Maintaining existing employment and encouraging new businesses to set up within the NEE area are critical to ensuring long-term sustainability: this is a place not only to live but also to work.
6.1.1 A key part of the identity of North East Enfield (NEE) is its large areas of thriving industrial estates, including Brimsdown the second largest industrial estate in London after Park Royal. NEE is a valuable reservoir of strategically important industrial land, which is safeguarded and managed in accordance with Enfield’s Local Plan, the London Plan and its supplementary planning guidance to meet the needs of modern industry in an efficient and sustainable way.
6.1.2 Some of the borough’s largest businesses are located in North East Enfield, including Greggs, Warburtons and DHL.
6.1.3 NEE forms part of the London-Stansted-Cambridge- Corridor. The corridor brings together excellent connections to London, Cambridge and Europe, a variety of sites and premises, and a productive population with a diverse range of skills. The economy is built on technology and innovation with a high representation of future growth sectors including life sciences, IT, digital media and clean technology. It is a 21st Century knowledge-driven economy with capacity and appetite to grow. Over the next 20 years it is anticipated that this corridor will deliver 117,000 new homes and 170,000 new jobs. Achieving this requires modest investment by government, the neighbouring Local Enterprise Partnerships, in key rail and road schemes and superfast broadband. These will improve internal connectivity and lead to improved efficiency, innovation, productivity and liveability. Working with the London Stansted Cambridge Consortium, there is an opportunity to reposition NEE as a location for internationally oriented businesses, taking advantage of its relative proximity to Stansted Airport and the economic growth predicted within the Corridor.
6.1.4 The Core Strategy and Development Management Document include strong policies protecting and promoting designated employment land. An overview of the planning policy context is set out in the table opposite.
6.1.5 The Council seeks to exploit its competitive advantage to drive prosperity and growth in the borough. Enfield’s overarching vision is set out in the Business Plan 2012-2015 being: “Our vision is to make Enfield a better place to live and work, delivering fairness for all, growth and sustainability and strong communities”.
6.1.6 From the business plan, one of the key priorities is to “Bring growth, jobs and opportunity to the borough”. The Plan recognises that, “Enfield is beginning to recover from the recession, but it will not be a quick or easy journey, and many residents are still affected by the economic downturn. To ensure a sustainable recovery, we will promote Enfield as a good place to do business, focusing on attracting growth, jobs and opportunity for our residents.”
6.2.1 The Council is developing an Industrial Estates Strategy for the whole of the Borough. This strategy forms a framework for more focussed activity on attracting these investment and job opportunities, and increasing employment density. It has as its starting point a bold and ambitious vision to bring renewed industrial prosperity to Enfield.
The Vision is to build on existing key strengths, such as Enfield’s strong manufacturing and technological legacy of the past to create an even more prosperous and vibrant place that is fit to do business for the 21st century.
6.2.2 In order to deliver this vision, the strategy aims to:
6.2.3 Hence the goal of the strategy is to ensure that the unique assets that Enfield has in terms of its industrial legacy is used to its best extent to bring growth and prosperity for the business and people of the borough.
The overall goal of the Industrial Estates Strategy is to ensure that the industrial estates assets of the Borough are used to their full potential to achieve economic growth and prosperity for businesses in Enfield and to provide stable and well-paid employment opportunities for Enfield’s residents.
6.2.4 In order to deliver the goal, the Industrial Estates Strategy provides a set of four strategic objectives that define in specific and measurable terms what the strategy seeks to achieve. These are to.
