Planning Obligations Supplementary Planning Document (SPD)

The Barnet Planning Obligations Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) was adopted by Barnet Council on 05 February 2025 . The SPD sets out a range of non-financial and financial planning obligations required to mitigate potential adverse impacts that would otherwise make development requiring planning permission unacceptable. The document will assist in simplifying and speeding up the process of issuing planning permissions. It will do this by standardising the Council’s most commonly sought S106 obligations. In making clear the Councils requirements, the document will provide stakeholders with more certainty when assessing the development potential of land earlier on in the development process. The SPD will therefore assist in delivering the strategic aims of the Barnet Local Plan 2021-2036, and the London Plan 2021-2041.

The SPD includes guidance on a range of commonly sought Heads of Terms including:

• Affordable or special needs housing;
• Affordable workspace;
• Employment opportunities;
• Social Infrastructure- Community facilities including education provision and health facilities;
• Open Space and Children’s Play space;
• Trees;
• Biodiversity Net Gain;
• Carbon-offsetting and decentralised energy;
• Sustainable transport and parking;
• Air Quality;
• Water Management; and
• Community Safety and Public realm improvements

The document will be used by all development stakeholders, including developers, designers, local communities, planning officers and the Planning Committee. This will ensure that planning permissions granted meet the aspirations of the Council, and the planning policies of the adopted Barnet Local Plan. The SPD will be a material consideration in the determination of a future planning applications in the borough.