6.1 Enfield’s economy has incurred a major shift over the last 20 years, with the decline in traditional manufacturing in the UK and particularly London. Having relied on a long established manufacturing base, the Borough has transformed to a broader service-based economy. However, Enfield still has a very high share of declining sectors and a low concentration of the emerging growth sectors of knowledge intensive industries including creative industries, green technology industries, financial and business services, hospitality and other support services. There is an opportunity for Enfield to position itself to take advantage of the growth in these sectors, as well as to create new jobs in sectors where it already shows strength, for example high value manufacturing, public administration and retail.
6.2 In addition, Enfield is affected by the current global economic downturn affecting both the service and manufacturing sides of the economy. A carefully planned strategy is therefore required if Enfield is to recover effectively from the recession, grow its economy in the future, create new jobs and protect itself from the troughs of future economic cycles.
Figure 6.1 Delta Park industrial estate, Millmarsh Lane Brimsdown
6.3 Enfield, and in particular the Upper Lee Valley, undoubtedly has great potential for a successful economic future, as identified in the Upper Lee Valley Economic Vision (NLSA, 2009). Its location between Stansted airport and the London 2012 Olympics and Paralympics Games and its Legacy Transformation in the Lower Lee Valley, presents the area with new locational benefits, building on its existing locational strengths such as proximity to the M25, and Hertfordshire economy and relationship to the markets of an expanding Central London. There is an availability of land in the Upper Lee Valley, much of it waterside land which could be better utilised. Its proximity to water and open spaces of the Lee Valley Regional Park provides opportunities to stimulate the leisure and visitor economy. To reflect this, in its response to the Outer London Commission in May 2009, Enfield identified the Upper Lee Valley as a "super corridor" within the Government's London-Stansted-Cambridge-Peterborough growth corridor, where a sustainable model of economic and housing growth could be developed, based on a network of growth points in Enfield, Haringey and Waltham Forest.
6.4 This chapter therefore sets out an overarching policy to promote economic prosperity and sustainability, supported by a series of policies on employment land, skills, services, and retail and office provision in order to achieve Enfield’s strategic objectives.
6.5 The Core Strategy’s overall objective to promote economic prosperity and sustainability is a long-term one, seeking to strengthen the economy, create new jobs and address unemployment over the next 15 years until 2026. It therefore plans beyond the current economic downturn and takes into account projections that the economy will not start picking up until 2010-11.
6.6 In deciding on a realistic scenario for job growth, the Council has taken into account GLA projections for London as a whole as well as sub-regional and local forecasts for North London (North London Employment Land Study, 2006), Upper Lee Valley (Economic Vision for the Upper Lee Valley, 2009) and Enfield (Enfield's Employment Land Study 2006 and its Update Report 2009; Enfield's Retail and Town Centres' Study 2007, and its Update Report 2009). The evidence set out in Enfield's Skills and Employment Strategy (2008) forms the basis for the policies in this section.
Figure 6.2 Business Innovation Centre, Innova Park Enfield Lock
6.7 The Upper Lee Valley in the east of the Borough is home to large swathes of industrial land. North East Enfield, in particular Brimsdown Industrial Estate, has been the most successful of Enfield's industrial areas. Its strengths include availability of employment land – it has the second largest concentration of employment land in London – quality of the environment, and access to the strategic road network and Hertfordshire economy. As such it has experienced employment growth in a range of sectors including advanced manufacturing, transport, wholesaling and retailing, which has offset the decline in general manufacturing employment. In contrast, Central Leeside suffers from a deteriorating environment and industrial sites that are not attractive to modern business. With a greater concentration of traditional manufacturing activities, Central Leeside has thus suffered more than North East Enfield as this sector declined.
6.8 The Council is taking a proactive approach to investment and sustainable job growth and will plan to exceed the minimum target growth set out in Core Policy 13. To achieve this the Council is developing further work in understanding the local economy and aligning this knowledge to the strategic growth areas and place shaping priority areas. An Economic Assessment is forthcoming and this in turn will inform an Enterprise Framework/Inward Investment Strategy to be adopted later in 2010. This work will inform the preparation of area action plans, master plans and a review of the Core Strategy where appropriate.
