Planning permission has been granted for Brent Cross Town’s future Main Energy Centre, which will be London’s first large scale, all-electric energy centre providing low carbon heating, hot water and cooling across our new neighbourhood.

One of Brent Cross Town’s key pledges is to be a net zero carbon town, and the Main Energy Centre is key to achieving these ambitions. Once complete, it will be one of the largest of its kind in the UK, providing 6,700 homes as well as over three million square feet of offices, retail and leisure space with an advanced heat network.

The energy centre, which will be delivered by Related Argent and Barnet Council in partnership with Vattenfall, has been aided by £14m from the Government’s Green Heat Network Fund.

How will the main energy centre work?

The all-electric energy centre will use technology to efficiently capture and store heat energy from the environment using heat pumps. Heat created during cooling will be recycled to warm Brent Cross Town buildings, while thermal stores will reserve energy when electricity is cheapest and store it for later use.

By having a shared energy system like this, it will remove the need for residents and businesses to install and maintain individual boilers and air conditioning units. Instead, they will benefit from reliable comfort all year round, while reducing carbon emissions and saving on running costs. Its CO2 emissions will also be 69% lower than the original gas-based design for the new town. You can learn more about the benefits of heat networks here.

Morwenna Hall, Executive Director and COO of Related Argent, said: “This is a significant moment in London’s journey to becoming net zero and we are proud to be delivering a town that will meet the needs of future generations of Londoners. Critical infrastructure, like the main energy centre, is an integral consideration when designing new towns and developments and must not be delivered in isolation. We need to see more private and public partnerships working together to deliver sustainable, innovative solutions which can unlock future economic growth and housing provision.”

Councillor Alan Schneiderman, Barnet Council Cabinet Member for Environment and Climate Change and Cricklewood Ward Member, added: “The impressive Main Energy Centre and vast heat network planned at Brent Cross Town is fundamental to our plans to develop a net zero carbon neighbourhood helping to cut emissions and create a sustainable environment. The approved designs are industry leading and will bring one of the largest fully electric main energy centres in Europe to Barnet.”

The first phase of construction is due to begin later this year and is expected to be complete in 2027. For more information on the Main Energy Centre and heat network, visit here.

At Brent Cross Town we are establishing a new standard for large-scale urban regeneration, while empowering those that live, work or study here to make low-carbon lifestyle choices of their own, making a positive contribution to the world we share and addressing the challenge of the global climate crisis together.

Watch a short-video from Vattenfall to hear more about the plans for the Main Energy Centre here:

Find out more about sustainability across the Brent Cross Cricklewood programme on this page.