148 Ballards Lane London N3 2PA Data via plota.co.uk

26/2844/FUL - Full Application Pending Consideration

Proposal

Change of use of the existing showroom to a coffee shop (Class E), including new shop front, installation of a new security shutter, entrance canopy, internal glazed bi-fold door to create a covered front seating area and enclosed internal seating area, internal reconfiguration to provide customer seating, serving counter/bar and commercial kitchen, together with the installation of a rear kitchen extraction and ventilation system and associated external works including new flue Data via plota.co.uk

View original council record ↗Last checked

Application progress

✓
Received
31 Jul 2026
✓
Validated
1 Aug 2026
✓
Consultation
13 Aug 2026
Decision
Expected by 21 Oct 2026

Under consideration

No decision has been issued yet. Plota predicted a decision around 9 Oct 2026; it is now day 69.

The consultation period closed on 3 Sept 2026.

Site constraints 7

Article 4 direction
Article 4 Small Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMO) Area 1. Named permitted development rights are withdrawn here.
An Article 4 direction withdraws particular permitted development rights, so work that would normally need no application needs one here. Not every council has published its directions.
Archaeological priority area
An assessment or field evaluation may be asked for before ground works.
The council or Historic England considers archaeology likely here. A desk-based assessment, and sometimes trial trenching, can be asked for with the application.
Air quality management area: Barnet AQMA
The council has declared the area as failing an air quality objective.
Schemes that add traffic, parking or combustion plant are assessed against the area's action plan and may need an air quality assessment.
Council record ↗
Town centre: Church End, Finchley
A designated centre in the London Plan.
Shops, services and active frontages are protected in centres, and main town centre uses are steered here first.
Also on the record
1 listed building within 150 m; Inside the Barnet built-up area; Public transport access: PTAL 4 (good), TfL 2023, for the 100 m square.
Not affected
Outside flood zones 2 and 3 · Not green belt · No scheduled monument at the site

Checked on 6 October 2026. Historic England, the Environment Agency, Natural England, Transport for London (public transport access levels, Powered by TfL Open Data, OGL v3.0, contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right 2025) and council datasets, Open Government Licence. A boundary can run through a site and the council holds the definitive record: confirm with the council before relying on this.

Building

Floor area55 m² (592 sq ft)
Energy ratingD (59 out of 100), could reach C
PropertyMid-terrace flat, 3 habitable rooms
BuiltBefore 1900
HeatingBoiler and radiators, mains gas
WallsSolid brick, as built, no insulation (assumed)

From the energy performance certificate lodged in August 2023, the latest held for this property. The building may have changed since. View the certificate

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Important details

Council
Barnet
Application type
Full Application
Postcode
N3 2PA
Received
31 Jul 2026
Validated
1 Aug 2026
Ward
West Finchley
Case officer
Show
Target decision
21 Oct 2026
Applicant
Show
Agent
Soma Architect
Freehold owner
Show

Decision outlook

Day 69, past the statutory target. 91% of changes of use in Barnet are decided within thirteen weeks, which runs to 31 Oct 2026; extensions of time are common, and the council need not decide on the day. Last seen undecided on 7 Oct 2026.

Day 6913 days past the 56-day target
67%decided within 8 weeks
56%approved
188decided in the last year

Plota live figures for changes of use decided by Barnet in the last twelve months, from validation. Barnet decision record →

Public comments

No public comments yet.

Last counted 7 Oct 2026

Read the comments on the council site ↗

Consultation & key dates

Alt. reference
PP-15078921
Planning Portal ref
PP-15078921
Comments by
3 Sept 2026
Site or press notice
13 Aug 2026
Statutory expiry
26 Sept 2026
Barnet
Planning Authority Score
6.2/10
Average
#90 of 296 councils
Relevant to this application:
Change of use

Barnet is faster than most councils at deciding householder applications, ranking #42 out of 296. Only 25% of applications have the time limit extended, well below the 41% national average - the council usually decides on time. Barnet is also one of the strictest councils - it refuses more householder applications than almost any other, with only 82% approved vs 90% nationally.

One of the strictest councils
only 82% approved vs 90% nationally
These figures are council-wide context, not a prediction for this application. View full council performance
Barnet decision statistics
Based on MHCLG data, the year to March 2026
75%
Overall approval rate
Below avg (87%) #285 of 296
82%
Householder approved
Below avg (90%) #264 of 296
79%
Decided in 8 weeks
Above avg (63%) #42 of 296
25%
Extended time limit
Below avg (41%) #29 of 296
55%
Minor dwellings approved
319 decided (1-9 homes)
90%
Major dwellings approved
21 decided (10+ homes)
41%
Change of use approved
132 decided
2,541
Total decisions
625 refused in the year to March 2026

Freehold boundary: © Crown copyright and database rights 2026, HM Land Registry. Polygons © Crown copyright and database rights 2026 Ordnance Survey 100026316. Conditions of use

Energy performance: Energy performance certificates from the Energy Performance of Buildings Register, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. © Crown copyright 2026.

Freehold owner: Information produced by HM Land Registry. © Crown copyright 2026. Source: HM Land Registry, UK and overseas companies that own property in England and Wales, September 2026 release.