A planning application for this major residential development on Southbury Road at its junction with the Great Cambridge Road was submitted in March. The scheme has already involved extensive consultation with Enfield Council and the GLA and a public exhibition took place in the autumn 2019.
The scheme will be developed in stages. The first phase will deliver 444 new homes, local retail space, a work hub designed for small and medium businesses and community space including a creche. The later phases will deliver up to 1,356 new homes, a health centre, offices and additional shops.
At present Colosseum Retail Park is car parking and ‘out of town’ retail units. The developer, Blackrock comments that Great care has been placed to deliver a significant amount of high-quality public realm, equivalent to 65 tennis courts, and an architectural style that is sympathetic to the Enfield vernacular. The use of taller buildings maximises the public open space and sunlight and daylight.
In its submission to the draft Enfield Local Plan, the Society pressed for the development of under-used retail parks for residential development on the grounds that this preferable to building on the Green Belt and other open spaces. This scheme will deliver many homes on a brownfield site away from Conservation Areas, Heritage Assets and the Green Belt. On this basis, the Society sees merit in the proposals.
However, the scheme does involve tall buildings including one block at 29 stories. The Society is generally opposed to proposals where the height of a building is excessive for the location and The Enfield Society is therefore raising design issues with the developer.