6.9 The Core Strategy has two complementary strands. The first is to build on Enfield’s current economic strengths, seeking to maintain the competitiveness of the Upper Lee Valley, to support and grow sectors and businesses that are already established and successful in Enfield. The second is to diversify Enfield’s economy and facilitate the establishment of new growth sectors. This should help to ensure that Enfield’s economy grows in a sustainable way, reducing dependency on traditional sectors by establishing a broader employment base, and providing a range of jobs from the low to the high skilled. The challenge is to identify those locations that are best placed to take advantage of potential growth sectors and the interventions that are required in order to achieve success.
CORE POLICY 13 PROMOTING ECONOMIC PROSPERITY The Council will protect and improve Enfield’s employment offer helping to facilitate the creation of a minimum of 6,000 new jobs from 2010-2026, focusing new growth in the Upper Lee Valley and Enfield’s town centres. Approximately a minimum of 4,000 new jobs are expected to be created in the Upper Lee Valley with the remainder concentrated in Enfield's main town centres and in other place shaping priority areas. Table 6.1 Spatial Distribution of New Jobs
Building on Enfield’s success The Council will seek to maintain the competitiveness of employment sectors that are well established and successful in Enfield, providing support and investment to existing companies in order that they stay in the Borough and to new companies to encourage them to invest. This could include developing more proactive liaison with local companies, establishing more formalised management structures such as Business Improvement Districts (if and where there is support from businesses) and providing more coordinated public realm and infrastructure improvements in business locations. Examples include the logistics and distribution, advanced manufacturing, transport and communications and wholesale, construction, and repair sectors in North East Enfield and retail in Enfield Town. Diversifying the employment base The Council will seek to diversify Enfield’s economy, intervening proactively where necessary to facilitate the establishment of growth sectors that are currently under-represented in Enfield as follows:
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Justification
6.10 The latest GLA borough level employment projections1 indicate that Enfield will see a growth of 6,000 jobs from 108,000 in 2006 to 114,000 in 2026. A growth of 2,000 new jobs is expected by 2016. Although these projections were published prior to the onset of the recession, the Council is optimistic that 6,000 new jobs can be delivered by 2026 through the implementation of the core policies, with a growth of between 1,000 and 2,000 new jobs to 2016 depending on the severity of the recession and speed of recovery. There are several reasons for this. First, both the North London and Enfield Employment Land Studies undertaken in 2005, 2006 and its subsequent Update Report in 2009, provided more optimistic projections than the GLA projections at the time, the differing forecasts being primarily due to greater forecast growth in the transport and construction sectors. Second, the GLA projections and the Employment Land Studies do not take into account the potential growth in new sectors that could be achieved through policy intervention e.g. in Central Leeside and initiatives to improve the educational attainment and skills of local people. Third, the GLA projections, the Employment Land Studies and Enfield's Retail and Town Centres' Study (2007) and its Update Report (2009) are all based on population projections that do not reflect the level of housing growth that is planned for in this Core Strategy, house building and population growth being a strong generator of employment.
6.11 Enfield's Skills and Employment Strategy (2008) identifies that the growth of net new jobs (the net change in total employment resulting from growth of some sectors whilst others contract) represents only a small proportion of the overall gross level of demand, which includes "replacement demand". Replacement demand refers to the jobs created as employers need to hire new people as a result of workers leaving their jobs. It is estimated that Enfield will have nearly 30,000 openings of this type over the next 10 years. This emphasises how important it is to build on the success of existing businesses in Enfield, as well as diversifying the employment base.
6.12 There are a number of business sectors that have been successful in Enfield and are predicted to grow in the future. In North East Enfield, this includes the logistics and distribution, advanced manufacturing, transport, communications, wholesale, construction, and repair sectors that benefit from availability of land, high quality business environment and access to the M25. In Enfield Town, the image and environmental quality of the Town will be improved to retain and attract business, and the success of Enfield Town as the Borough’s main shopping destination will be reinforced by developing additional retail floorspace around Enfield Town station. Although the public sector has been a significant source of local jobs in Enfield to date, this is likely to decline after 2011, and the balance will therefore need to shift towards the private sector.
