ENFIELD DISPATCH No.32 THE BOROUGH’S FREE COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER MAY 2021 NEWS Fears over future of culture venues amid council row P . 11 ARTS & CULTURE What to expect from this summer’s Broomfield Festival P . 12 HEALTH Smokers in Enfield are lagging behind in efforts to quit P . 14 A M E E Become a Mmember of Enfield M Dispatch and get O the paper delivered to B your door each month E C – find out more R E on Page 20 B Eurasian beavers, which went extinct in the UK around 400 years ago, could soon be gnawing their way around Enfield Credit David Parkyn enfielddispatch.co.uk enfielddispatch@ You better bel-eaver it! socialspider.com Project to reintroduce beavers in Enfield revealed @EnfieldDispatch tion at London Wildlife Trust, says “I think what is being proposed in role they play in managing water BY JAMES CRACKNELL north-west Enfield is one of only Enfield is a kind of captive scenario. habitats. A council spokesperson @EnfieldDispatch eavers could be reintro- two or three viable locations across For them to be wild you’d strug- said: “Enfield Council is in the duced to Enfield – 400 all 32 boroughs of the capital. gle to find somewhere where they early stages of examining with years after they went Mathew told the Dispatch: “When wouldn’t interact with dogs or cars. local partners and Natural England /EnfieldDispatch extinct in the UK. you look at London and its river “We are trying to get on top of the feasibility of a beaver reintro- BThe semiaquatic rodents have catchments, there’s not many the science and what beavers mean duction trial. been making a comeback around places where beavers could actually for flood management and river “At present beavers can only be the country in recent years, with flourish. The north-west of Enfield siltation. We would be supportive released into secure enclosures in small populations now thriving is one of the places it might work, of measures which take a precau- this country. This option is being in rural locations. But the idea but only if all the right elements tionary approach – but it has to be explored, however there is no specific of bringing them back to London came together. thoroughly tested and measured.” programme or timescale at this point. Chamberlains Estates is now also being explored, with “I expect the £40,000 will be Mathew said London Wildlife “By damming small streams and Enfield set to be a frontrunner spent on preparing a large paddock Trust had not yet been contacted by creating ponds beavers can help to because of its large swathes of and putting substantial fencing the council but said he was willing reduce flood risk in urban areas fur- Residential Sales & Lettings Agents Green Belt land. in place. It is important to take a to lend the organisation’s conser- ther down the catchment area. They Enfield Council has allocated precautionary approach and not vation expertise to help with the are considered a ‘keystone species’ £40,000 of external funding to raise expectations.” project. “The way this will become due to their ability to create diverse spend on drawing up its plans for In Devon, wild beavers are now successful is through information habitat for other creatures, which 020 8366 3551 a beaver reintroduction trial in roaming freely, but Mathew said sharing and discussion, to ensure help support the whole ecosystem.” 020 8366 3551 the borough. It has not confirmed that in London it was unlikely you mistakes aren’t made,” he added. Eurasian beavers are native to the The Dispatch is supported where this would happen but could reintroduce beavers without Beavers are known as ‘bio- UK but were hunted to extinction by Chamberlains Estates Mathew Frith, director of conserva- fencing them in. engineers’ and are valued for the in the late middle ages. – turn to page 3 020 8366 3551 020 8366 3551 Residential Sales & Lettings Agents Residential Sales & Lettings Residential Sales & Lettings Agents Residential Sales & Lettings Chamberlains Estates Chamberlains Estates 020 8366 3551 020 8366 3551 2 NEWS No.32 MAY 2021 ENFIELD DISPATCH No cladding fund payout Towers appeal he developers behind a con- troversial 17-storey proposal BY JAMES CRACKNELL T in Southgate have appealed ED. dmonton residents against the decision to reject it. caught up in the nation- Enfield Council’s planning commit- wide scandal over clad- tee last summer turned down the o ding have had their planning application to build 216 N .32 Eapplication to a £3.5billion govern- homes at Southgate Office Village ment fund rejected – despite their after expressing concerns over the balconies posing a fire hazard. scheme’s impact on the adjacent MAY 2021 Leaseholders at Prowse Court in conservation area and its affordabil- Fore Street