Woodside Park delivers 86 permanently affordable homes for first-time buyers in Barnet. It turns a narrow, sloped brownfield site into a high quality neighbourhood with shared gardens.

Woodside Park is HTA’s fourth collaboration with Pocket Living, delivering 86 affordable homes on a narrow brownfield site beside Woodside Park station in Barnet. Built on disused Transport for London land, the scheme creates a permanent route to homeownership for local first-time buyers, embedding affordability through Pocket’s resale model and eligibility requirements.


Despite the site’s narrow footprint and challenging topography, the development successfully balances affordability with an innovative and contextually sensitive design. Conceived as an ‘urban retreat,’ the scheme embraces the site’s natural 3m slope, using it to shape a series of thoughtfully designed spaces that improve functionality and character.


Focal to the scheme is the courtyard, which follows the site’s contours and leads to sculptural staircases connecting to rooftop terraces. Around the communal spaces, layered planting, ornamental trees and perennials enhance biodiversity, creating spaces for residents to socialise, relax, and enjoy sweeping views across the adjacent nature reserve.


A key feature is the use of hit-and-miss brickwork. This technique allows light to filter through the stairwells, casting dynamic shadows on the recessed façades and within internal cores. It provides natural light to typically darker areas while adding a layer of texture and richness to the building’s materiality. Deep window reveals, recessed mortar joints and contrasting textures add depth, while large vertical openings frame views of the courtyard and surrounding greenery.


The architecture references its suburban setting while embracing contemporary design. The red Flemish bond brickwork, combined with stretcher and soldier coursing, echoes nearby buildings, including St Barnabas Church. Modern fenestration details maintain a strong connection to the local character while providing a refined and robust aesthetic.


Designed in partnership with TfL and developed through community consultation, Woodside Park demonstrates that compact, affordable housing can also deliver quality, dignity, and long-term value, without compromise.