6.13 Enfield's Skills and Employment Strategy (2008) provides evidence that overall job growth in Enfield is likely to be in the following sectors:
6.14 The first four of these sectors are already well represented in Enfield, the latter three less so. This distinction is shown by analysis presented in the draft Economic Opportunities for the Upper Lee Valley report (2009) which helps to identify the sectors that are successful in the Upper Lee Valley and predicted to grow, as well as those that are growth sectors but are currently poorly represented in the Upper Lee Valley. The Economic Vision for the Upper Lee Valley (NLSA, 2009) also emphasises the potential of housing as an economic opportunity. The London Plan states that 1,000 new residents can create up to 230 jobs through the services needed to support this level of population growth.2
6.15 Central Leeside’s location next to the Lee Valley Regional Park could provide it with the locational advantage required to create a new mixed use residential community, which in turn would generate jobs in construction and higher wage growth sectors, particularly the service industry, as well as create a more varied pool of labour that might attract higher value businesses in growth sectors such as financial and business services, hospitality, retail and creative industries. However, substantial intervention is required to change the balance of land uses from predominantly industrial to mixed residential-leisure-commercial.
6.16 In order to achieve the desired growth in employment in the Borough, policies need to be supported by a coordinated strategy to (a) ensure land is available that is suitable for these uses, (b) develop the local skills base to allow local people to take advantage of new jobs and (c) create new retail and office floorspace in the right places to support growth in the retail and knowledge industry sectors. The remaining policies in this chapter address each aspect of the strategy.
Implementation
6.17 The Council is to undertake an economic assessment during 2010 and this piece of work will help bring forward an Enterprise Framework/Inward Investment Strategy. 6.18 The Employment and Enterprise Board, part of Enfield Strategic Partnership, is responsible for the delivery of the actions set out in Enfield's Skills and Employment Strategy, which forms the basis for the delivery of jobs and the identification of growth sectors.
6.19 The Council will work with local estate management groups to identify and implement Business Improvement Districts and estate improvements, where appropriate.
6.20 The area action plans will identify opportunities for new employment, investment in infrastructure and environmental improvements, in order to attract new businesses in the sectors identified.
Monitoring and Targets
6.21 New jobs created in the Borough will be monitored to achieve a minimum target of 6,000 new jobs by 2026, of which at least 4,000 will be located in the Upper Lee Valley.
6.22 The rate of new business registration per resident population over 16 years old will be monitored to achieve a continued increase.
6.23 The availability of employment land of the right type and in the right location is central to achieving the Council’s policy on economic prosperity and job growth. Most of the Borough’s industrial land lies in the Upper Lee Valley. North East Enfield and Central Leeside together account for 83% of the Borough’s industrial land and provide differing employment offers. Industrial land in North East Enfield is generally of higher quality with larger sites, dominated by the Brimsdown industrial area where primary land uses are distribution/logistics and food and drink manufacturing. At Central Leeside, the employment offer is more diverse with smaller clusters, poorer environmental quality and with declining employment. Whilst broadly speaking, the quality and future viability of employment sites is greatest in the north east of the Borough and gradually declines moving south to Central Leeside, there are some areas in the north which are also underused. In some areas of the Upper Lee Valley, there is a rationale to provide greater protection to employment areas than currently exists.
CORE POLICY 14 SAFEGUARDING STRATEGIC INDUSTRIAL LOCATIONS The Council will safeguard the following sites as Strategic Industrial Locations (SIL) Table 6.2 Strategic Industrial Locations
* This measurement is the gross employment area, excluding main roads and amenity areas. |
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CORE POLICY 15 LOCALLY SIGNIFICANT INDUSTRIAL SITES The Council will safeguard the following sites as Locally Significant Industrial Sites (LSISs) for a range of industrial uses where they continue to meet demand and the needs of modern industry and businesses:
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. The Council is undertaking a review of its own industrial land portfolio to assess the range of the employment offer and the potential of the estates to support enterprise. This will inform the formulation of an Industrial Estates Action Plan and a review of this Core Policy. |
Justification
6.24 The Council’s objective is to strengthen the role of the industrial areas in North East Enfield and Central Leeside which are in employment use. These areas are busy, generally well-occupied, and are strategically important for Enfield, the sub-region and London as a whole. This approach is supported by the findings of the North London (2005) and Enfield Employment Land Study (2006) and its Update Report (2009) and with the initial proposals for a New Plan for London (April 2009).