6.3.1 In addition to the industrial estates, other types of employment are also important to the local economy - particularly the town and neighbourhood centres, and the two retail parks on the Great Cambridge Road (A10). Planning policy seeks to support town and local centres by directing new retail development to these locations. The retail parks’ role is to complement these centres by providing a distinctly different retail offer. However, recent trends have begun to change the nature of the retail parks:
Policy Context for Chapter 6: Employment and Retail Parks |
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London Plan |
Policy 2.17: Strategic industrial locations Policy 4.1: Developing London’s economy Policy 4.4: Managing industrial land and premises Policy 4.7: Retail and town centre development |
Upper Lee Valley Opportunity Area Planning Framework (July 2013) |
Objective 3 2.1: Employment and industry 2.4: Retail 8.2: Industrial land |
Core Strategy (Adopted Nov 2010) |
Policy 13: Promoting economic prosperity Policy 14: Safeguarding strategic industrial locations Policy 15: Locally significant industrial sites Policy 16: Taking part in economic success and improving skills Policy 18: Delivering shopping provision across Enfield Policy 19: Offices |
Adopted Development Management Document (November 2014) |
Policy DMD19: Strategic industrial location Policy DMD20: Locally significant industrial sites Policy DMD21: Complementary and supporting services within SIL and LSIS Policy DMD23: New employment development Policy DMD24: Small businesses Policy DMD25: Locations for new retail, leisure and office development Policy DMD39: Design of business premises |
Other Sources |
National Planning Policy Guidance Emerging Industrial Estates Strategy (PBA), 2013 Enfield Employment Study (Halcrow), 2006 Enfield Employment Land Update (Halcrow), 2009 Employment Land Review (Roger Tym ), April 2012 Enfield Retail Study Update, 2009 |
 Enfield Retail Park |
 Brimsdown Industrial Estate |
 Innova Park |
 Great Cambridge Road and Martinbridge Trading Estate |
6.4.1 NEE’s designated industrial sites are one of the area’s biggest assets. It includes the cluster of industrial estates comprising Brimsdown to the east, together with estates at Freezywater and Innova Park to the north, and smaller estates to the south, such as Alma Road, Redburn Trading Estate and Meridian Business Park. Queensway and the Great Cambridge Road and Martinbridge Trading Estate lie near to the western boundary of the area.
6.4.2 There is a strong planning policy framework already in place to protect existing employment areas with NEE. The policies in this chapter aim to address issues specific to the NEE area, rather than repeat higher level policy. However, a brief overview of higher level policies is provided below to give context to this AAP. The key higher level policies protecting employment include:
6.4.3 There are six areas designated as Strategic Industrial Locations (SIL) within NEE, and these are:
6.4.4 The London Plan distinguishes between two types of SIL:
Figure 6.1: Employment Areas
6.4.5 Of the six areas designated as SIL, only the Great Cambridge Road and Martinbridge Trading Estate are designated as an IBP - the remaining five are PILs. This means that the Great Cambridge Road and Martinbridge Trading Estate have a unique role to play within NEE in providing a higher quality business environment.
6.4.6 The Queensway Industrial Estate and the Alma Road Industrial Estate are designated as Locally Significant Industrial Sites and afforded a level of policy protection that is lower than SIL.
6.4.7 Where sites are designated as LSISs and are no longer suitable for industrial uses or have been identified through the Council’s place shaping programme as opportunities to contribute to wider regeneration benefits, a progressive release of land will be achieved through the development of comprehensive masterplans, in order to facilitate urban regeneration.
6.4.8 These Core Strategy Policies are supported by policies in the Development Management Document (DMD) which makes clear that only employment related uses will be permitted in designated employment areas, and proposals involving the loss of industrial capacity will be refused.
6.4.9 However, this policy provides a degree of flexibility on the Great Cambridge Road, where the change of use from industrial may be permitted subject to a range of criteria including no significant loss of industrial capacity.
6.4.10 DMD Policy 39, the design of business premises, sets requires new business premises to make efficient use of land and maximise their contribution to the urban environment. the policy sets out a range of criteria which development must meet, of which the following are particularly relevant to the existing industrial estates:
6.4.11 The Council is developing an Industrial Estates Strategy for the whole of the Borough. The draft Strategy assesses existing employment areas within the NEE area, and sets out where the priorities for Council intervention should lie. These priorities have been used to inform policy in this chapter, and the Council will particularly encourage redevelopment of those estates identified as being of ‘high’ or ‘medium’ priority. In summary, the key issues for each of the industrial areas within North East Enfield are:
6.4.12 Brimsdown Industrial Area: The Brimsdown Industrial Area is the largest within NEE, and the second largest in London after Park Royal. It is made up of a diverse range of different areas, including: large distribution / logistics units at Bilton Way and Bancroft Way in the north; small SME units at the Leeside Business Centre; new industrial and distribution units at Delta Industrial Park in the centre of Brimsdown; and a range of smaller units to the south of the area.
6.4.13 Throughout Brimsdown, units are generally well occupied indicating a continued and sustainable demand for this type of cheaper space within the Borough. Some of the issues which affect these estates include inadequate parking provision and congestion resulting from high plot ratios and insufficient turning space for large vehicles.