will have to foot bills ity. But Viewpoint Estates has now Enfield Dispatch is of between £12,000 and £15,000 lodged an appeal with the govern- the borough's free per flat despite not being made ment, which will be determined by community newspaper. aware of the flaws in their build- an upcoming planning inquiry. We publish monthly ing’s design when they moved in. and distribute 10,000 Fire safety standards have been free copies of each tightened in the wake of the Archive move Grenfell Tower disaster in 2017, issue – and we will BY SIMON ALLIN, LOCAL but this has led to thousands of continue to do so DEMOCRACY REPORTER people living in blocks of flats during the ongoing across the country being told that Prowse Court in Fore Street, Angel Edmonton, was built in 2015 local studies archive con- public health crisis. their buildings are now deemed Prowse Court resident Basim shore property investor, Adriatic taining information on Publisher unsafe. It has meant they have Jafar found out last week that Land, which has denied responsi- AEnfield’s history will be David Floyd been unable to move as banks the problem with the building’s bility. Homeground Management moved into the same building as won’t give them a mortgage until balconies was not eligible for any was appointed as freehold manager the council’s head offices. Editor they make the necessary repairs. award from the fund. He told the by Adriatic Land, but said in a state- Councillors confirmed Enfield James Cracknell At Prowse Court, while the main Dispatch: “Our application to the ment last year: “The onus must be Local Studies Library and Archive Designer structure does not have flamma- fund was on a wing and a prayer. on the government to resolve the will be relocated to the ground floor ble cladding, the block’s inset The fund expressly excludes bal- challenges in buildings like this.” of the Civic Centre in Silver Street, Jonathan Duncan balconies are timber-clad and res- conies unless they are integral A government spokesperson Enfield Town. It is currently based Head of Advertising idents have been told it must all be with the cladding. said: “Only buildings which meet on the first floor of the Dugdale Klaudia Kiss replaced. Housing secretary Robert “The government issued advice the criteria for the Building Safety Centre at Thomas Hardy House, but Jenrick launched the government’s on the removal of timber from bal- Fund are eligible for funding. The the council’s decision to move its Head of Operations new cladding fund in February to conies and then went ahead and government has been clear that children and family services staff Paige Ballmi help leaseholders pay the bills they expressly excluded any such work building safety is the responsibil- to the building meant it had to find Engagement Manager have been landed with, but it was from the fund knowing that lease- ity of the building owner and they the archive a new home. Penny Dampier criticised for not going far enough holders would have to pay – and if should meet the costs of remedia- The move has been opposed by and leaving some residents to they can’t pay, forfeit their leases.” tion without passing them on to many local groups, including The Contributors still pay significant costs. Prowse Court is owned by an off- leaseholders wherever possible.” Enfield Society. Emma Kolaru, Leonie Eisenberg, Heather Rose, Olivia Devereux-Evans, Alison Moore, Andrew Warshaw, John Licence review Machin, Vilma Jackson, David Candidates vie for votes BY SIMON ALLIN, LOCAL Williamson, Jodie Webber, DEMOCRACY REPORTER Steven Murdoch, Emma oters in three bor- Chase residents upset at how the and reopen its golf course. Tory Friddin, David Cockle ough wards are due future of Whitewebbs Park has been Andrew Thorp said he would “work proposed Palmers Green to head to the polls handled. Nearly 3,500 people signed to protect our green space” and gambling venue that ran CONTACT on Thursday 6th May, a petition against the council’s invi- “oppose any changes to White- Ainto strong opposition withV one by-election race looking tation for outside organisations to webbs Park”, while Lib Dem Guy from residents will have its Call 020 8521 7956 too close to call. bid to run a large part of the park Russo states in his campaign video licence reviewed. Email EnfieldDispatch@ Eligible voters in Chase, Jubilee in 2019, including its golf course. that he wants there to be “no loss The decision means residents can socialspider.com and Southbury wards will each While no preferred bidder has of free and meaningful public now make their views heard on the get a chance to select one new been announced, controversy was access” as well as “no damage to the licence for a Merkur Slots gaming ADVERTISING councillor.