Club registered as asset of community value
After years of frustration about the state of the derelict and vandalised former Quinta Youth Club, residents in Mays Lane and surrounding roads are applying to have the building and adjoining village green registered as an asset of community value.


13 Sep 2025 | Written by Nick Jones
Open day held at St Mary’s Monken Hadley to encourage future generations of church organists
Young trainee organists had a chance to try their hand at the keyboard of the 135-year-old church organ at Monken Hadley during an open day held as part of the 2025 “Play The Organ Year”.


11 Sep 2025 | Written by Nick Jones
Barnet Hospital said to be in “constructive discussions” with Barnet Council over car parking pressure on nearby roads
Community organisations have welcomed assurances that Barnet Hospital will try to reduce the pressure which car parking by hospital staff, patients and visitors is placing on surrounding residential roads.


11 Sep 2025 | Written by Nick Jones
Leading pioneer in renewable energy – and fellow of Women’s Engineering Society – is guest of honour on return visit to QE Girls’ School  
An award-winning engineer in the development of offshore wind technologies, visiting professor Emily Spearman – who grew up in High Barnet – returned to Queen Elizabeth’s Girls’ School to present prizes at the annual celebration of excellence.


9 Sep 2025 | Written by Nick Jones
Campaign underway to secure long-term future for highly successful on-site school farm at Totteridge Academy
A bumper summer crop of pumpkins, tomatoes, cucumbers and other produce is another illustration of the continuing success of GROW, the school and community farm which has been created on a six-acre field next to The Totteridge Academy in Barnet Lane.


If you have some local news, some interesting Barnet history or want to bring something else to our attention then please email us.