6.4.14 There is potentially a case for the redevelopment and/or rationalisation should a large part of Brimsdown come forward for redevelopment. However land ownership is complicated and this means that the area does not lend itself easily to simple estate rationalisation.
6.4.15 A major issue for Brimsdown is transport access for employees. Many of the businesses operate shift patterns, and train and bus services are poor or non-existent out of normal nine-to-five office hours. There is a need to improve transport access by all modes. The Northern Gateway Access Package (NGAP) of transport improvements is key to improving access to Brimsdown. Policy in relation to NGAP is set out in the Movement Chapter of this AAP and in the Core Strategy. This chapter identifies less strategic more specific priorities in relation to pedestrian and cycle access.
Priority for strategic action/redevelopment: LOW
6.4.16 Alma Road Industrial Estate: The estate is made up predominantly of Small and Mediums Enterprise (SMEs) – particularly small manufacturing, storage, car mechanics and retail trade units. The estate has some significant issues including a lack of car parking, congestion and its close proximity to residential uses. However, vacancy rates are low and the estate performs an important function.
6.4.17 Short term: the Strategy recommends undertaking a parking and/or transport strategy for the estate in order to try and combat congestion and the problems arising from the lack of parking.
6.4.18 Long term: the strategy makes recommendations to redevelop the estate, where units could be re-provided to one of the Council’s regeneration areas.
Priority for strategic action/redevelopment: HIGH
6.4.19 Redburn Trading Estate: This estate is located in an area undergoing rapid change - the Oasis Hadley Academy has recently opened immediately to the north. Although access to the strategic road network is poor, the estate itself is in acceptable condition and has high occupancy rates. It forms an important part of NEE’s SME employment space offer.
6.4.20 The Strategy notes that there is an opportunity to consider improvements in tandem with the Ponders End South Street Area regeneration proposals.
Priority for strategic action/redevelopment: MEDIUM
6.4.21 Meridian Business Park: This area is made up of a small number of long-term food manufacturing occupiers, such as Snowbird Foods and G.R. Wright and Sons Limited. The estate environment is good, with evidence of individual business security measures, adequate on-premises parking and easy access to public transport (it is next to Ponders End station). The Strategy states that there is no reason to believe that the operators at Meridian Business Park will not continue to be located there in a sustainable way.
Priority for strategic action/redevelopment: LOW
6.4.22 Innova Park: Innova Park is made up of modern office, warehouse and distribution units. Occupiers include John Lewis, Iceland and Sony. Given its good access to the local and regional road network and generous plot ratios, the draft Industrial Estates Strategy recommends that it is more suited for continued logistic and distribution uses.
6.4.23 Innova Park is suited to a long-term use as a distribution centre given its good access to the local and regional road network and its generous plot ratios. There are still design and build opportunities at Innova Park.
Priority for strategic action/redevelopment: LOW
6.4.24 Freezywater: Freezywater is the largest distribution facility on the M25, which combines a Tesco.com and Tesco Express distribution facility. It serves both the greater London area and the home counties. The estate environment is of high quality. Opportunities exist for design and build. This includes a purpose built new e-commerce development for Tesco.
Priority for strategic action/redevelopment: LOW
6.4.25 Queensway: This estate has a broad range of unit sizes. These include small “start-up” units and larger warehouse units (c.1,000 sq m). As an established industrial/ manufacturing location many of the units have high plot ratios. However, the estate has notably low vacancy levels and plays an important role as a centre for local employment, particularly SMEs. The estate is in fragmented ownership and leasehold arrangements are complex. Issues relating to congestion and parking availability are prevalent at this estate.
6.4.26 This estate falls within the Ponders End Central area. Regeneration in this area is guided by the Ponders End Central Planning Brief, 2011. Given that this estate is safeguarded as LSIS, the existing role and function of the estate should be improved to fulfil local employment need. There is an opportunity to improve the estate in tandem with redevelopment at the adjacent sites identified in the Planning Brief (see Policies 10.1 and 10.2 of this AAP). The Industrial Estates Strategy recommends that the Council undertakes a scoping exercise to determine whether access to the site and circulation within the site could be improved in tandem with any redevelopment which comes forward on the adjacent sites.
