Enfield Society News No. 208, Winter 2017 What is the future for Enfield Town? On 25th September 2017, the consultation period ended for the draft Enfield Town Master Plan. The plan was summarised in the Autumn newsletter and is an advisory document designed to provide a framework for future developments. The Society’s Architecture and Planning Group gave careful consideration to the plan, holding a joint meeting with the Enfield Town Conservation Area Study Three adjacent empty shop units in Enfield Church Street Group and meeting the planning officers involved in the masterplan preparation. The idea of a bridge linking the Tesco should review how market places operate The Plan states that Enfield Town Centre site with the Town Centre is strongly in other towns. now needs to respond to a series of supported because this could be an We noted that the plan does not make challenges and opportunities in order to attractive landscaped feature. reference to any significant consultation successfully define its future. In general terms the lack of any proposals with the Palace Gardens and Palace for community use – schools, childcare, Exchange shopping centres. The number These include: health facilities, sheltered housing etc. – of empty units along Church Street ● A series of site development opportunities, is noted and regretted. If more residential continues to cause serious concern. Some which need a coordinated response to development is encouraged, supporting of these units need considerable control the form, quality and density of community infrastructure is essential. modernisation and yet landlords continue new development. The Society has reviewed the various to charge very high rents. We could not ● The potential for new housing. development sites identified in the report. see any proposals in the plan that will ● Creating high quality public areas for Some of the key site issues are - address this problem. people travelling to, from and through the town. Enfield Town and Genotin Road Portcullis Lodge This site is identified as a site for possible ● Integrating with investment in the car park transport and highways framework. future residential use, but we do not This could be a key transport hub and the ● Respecting the historic character of key support the idea. This area needs to be locations across the Town Centre. Council should press TfL for used to support existing education use or improvements. The car park could be a it could be a site for a new primary ● Ensuring an active, vibrant town centre residential development opportunity, but with well occupied business space and school. The area could be used to open up attractive daytime and evening services for needs to be considered in terms of a the New River path at a point where the the residents of Enfield and surrounding comprehensive review of all the car path leaves the New River Loop. communities. parking in the town centre. Little Park Gardens, Enfield Chase Redevelopment of the St Anne’s School In its response, the Society has agreed site for residential use would be very and Windmill Hill that future proposals and site controversial given the shortage of At Little Park Gardens we support development opportunities need a co- primary school places in the Town and relocation of the bus stand if a new bus ordinated response to prevent unplanned the predicted shortage of secondary station/stand were provided to improve and undesirable development and to places across the Borough. In relation to the bus interchange facilities in the Town. support the struggling retail sector. It also the Tesco site, the Society’s submission Little Park Gardens could be appropriate agrees that the evening economy should agreed that a mixed residential and retail for a landmark building such as a health be supported and developed, but this facility is appropriate. Existing surface centre or sheltered housing, but the site needs careful handing to prevent anti- level car parking is not a good use of should also be seen as a pedestrian link social behaviour. An attempt to provide space, but the height of any new building between Library Green and Gentleman’s more leisure attractions for teenagers and needs to be limited. Row and Chase Green. young adults must not make it more The Metaswitch building and Ross House difficult for families and older people to The Town Centre are both attractive office buildings and use the town centre. It is noted that there The Market Place is at the heart of the continued office use in this area must be is very little for people to do in the Town historic town centre. We would like to see supported. We have asked if any of the in the evenings. permanent stalls being provided. Could buildings can be extended as the current The principle of developing a bus the Council support the Market by occupiers need more office space. Any interchange station is supported. The plan limiting its use as a car park and changes should ensure that the refers to the development of ‘tall’ providing the Charitable Trust with an development is still set back, providing a buildings, although this is not defined. alternative car parking area to support green frontage to Church Street and While the Tesco / Sorting Office site income generation and hence Windmill Hill. The cedar tree in front of could provide opportunities for a tall regeneration of the market? The difficulty Ross House should certainly be retained. building, other sites in the town centre are of supporting a successful market in areas The Magistrates’ Court Building is an not considered to be appropriate as tall where there are not large numbers of attractive Edwardian building that should buildings overshadow surrounding tourists is recognised, but the area is be retained with possible residential, developments and are not compatible unique and essential to the shopping retail or restaurant use in the future. with a historic town centre. opportunities in the area. The Council John West 1 Green Belt, planning and conservation Conservation areas ACVs and related planning issues There are 22 conservation areas in In the summer newsletter we referred to the Council’s revised criteria for designating Enfield. Designation as a conservation buildings as Assets of Community Value (ACV) and the hope that this would lead to area means that there is a duty to more applications being approved. We previously noted that Enfield has only two preserve and enhance the area. To approved ACVs compared to 15 or 20 in similar sized boroughs. There are in fact 3. ensure that this duty is carried out effectively, most conservation areas The Vicars Moor Lawn have a ‘Study Group’ to review planning Tennis Club in applications in the area. Some groups Winchmore Hill was are known as Friends Groups. At regular nominated for ACV intervals, the Group will also assist the status by the members and this was approved. Council in developing and reviewing Unfortunately the ‘character appraisals’ of each area, and approval was not listed preparing management proposals. A on the Council’s character appraisal is an in-depth look at website and this all buildings and anything that makes an omission has now been area distinctive. A management proposal corrected. The tennis looks at the specific ways to preserve club recently and enhance the area. In particular, celebrated its 90th management proposals set out a plan for anniversary and the area over the next five years. remains a thriving and The Study Groups together with the expanding tennis club Enfield Society are represented on the with a very large Council’s Conservation Advisory Group membership, including Vicars Moor Lawn Tennis Club which considers proposals for junior members; no development in each area and advises doubt this helped to secure approval. Well done to Vicars Moor, a good example of a the Planning Committee. Each Study local group working to give their club extra protection in planning terms. Group involves local people who know The Society continues to press the Council to do more to protect community buildings, and care about the area. sports clubs and public houses from redevelopment. In Ponders End, the Society supported an unsuccessful ACV application for the Falcon Public House, now Two of our conservation areas are demolished. On the Hertford Road, society members have been pressing the Council to looking for additional volunteers to protect the old Boundary House pub from demolition. Construction signs have been assist this important work: erected around the Friends of the Lakes Estate former pub and the Council has reminded Conservation Area the developers that If you live in the Lakes Estate planning permission Conservation Area and are interested in for redevelopment has helping preserve its character, the already been refused Friends are looking for an additional and that Planning volunteer to provide general support. A Approval is now key objective is to comment on planning needed before there is applications in the area. Another role is any change of use. The in sharing suggestions on how residents Society believes that a can modernise their homes whilst also Pubs Protection Policy keeping the character of the area. If you similar to the policy are interested in being a Friend, please adopted in Waltham contact the group via Forest and other [email protected] Boroughs would help to give additional Enfield Town Conservation protection to local Area Study Group community pubs and The Group meets one evening a month. this is currently being Like all the Groups there is no discussed with the membership fees or constitution, just a Council. group of local people who consider and review changes to the Conservation John West Area and to think about ways to The Boundary House regenerate the Town Centre.