A charity plans to move to an historic Finchley estate and bring an English Heritage “at risk” building back to life.

Terapia in Watford Way, Hendon proposes to set up a new centre to provide child psychology and counselling in The Bothy, a grade two listed building, at Avenue House in East End Road.

Bozena Merrick, clinical director and chief executive of Terapia, said: “We love the site and believe it would be a perfect place to provide our services throughout the borough.

“The beautiful and tranquil setting of Avenue House should provide a perfect environment for the counselling and psychotherapeutic work we do.”

The Bothy is situated in the grounds of the estate and was built as a large walled garden in the shape of a castle during the 1880s. It is one of the oldest non-Roman concrete structures in England.

Terapia will submit plans to Barnet Council to fund the restoration of the building which will include training and therapy rooms as well as sensory and play rooms.

The move will allow the charity to expand the work it does, providing more space to train people in counselling and psychotherapy as well as providing outreach services to schools in the borough.

If the council grants planning consent, the charity also aims to restore The Bothy’s courtyard in a second stage of redevelopment and lease the building from Avenue House Estate Trust.

Andy Savage, chair of the trust, said: “The Bothy, which is currently on the English Heritage’s buildings at risk list, will benefit hugely from the maintenance programme which Terapia’s lease will make possible.

“We are very excited at the prospect of leasing the Bothy to Terapia - a charitable organisation with a track record of successfully serving the community by providing an essential health resource for young people and their families in our area.”

Avenue House Estate Trust said it will not handover the lease until planning permission for change of use has been accepted by the council.

The Bothy Gardens are not part of the lease, however, the trust hopes it will be able to open the gardens on a more regular basis if the plans go ahead.

For more information about Terapia visit www.terapia.co.uk or www.terapiacentre.co.uk