 Queensway Industrial Estate |
 Brimsdown Industrial Estate |
Priority for strategic action/redevelopment: MEDIUM
6.4.27 Whilst many of the existing employment areas are thriving, improvements are needed if they are to keep pace with the demands of businesses and take advantage of the area’s position in the London-Stansted-Cambridge Corridor. In summary, the key issues arising across the industrial estates are:
6.4.28 Whilst planning policies can help address these issues, many of them also need to be addressed through improved management. The Council will support developers and occupiers by:
Policy 6.1: Improving existing industrial areas Part A: A coordinated approach is required to ensure that the existing industrial areas are kept at pace with the demands of businesses and takes advantage of the area’s position within the London-Stansted-Cambridge corridor. The Council will work with the Government, London-Stansted-Cambridge consortium, neighbouring Local Enterprise Partnerships in key rail, road and superfast broadband schemes to improve internal connectivity and lead to improved efficiency, innovation, productivity and liveability. Part B: New industrial development or redevelopment will be permitted within the industrial areas identified as SIL and LSIS on Figure 6.1 of this AAP. Proposals for new industrial development or redevelopment will be required to contribute to improvements towards access and environmental quality of the estate. Where appropriate, and having regard to viability and the operational requirements, proposal should:
The Industrial Estates Strategy identified some specific actions for key estates. These are: ALMA ROAD INDUSTRIAL ESTATE:
REDBURN INDUSTRIAL ESTATE: The Council will develop a strategy for improvements in tandem with Ponders End South Street proposals. Proposals here should should seek to:
QUEENSWAY ESTATE:
BRIMSDOWN INDUSTRIAL ESTATE Comprehensive redevelopment of parts of the Brimsdown Industrial Estate has the potential to raise the quality of the area and provide modern large floorplate accommodation. Comprehensive site rationalisation will be supported subject to plans meeting other planning policies. Opportunities for new cycle routes that would collectively provide a connected network that would improve access to the Brimsdown Estate for employees will be encouraged. Routes shall have regard to the operational requirements of business and the need to ensure cyclist safety. Redevelopment of existing buildings or new development adjacent to those routes identified as a gap in an existing route or an opportunity for a new cycle route shall ensure that:
Figure 6.2 sets out existing cycle routes within and immediately adjacent to the Brimsdown Estate, and identifies gaps in provision. |
Figure 6.2: Brimsdown Key Routes
6.4.29 Great Cambridge Road / Martinbridge Estate: This is Enfield’s largest employment area outside of the Lee Valley OAPF boundary. The only estate within NEE designated as an Industrial Business Park (IBP). IBP’s are defined in the London Plan as being SIL that is appropriate for firms that need high quality environments and include activities such as research and development (B1b), light industrial (B1c) and high value-added general industrial (B2). They generally require significantly less heavy goods access than SILs and are able to relate more easily to neighbouring alternative uses. Enfield’s approach to this is elaborated in DMD Policy 19.
6.4.30 This IBP area is in transition as a result of a long process of change mostly spanning the last 20 years. It remains in an important strategic location adjacent to two A classified roads (with easy access the M25 and national road network).as well as close proximity to Southbury Station on the Hertford East to Liverpool Street line. It also benefits from frequent bus facilities. Together with adjacent retail park, leisure and other facilities this provide a positive context for business investment in this location. Enfield Council’s aim is to encourage development that supports the area’s role as an Industrial Business Park.
6.4.31 Examples of suitable development include high technology uses, IT and data facilities, flexible modern business space, high quality office renewal, meeting spaces and conferencing facilities. It is acknowledged that there has been some interest in trade counters in this location and there may be some benefit of clustering (e.g. for construction related activities like building, plumbing and electrical supplies) as well as seeking synergy with the retail park. Such uses will need to be carefully considered in terms of ensuring that they are only permitted where they can be shown to have positive effects on employment generation, allow for easy conversion to business space in the future, result in strong physical improvements to the location and do not detract from the functioning of the IBP. Showroom areas for such uses should be limited to no more than 10% of the gross internal floorspace in line with DMD Policy 21.
6.4.32 The character to the south within the Martinbridge area is of high quality, with recently developed employment buildings set within a good quality landscaped parking environment. Car parking is ample and service areas are generous. Lumina Park fronts onto the A10, and is beginning to create a positive edge to this major corridor with the new Travelodge and Toyota car dealership. Sites are available for further development, and it is important that a high quality edge to the A10 is provided through these new buildings and their environs in line with the aspirations for the A10 corridor set out in the Upper Lee Valley Opportunity Area Framework.