Figure 6.3 Industrial area, Mollison Avenue Brimsdown
6.25 Evidence suggests that there are a number of sites within some of these areas which are not currently occupied intensively for industry such as land at Meridian Way, Glover Drive, Kimberley Road, and the southern part of Brimsdown. These sites have the potential for change to support urban regeneration within and around these areas that are currently experiencing high levels of deprivation where there are opportunities to maximise the re-use of previously developed land for more efficient uses.
6.26 The Borough has undergone some changes since the adoption of the UDP. The boundaries of the former Preferred Industrial Areas (PIAs), as identified in the UDP, have therefore been reviewed in partnership with the GLA in order to identify and safeguard industrial land which is of strategic importance to London and is appropriate to be designated as Strategic Industrial Locations (SIL).3 The revised designations are illustrated on the proposals map. Following this review, the extent of the former PIAs remains largely unaltered. However, the review has identified scope to release land for mixed use development in a limited number of former PIAs without compromising the overall range and quality of employment land available in the Borough. This has the potential to meet other objectives, such as the regeneration of the Council’s place shaping priority areas in particular – Ponders End and Meridian Water.
6.27 Core Policy 14 reflects the release of approximately 26ha of previously designated employment land for alternative uses at Kimberley Road, the land at Meridian Way and Glover Drive (collectively known as Meridian Water), and a small part of southern Brimsdown. The potential to offset this has been identified through the extension of the SIL designation in parts of Central Leeside and North East Enfield, such as the inclusion of the Edmonton Eco Park, the Aztec 406 development site and Innova Park which together represent a gain of approximately 60 ha4 of land designated as SIL and resulting in an overall borough net gain of 34ha of SIL.
6.28 Core Policy 14 accords with the provisions set out in the London Plan consolidated with alterations since 2004 (2008) and its Supplementary Planning Guidance on Industrial Capacity, which supports the use of surplus industrial land to provide for a mix of other uses such as housing and social infrastructure. It is also is in line with the objectives set out in the Government's Planning Policy Statement 4 (2009): Planning for Sustainable Economic Growth, which stresses the need for a critical approach to be taken towards allocating employment land, particularly land with single or restrictive uses, if there is no realistic prospect of it being used as such during the plan period. PPS4 asks Local Planning Authorities to consider the potential for regeneration in their plans and to prioritise deprived areas for development.
Implementation
6.29 Strategic Industrial Locations will be reflected in the forthcoming London Plan and will thus have the greatest level of protection from redevelopment for alternative uses. They will be divided into two types: Preferred Industrial Locations (PIL) and Industrial Business Parks (IBP). The boundaries of SIL and Locally Significant Industrial Sites (LSIS) are set out on the Proposals Map.
6.30 The Council owns and manages a number of industrial estates in the Borough, some within the place shaping priority areas. The Industrial Estates Action Plan will include an analysis of each estate and consider options for the future including options for use, access, safety and appearance as well as opportunities to support enterprise growth. Phase 1 of the action plan is expected to be completed in 2010.
Monitoring and Targets
6.31 The target to achieve no net loss of employment land designated as SIL will be monitored.
6.32 Previously developed land that has been vacant or derelict for more than five years will be monitored, with a target to modernise or consider a change of use for identified land that falls within an LSIS.
6.33 The Core Strategy's objective to promote economic prosperity and sustainability in the Borough is supported by a robust strategy to improve the skills of Enfield’s population. Enfield’s Skills and Employment Strategy (2008) sets out an action plan to increase jobs and wealth in Enfield, tackle worklessness and poverty and create a more socially cohesive Borough. It includes a number of actions relating specifically to skills, which are reflected in the Core Strategy policy below. Improving the skills of local people is required to (a) ensure that Enfield's residents benefit from the growth in jobs, (b) promote sustainability by providing local jobs for local people, and (c) attract new growth sectors, as new businesses are attracted to places where there are the available skills. Growth in the Upper Lee Valley could also provide a catalyst for improving the skills and opportunities of local people living in adjacent deprived areas and communities.
