Last night the Regeneration & Economic Development Scrutiny Panel met in the Civic Centre. The meeting received a report from May Hope (Plan Making Manager) on the Local Plan. The public documents from the meeting are available here.
The main points of interest for The Society and members are as follows:
- Following the successful campaign by Enfield RoadWatch to have time for Councillors to study the Plan prior to a final vote, a 12-weeks period will follow the publication of the final Plan in December.
- A formal vote on the Plan by full Council will be held in March 2024 after which there will be 6 weeks of “Regulation 19” consultation. It is important that members object to the Plan at this stage, though of course there is nothing to stop lobbying Councillors in the lead-up to the formal vote in March as well.
- 35,000 new homes are planned for Enfield up to 2041, 70% will be on urban/brownfield sites, 30% on the Green Belt. The Council claim that 13% of the Green Belt in Enfield will be taken by the Plan.
- 3,600 homes to be built on Vicarage Farm (called Chase Park in the Local Plan) with potential for 6,150.
- 5,500 homes to be built on Crews Hill (which includes losing the golf course).
- The Council say that taking the Green Belt is justified by (a) the overall housing need, (b) need for affordable homes and (c) the need for family homes. The Council claim that 70% of the housing on Chase Park will be 3 or more bedrooms and further said that urban areas were not suitable for family homes.
- The Council also claim that building on the Green Belt improves biodiversity and flood alleviation.