6.4.33 However at Progress Way in the south of the estate the units are showing signs of obsolescence and there are issues with under provision of parking.
6.4.34 Although the Man lorry business has an attractive 1930s building fronting Southbury Road, buildings in this location are generally of low quality and fail to positively address the road. The large Asda warehouse has a particularly poor relationship with Southbury Road. There is an opportunity to improve this key ‘gateway’ to North East Enfield through the redevelopment of buildings onto Southbury Road.
6.4.35 The area to the north of Southbury Road is of mixed character, with some large, modern warehouses mixed with office buildings and a number of trade counter operations. With boundaries formed by the railway line to the east and the backs of retail units to the west, this area has an inwardfocussed character. There is an opportunity to improve Baird Road in particular to provide a more efficient and pleasant access for all modes of transport to both the indutrail estate and the adjacent retail park.
Priority for strategic action/redevelopment: MEDIUM
 High quality development at Lumina Park forms part of the Great Cambridge |
 High quality development at Lumina Park forms part of the Great Cambridge |
Policy 6.2: Improving the Great Cambridge Road and Martinbridge Trading Estate Part A: The Great Cambridge Road and Martinbridge Trading Estate is the only Industrial Business Park in NEE. Proposals falling within the IBP will need to demonstrate compliance with the relevant London Plan and Enfield’s Local Plan policies. Other uses will only be permitted in accordance with specific policies within the AAP, or where they would be ancillary and complementary to the overall operation of the IBP. Part B: Redevelopment of existing buildings or new development is required to support the Estate’s role in providing high quality surroundings by:
Part C: Consistent and high quality design including measures to minimise energy use will be sought for all new development. The scale, height, massing, form and materials of new buildings must be compatible with surrounding buildings and with the landscape setting of the IBP. New signage, street furniture and lighting will be expected to comply with the specifications and principles set out in the emerging Enfield Design Guide. |
 Lumina Park includes uses such as an hotel fronting onto the Great Cambridge |
 Ancillary cafe / retail uses at the Travelodge Hotel help support the business |
 High quality development at Lumina Park forms part of the Great Cambridge |
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6.5.1 A key objective of this AAP is creating sustainable neighbourhoods. This includes enhancing the neighbourhood local centres along the Hertford Road, smaller local centres and shopping parades throughout the NEE area so that they provide the day-to-day facilities that people need. Planning policies in the Core Strategy and the Development Management Document (DMD) recognise the importance of the town centres, and support them by directing new retail development to these locations. The Council would ideally like to see all major retail development located within existing centres.
6.5.2 However, there are some types of shopping that are difficult to accommodate within traditional local centres as they require large buildings and good access by vehicle – these are know as bulky goods stores, and typically comprise DIY stores, electrical goods and other large items. The retail parks on the Great Cambridge Road (A10) perform an important role in providing for bulky goods shopping. They are of good quality and serve not only residents of the NEE area, but also people living in the wider area.
6.5.3 The retail parks are located in a prominent position and form an important ‘first impression’ of NEE. The quality of the design of the buildings and public realm is important to creating a positive image for the area. Whilst the role of the retail parks is to provide for shopping that requires access by private vehicle, it is vital that they provide a good environment for access by other modes of transport so that they are well integrated into the wider urban fabric and accessible to all. Improvements to connectivity and the pedestrian environment within the retails parks are therefore important to ensure their long-term sustainability.
6.5.4 Higher level policy set out in the Core Strategy and DMD is clear: out-of-centre retail development should be complementary rather than detrimental to the shopping provision in centres. Of particular concern are the recent trends of sub-division of floorspace to provide units of a size that would more appropriately be located in a Local Centre, and the growing number of food uses. The Council recognises, however, that the existing retail parks have an important role to play in providing modern facilities within NEE.
6.5.5 Core Strategy Policy 18 seeks to protect retail in existing centres, and sets out the circumstances in which new retail may be permitted within the retail parks, which include:
Policy 6.3: Improving the Retail Parks The Council will encourage improvements to the retail parks that create a better approach for pedestrians, cyclists and users of public transport, and improve the pedestrian experience within the retail parks. This will encourage and support modes of transport that are more sustainable than the private car. Figure 6.4 sets out the key principles and these are to:
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Figure 6.4: Retail Park: Public Realm Enhancements
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