6.34 Evidence in Enfield's Skills & Employment Strategy (2008) suggests that the new jobs that will be created in the Borough will predominantly require people with higher skills level, although there is still considerable capacity for people with low skills. Research shows that it is difficult for adults with lower level qualifications to improve their qualification late in life, so it is important to get it right first time, in schools, as well as focusing on life-long learning opportunities.
6.35 As well as seeking to up-skill the local population to ensure they can access jobs in the future and improve their own quality of lives, the Council is tackling the problem of worklessness, which has seen the fastest rise in Enfield over the past 3-4 years of all the London boroughs. Unemployment rates are particularly acute in the south and east of the Borough, amongst 18-24 year olds (with the highest number of young claimants being in the Edmonton wards, in Ponders End, Enfield Lock and Enfield Highway), the long-term unemployed and the recently unemployed as a result of the recession. The Council has started to tackle the problem with some success. Achievements include setting up a job brokerage service, Enfield Jobsnet, achievement of Local Area Agreement 1 stretch target E1, and collaboration with the London Boroughs of Haringey and Waltham Forest to establish the tri-Borough North London Pledge initiative to promote skills training initiatives as a pathway to employment. Enfield is building on that success by rolling out North London Pledge 2, with further funding from the LDA, to assist people into work. However, tackling worklessness is a significant challenge due to the complex nature of causes including: 1) poor access to job opportunities; 2) lack of basic employability skills; 3) employer attitudes including discrimination; and 4) specific barriers affecting individuals such as childcare costs and problems of health or disability.
CORE POLICY 16 TAKING PART IN ECONOMIC SUCCESS AND IMPROVING SKILLS The Council is committed to tackling worklessness, creating new jobs in the Borough and working to ensure that local residents are able to access existing and new jobs. To complement Core Policy 8, the Council will work with its partners to:
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Justification
6.36 Improving educational achievement and raising skills levels among the labour market is a wider regeneration objective of various agencies and an important component of delivering the economic vision for Enfield.
6.37 Overall, it is predicted that about 36% of all openings will require an NVQ level 4 qualification - although this varies by sector as follows: Business services (50%), public sector (50%), wholesale/retail (20%), construction (14%), hospitality (14%). Overall, only 20% of new openings will be filled with people who are skilled to level 1 or have no qualifications at all. This also varies by sector as follows: Construction (30%), retail/wholesale (28%), hospitality (27%), business and other services (10%).5
6.38 The Economic Vision for the Upper Lee Valley (NLSA, 2009) recommends that the potential to establish a new higher education/further education institution is explored, in particular to develop the knowledge economy growth sector within the Borough. The study suggests that this would provide a ‘ladder of opportunity’ for local people to access jobs in a growth sector, and for the Upper Lee Valley to be a magnet for businesses in knowledge industries. This would improve skills of the current labour market, and provide the knowledge and research infrastructure aligned with particular growth sector or opportunity such as employment or recycling technologies. Up-skilling the workforce also allows local residents to compete more effectively for higher order jobs elsewhere in Enfield and Central London/the City. It is suggested that an alliance could either be forged with an existing education partner (such as College of North East London and Middlesex University) or with another establishment, such as the University of East London.
Implementation
6.39 New outreach employment services will be developed in the place shaping priority areas such as Ponders End and Edmonton Green.
6.40 The Council will develop Employment Education Partnerships and investigate an alliance with an existing education partner or another establishment to upskill the local workforce to compete more effectively for higher order jobs.
6.41 The Council will undertake a Local Economic Assessment to provide the context and evidence to underpin an Enfield Economic Development Strategy which supports businesses and business enterprise. Monitoring and Targets
6.42 Qualifications will be monitored to achieve an increase in the proportion of Enfield's residents who are qualified to level 2 as a minimum to 70% by 2010, in accordance with the provisions of Enfield's Skills and Employment Strategy April 2008 to March 2011.
6.43 Economic activity will be monitored by measuring the percentage of Enfield's population in employment, to achieve an increase in employment in the Borough as a whole and in the worst performing neighbourhoods, in accordance with the provisions of Enfield's Skills and Employment Strategy April 2008 to December 2011.
