Now is the time to get involved if you want to influence the final version of Enfield Council’s New Local Plan!
Enfield, a borough with a rich history and a vibrant community, is at a pivotal moment. The decisions made today will reverberate for generations. Enter the New Local Plan, a blueprint that will guide Enfield’s development, housing, and environment until 2041.
The clock is ticking. We have just a month to make our voices heard. This is your chance to influence the future, to advocate for homes, green spaces, and sustainable growth.
Before the Local Plan debate at the Full Council meeting on March 6, 2024, our elected representatives should reach out to their constituents. They should discuss aspirations for homes, the environment, and the delicate balance between progress and preservation. It’s a crucial conversation – one that bridges the gap between policy and people.
We encourage members to contact their ward councillors to request a ward forum where the plans can be discussed. A summary of proposals for each ward can be accessed here. Just click on the links in the document to see your councillors’ contact details.
In 2021, the draft Local Plan emerged and received 7,267 written responses. The need for additional housing, and affordable housing, was undeniable, but so were concerns about deliverability, the lack of infrastructure to support the growth proposed, the number of tall buildings proposed and the release of Green Belt land.
The revised plan is targeting 35,000 new homes by 2041. That’s a staggering leap from the draft proposal in 2021. These numbers are far in excess of London Plan targets and would mean one new home for every four existing ones. Building these homes would require building on green belt land, roughly 40 times the size of Enfield Town Park, justifying residents’ concerns about the sufficiency of infrastructure such as roads, schools, primary healthcare, and green space for health, leisure, and well-being.
Enfield is not alone – the Council should consider its strategic role within London, as directed by the Mayor through the London Plan, whereby each borough, including Enfield, has a role to play and a housing target to reach. The London Plan targets can be met without building homes on green belt land. Furthermore, data provided by EnCaf indicates that, far from being balanced, consultees’ support for releasing green belt land for housing development is very limited indeed.
Enfield stands at a crossroads. Let’s ensure that our legacy is one of foresight, compassion, and sustainable growth. Together, we’ll build a future that honours our past and embraces the promise of tomorrow. A web search on “Enfield’s New Local Plan” links to the relevant page on the Council’s website. Appendix C (parts 1, 2 and 3) at the bottom of the page reveals detailed site allocations.
