Forum topic: Enfield's Local Plan - our future

I've spent many letters over far too long in the local press broadly trying to highlight that Cycle Enfield is driven by bigger forces and needs to address much larger items than whether it will be slightly more difficult to pick up a lot of dry cleaning if doing so by car and if a car queue to turn right will be a little longer or shorter than before.


Now we have some detail on the population aspect (and related densification) of the forces I have been raising: Enfield having forecast extra 100,000 residents by 2027 requiring 50,000 new household units and 52 new school form entries. And of course GP’s, social care and everything else a population seeks and requires.


So that’s roughly every time we now see three people, think of a future with four being there; three cars in a queue, think of four; for every three parking spaces needed, think of four; for every three buses think of four; three jobs, think of four needed; and so on – approximately.


Mr Musey in the same letters pages has long argued we allocate more of the already scarce Enfield space over to the car. Well we can expect a lot more of them unless something changes so that would certainly suggest a need for more space.


The planning starts later this month so hard reality is about to bite: housing, schools, leisure, green areas and parks, space for industry, commerce and jobs generally, transport, roads, parking. Suddenly it’s a very real strategic choice that must be made. And must is the word.


Where are you going to put all of these items and what may you choose to give less priority to in your Enfield? We are all about to be asked in a consultation on the Local Plan starting later this month. And of course don’t forget that Enfield is being asked to deliver this against a substantial reduction in its budget.


The fantasy of the angst of the last year or so has ended, hard strategy is about to bite. And we all should be informed and input because Cycle Enfield is just the start, and just possibly be one of the easier decisions.


(Homework reading can be found in such as London Plan, Mayors Transport Strategy and London Infrastructure 2050 informing papers.)

Exxon Mobil subpoenaed in a test case over alleged climate crimes. Documents going back 40 years are being sought to see if the company “conspired to manipulate the public debate” with claims they lied about fossil fuels / climate change to protect their business model.


Top US scientists are in parallel seeking a full Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organisations Act (RICO) probe against the fossil fuel industry.


VW have put £25 billion aside to pay for fines, lawsuits and refits relating to their own diesel emissions issue – that’s before the costs relating to the later discovered petrol car CO2 emissions issue.


And the European Commission have now written to all 28 member countries urging them to widen their investigations into vehicle emission breaches.


Now this immense official assault on the oil and vehicle sector (effectively worldwide) may be a coincidence or alternatively we could look at it with open eyes and think about what the bigger picture being played out, now with a big stick, may be and why. And why now.