Enfield's Town Centres
6.44 Figure 6.4 Palace Exchange shopping centre, Enfield Enfield's town centres are the most accessible locations in the Borough with significant potential to promote sustainable development. They are key locations for a diverse range of uses and activities such as retailing, leisure, offices, cultural activities, housing and community facilities. Many of these activities significantly contribute to the local economy by providing jobs and retaining expenditure within the local area. It is therefore vital that the Borough’s town centres continue to provide for a range of goods, services and facilities to meet people’s needs.
Figure 6.4 Palace Exchange shopping centre, Enfield
6.45 The London Plan categorises London's complex pattern of town centres into five types according to function and the area they serve. Within the hierarchy, Enfield Town is designated as a Major Centre and Southgate, Palmers Green, Edmonton Green and Angel Edmonton are designated as District Centres. This hierarchy is supported within the Core Strategy. Health checks for these town centres(44) indicates that some of these centres are not performing as well as others. Edmonton Green and Angel Edmonton are identified in the draft London Plan as town centres where existing capacity can be utilised to support wider regeneration objectives.
6.46 Within the Borough there are over 70 local shopping centres and parades, these vary significantly in terms of their size and mix of uses. However they play an important role in ensuring that residents have access to a basic range of small shops and services. 17 of these Local Centres are defined as 'large'.
CORE POLICY 17 TOWN CENTRES The Council will strengthen the role of Enfield's town centres by focusing new commercial, retail, leisure, office, residential and other appropriate social infrastructure related uses, such as police facilities within the centres according to the Borough's town centre hierarchy identified in Table 6.3, using the sequential test to direct development to appropriate sites.
Town Centre Management The Council will work with its partners to support town centre management initiatives which enhance the vitality and viability of centres and improve the quality of the environment, and conserve and enhance the historic, archaeological and architectural heritage within them. |
Justification
6.47 The concentration of new development within the Borough's town centres will help to maintain, enhance and support their vitality and viability. This is in accordance with national policy, the London Plan and the Sustainable Community Strategy objective of strengthening the Borough's town centres.
6.48 Enfield’s Town Centre hierarchy is based on the shopping hierarchy within the London Plan, and the findings of the Enfield Town Centre Study (2007) and its Update Report (2009). Table 6.3 illustrates the hierarchy.
Table 6.3 Enfield's Hierarchy of Town Centres
Status |
Centre |
|
Major Town Centre |
Enfield |
|
District Centre |
Edmonton Green |
Southgate |
Large Local Centre |
Baker Street |
Hertford Road Central |
Small Local Centre |
Aldermans Hill |
Hertford Road South |
Local Parades |
Barrowell Green |
Hoppers Road |
* Meridian Water - Proposals for a new local centre of no more than 2,000sqm gross for A1 – A5 uses are proposed, to meet the day to day needs of the new local community, as part of the Central Leeside Area Action Plan proposals to regenerate the area.
6.49 The Government's Planning Policy Statement 4 (PPS4) Planning for Sustainable Economic Growth, (2009), identifies the situations when the designation of new centres may be appropriate. New centres may be appropriate in areas of where there are deficiencies in the existing network of centres (with priority given to deprived areas). Enfield has four strategic growth areas where substantial new growth is anticipated, with the most significant change taking place at Meridian Water within Central Leeside.
6.50 Night time recreation, leisure, cultural and arts activities can play an important role in local economies and communities. A more diverse evening and night time economy in Enfield could attract a wider range of visitors and residents to the town centre at night, including those who feel excluded from alcohol-driven entertainment activities. However, late night entertainment activities can have disadvantages. Often fuelled by alcohol, effects can include noise, littering and anti-social behaviour, which then create problems and fear for local residents and visitors. The Council supports the development of the evening and night time economy in Enfield Town and the four district centres, provided any negative impacts are managed. The Council will consider the establishment of an Entertainment Management Zone, an area including entertainment venues and other elements of the evening economy, designated by the Council, in which planning, licensing, policing, transport and street management issues are managed and co-ordinated. Restrictions on opening hours for food and drink establishments (ifnot adequately covered by licensing laws) and criteria for assessing applications for night time economy, will be contained in the forthcoming Development Management DPD.
