This article was updated on 7th January to include the two new dates for information events
Over the next 15 years Enfield's population is expected to increase by more than a fifth. A key aspect of the new Local Plan that Enfield Council has begun developing is where to locate new housing, schools, employment sites, transport infrastructure and community facilities to provide for the additional people. To help the planning process the Council is currently running a consultation exercise asking its residents for their views on how to meet these significant challenges.
The current consultation phase runs from 18th December 2015 to 12th February 2016. In its introduction the Council explains why a new plan is needed and how it would be used:
Why we are seeking your views now
Government policy requires local plans to be kept up to date. This was reinforced in the recent Housing and Planning Bill which expects local authorities to have plans in place by early 2017, stating it will intervene if they fail.
The Mayor’s new London Plan was adopted in March this year and includes significantly higher minimum homes and jobs targets for the borough, based on new population forecasts and economic indicators. Boroughs must now update their own plans to ensure they meet the legal obligation to be in general conformity with the London Plan.
We have started to review the Local Plan. We want to tell you about the challenges facing Enfield and seek your views on how to accommodate an increasing population, tackle existing inequalities and allow the economy to grow whilst securing a good quality of life for everyone. Having an up to date local plans means we can ensure that we get the right amount of development built in the right place at the right time so that the future needs of the borough are met. It also means we can more successfully resist unsatisfactory proposals from developers.
As well as hearing from you on what you think the challenges and aspirations should be for Enfield, the Council is seeking views on a number of alternative scenarios for growth. We also want to hear from you about what land is available for development - please answer our call for sites.
Options for sustainable growth
The consultation document presents five options for the new plan, with the emphasis on the "spatial strategy", in other words, whereabouts in the borough to provide new housing etc.
Option 1. Do nothing
Simply leaving the Local Plan as it is presents problems. Not only is it designed to cope with a smaller rate of population growth, but it also makes Enfield vulnerable to intervention by central government, which is insisting on up-to-date local plans. As a result, the council would find it more difficult to resist inappropriate development.
Option 2. "Intensify and Infill" - develop town centres
Focus growth and renewal within existing built-up areas - town centres, brownfield sites and existing housing estates. In particular, the Lee Valley and A1010 (Hertford Road/Fore Street). This option would require more "densification", eg higher residential densities.
Option 3. "Optimise Growth Corridors" - develop at transport hubs and growth areas
Concentrate development along transport corridors. Primarily along the Lee Valley line and planned Crossrail 2 Lee Valley regional branch, but also along the the other rail lines in the borough, plus the Picaddilly Line. This would take the pressure off residential areas and heritage assets outside the growth corridors. However, planned transport enhancements are still some way off.
Option 4. Develop at existing green belt settlements
This "might involve extending the built up edge or looking at the potential to expand existing settlements that lie within the green belt. Metropolitan Open Land could also be subject to review".
The "settlements" in question are Botany Bay, Bulls Cross, Clay Hill, Crews Hill and Hadley Wood.
This option would solve the problem of unattractive brownfield areas of green belt, provide for more family-sized flats and houses and reduce the need to increase housing densities in town centres.
An obvious downside would be the risk of spoiling the character of pleasant historical centres within the green belt.
Option 5. Develop industrial land
This option would involve some land currently allocated to industrial and other employment uses being used instead for housing - primarily along the Lee Valley (Enfield Lock-Brimsdown-Ponders End-Angel Road). The principal downside would be loss of business and employment within the borough.
Option 6. "Reasonable alternatives"
Residents are invited to propose alternatives to or combinations of the options listed above.
Consultation events
To explain and discuss the options, Enfield Council is running consultation events as follows:
- Thursday 7 Jan 2016 11am – 3pm Enfield Town Library, 66 Church Street, Enfield EN2 6AX
- Thursday 14 Jan 2016 11am – 3pm Palmers Green Library, Broomfield Lane, London N13 4EY
- Thursday 21 Jan 2016 11am – 3pm Edmonton Green Library, 36-44 S Mall, Edmonton N9 0TN
- Thursday 28 Jan 2016 11am – 3pm Ordnance Unity Centre, 645 Hertford Rd, Enfield EN3 6ND
- Saturday 30 Jan 2016 2pm - 4pm Dugdale Centre, 39 London Road, Enfield Town, EN2 6DS
- Tuesday 3 Feb 2016 5.30pm - 7.30pm Palmers Green Library, Broomfield Lane, London N13 4EY
Online consultation and related documents
- Local Plan consultation webpage. This page has introductory information, links to the online consulation and to an online library of related documents.
- The main consultation document. This document provides detailed figures, explanations and information.
