London’s first large scale, all-electric energy centre gets the green light

18 November 2025

Planning permission has been granted for London’s first large scale, all-electric energy centre at Brent Cross Town.

Related Argent and Barnet Council have partnered with Vattenfall to develop the Main Energy Centre at Brent Cross Town, a new park town in north London, which at 180 acres is one of Europe’s largest regeneration projects.

Brent Cross Town was awarded over £14m from the government’s Green Heat Network Fund to help bring forward the project.

Once complete, the centre will be one of the largest of its kind in the UK, connecting 6,700 homes as well as over three million square feet of offices, retail and leisure space to a pioneering heat network that will put community wellbeing at the forefront of the town’s commitment to becoming net zero.

The implementation of a large, shared system 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.

The all-electric energy centre will 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 capture energy when electricity is cheapest and store it for later use.

The first phase of construction is due to begin later this year, delivering heat, hot water and cooling to customers in 2027. The centre will be fully complete in 2032.

Alina Gheorghiu-Currie, director of London Heat Networks at Vattenfall:

“This is a really exciting moment for Brent Cross Town. Together with Related Argent and Barnet Council, we’re proving that communities don’t have to choose between comfort and sustainability. They can have both. This energy centre will make everyday life better for thousands of people, while also showing how growth in London can be achieved without compromising sustainability.”

Ken Hunnisett, programme director for the Green Heat Network Fund:

“We are delighted to have helped Barnet Council and Related Argent move one step closer to providing 6,700 new homes with low carbon heating and cooling through GHNF support. The project is an example of how heat networks will decarbonise densely populated areas across the country, and we’re delighted to be delivering the financial stimulus that will see them fulfil their potential as a cornerstone of the UK’s energy transition.”