6.51 The use of the upper floor(s) of shops for commercial, residential and other uses contributes to the vitality and viability of the Borough's town centres. The Council supports the use of vacant and underutilised floorspace above shops, proposals for such uses need to be considered against the impact that they may have on the amenity of local residents and on existing town centre uses (detailed above), and on the amenity of users of the potential development. Criteria for assessing planning applications that seek to utilise the floorspace above shops will be set out in the Development Management DPD.
6.52 Heritage assets are often concentrated in town centres; PPS4 indicates that these assets if conserved and enhanced are important in promoting and sustaining town centre vitality and viability. Many of the Borough’s town centres are designated in part as Conservation Areas for example, Southgate district centre and the major centre at Enfield Town. Town centre proposals which impact on heritage assets will be assessed against criteria contained in Core Policies 30 relating to maintaining the quality of the built and open environment and 31 which applies to preserving and enhancing built and landscape heritage.
Implementation
6.53 Major town and district centre boundaries will be defined in the Development Management Document. The proposed new local centre at Meridian Water will be defined in the Central Leeside AAP.
6.54 The Development Management DPD will contain criteria for assessing planning applications for: a) the night time economy and b) for proposals for residential, commercial and other uses above shops.
Monitoring and Targets
6.55 The total amount of floorspace for town centres uses in both town centres and the local authority area will be monitored to meet the targets identified in the Retail Study Update (2009).
Retail
6.56 Ensuring that everyone has access to a range of shops which meet their needs, in a sustainable way, is important to delivering Enfield's sustainable communities agenda.
6.57 The LDF's role is to set out a proactive strategy for shopping, which is focused on directing new retail development such that it contributes to delivering the economic vision, improving existing retail hierarchy and planning for future growth. The task is to promote the vitality and viability of the town centres, encouraging a wide range of shopping and other services which allow for a genuine choice, in a good quality environment, with a vibrant mix of activity, which is accessible to all.
Figure 6.5 Arnos Grove local centre, New Southgate
6.58 The town centre hierarchy established here in the Core Strategy sets the framework for distribution of new shops and services in Enfield’s town centres. Future growth will be guided by the hierarchy as well as projected increase in demand in the Borough and the availability of land for new development. Enfield's Retail and Town Centres' Study (2007) and its Update Report 2009 are the main evidence guiding the Council’s decisions regarding the distribution of retail floorspace for the short term up to 2015. The studies considered on the one hand future demand, by projecting future population growth, and on this basis calculated the anticipated increased demand for shopping in the Borough. On the other hand, the studies considered the supply of land suitable for retail development in the Council’s town centres.
CORE POLICY 18 DELIVERING SHOPPING PROVISION ACROSS ENFIELD The Council will protect existing retail uses in the Borough's centres as set out in the hierarchy in table 6.3, encourage new retail in town centres and promote new shopping development which contributes positively to the delivery of Enfield's economic vision for delivering sustainable communities. Delivering new provision The Council will plan to meet demonstrated shopping need, including the needs of disadvantaged communities and of a growing population, through the provision of a full range of shopping facilities, focused on the Borough's centres. The projected growth in gross comparison floorspace, including an allowance of 10% for other town centre uses, which will be planned to be delivered over the Plan period is set out below in table 6.4. Table 6.4 Projected growth in comparison goods floorspace and other town centre uses
In the short term first five years of the Plan period approximately 41% of the proposed additional comparison goods and other town centre uses floorspace should be accommodated within Enfield Town, this is based on current shopping patterns. The remaining 59% will be distributed across the district centres and local centres as follows: Table 6.5 Town Centre Status & Proposed Growth to 2015
In the medium to long term, the Council will seek to encourage a greater proportion of comparison goods and other town centre uses growth within Edmonton Green and Angel Edmonton district centres in tandem with the regeneration of Meridian Water, and as opportunities arise to improve these town centres, and to support wider economic and social regeneration objectives for the area as set out in Core Policy 39. No sites have been allocated for food store development at this stage due to draft proposals under consideration regarding the provision of new food stores near the Borough boundary. If implemented these proposals would meet the projected need for convenience shopping for Enfield up to 2020. Protecting retail uses in town centres In Enfield Town and the district centres, retail uses will be protected as the main function within the primary shopping areas. In the local centres, a range of facilities and uses will be encouraged consistent with their scale and function in the hierarchy, to meet peoples' day to day needs whilst preserving the predominance of retail uses within the centres. The level of non retail uses permitted will be specified in the Development Management Document. Where it can be demonstrated through the sequential test that retail development cannot be accommodated in or on the edge of the Borough's centres, appropriate development could be directed to existing retail parks. If it can be demonstrated, following an impact assessment that there will not be a negative impact on a) the vitality and viability of existing centres, b) planned investment in centres, and c) that the development increases the overall sustainability and accessibility of the retail park in question. |
Justification
6.59 The London Plan encourages net additions to town centre capacity and additional comparison goods capacity in larger town centres. Enfield's Retail and Town Centres' Study (2007) and its Update Report 2009 support this. The 2009 Study Update indicates that baseline projections7 be used when identifying sites to accommodate comparison retail development, but the scale and timing of development within the strategic growth areas, and competing out of borough retail development (such as the proposed Brent Cross extension), be monitored at this stage.
6.60 The 2009 Study Update indicates that there is potential in the Borough up to 2015 for an additional 19,140 square metres gross of comparison goods floorspace and other uses generally found in town centres such as bars, restaurants and cafes, over and above existing commitments. 90% of this is predicted to be for comparison goods. Vacant premises and small development opportunities within the Borough’s main town centres could absorb some of this short term demand. Table 6.5 indicates those centres where the Council proposes to accommodate the growth in comparison floorspace. However, due to current market conditions and the effects of the recession, it seems unlikely that major town centre developments can be delivered by 2015. Recognising the time it will take to secure major developments, it is necessary to take a longer term view and the projections up to 2020 have been considered. By 2020 the Study indicates that there will be demand for 51,600 square metres more comparison goods floorspace, including a 10% allowance for other town centre uses. This will rise to 85,300 square metres by 2025.
6.61 There are a number of potential development opportunities within Enfield Town, but Enfield's Retail and Town Centres' Study (2007) identified only one area in the vicinity of Enfield Town Station is capable of accommodating a significant amount of additional floorspace in the medium to long term. The Council’s aim to reinforce the role of Enfield Town as the focus for a range of shopping and complementary activities is in line with the Sustainable Community Strategy and the London Plan.
6.62 The draft London Plan8 identifies Enfield Town, Edmonton Green, Angel Edmonton, Palmers Green and Southgate as town centres with moderate levels of demand for retail, leisure or office floorspace with the physical and public transport capacity to accommodate it. Edmonton Green and Angel Edmonton are recognised as centres in need of regeneration including physical, environmental and economic renewal. The masterplan for Edmonton will seek to regenerate the physical, environmental and economic fabric of the area, and will identify sites to accommodate retail growth. The above Core Policy supports this approach. An area scheme to improve the street scene in Southgate town centre will also be pursued to complement works already planned to reduce street clutter in the area. Further physical, social and economic improvements to the town centre will be supported to supplement these planned works. Core Policies 17,18 and 19 support this approach to promote the wider social and economic role of the Borough’s town centres.
6.63 The 2009 Update Report indicates that there is some potential for convenience goods (food and grocery) floorspace up to 2015 (about 1,800 sq m net), primarily within the Southgate area. However, given the uncertainty regarding the provision of new food stores near the Borough boundary, no sites have been allocated for food store development. Depending on the implementation of these stores there may be a requirement for food store development between 2015 to 2020, but the scale of development required is unclear at this stage.
6.64 The extent of protection of all the Borough's centres and retail parks will be reviewed, and any changes to boundaries will be identified within the Development Management Document.
6.65 Enfield's Retail and Town Centres' Study considers that there is a continuing need to designate separate primary and secondary shopping frontages within Enfield Town's primary shopping area and to adopt policies to protect Class A uses. The Study recommends a simpler approach to the district centres by defining a primary shopping area rather than separate primary and secondary frontages and to develop criteria to prevent the over concentration of non retail uses within them. The primary shopping areas for each of the district centres will be defined in the Development Management Document.
6.66 The Borough is well served by retail parks with Enfield and De Manderville Gate retail parks close to the A10 and the Ravenside and Angel Road retail parks lying either side of the North Circular Road. Together they provide over 40% of the existing comparison sales floorspace in the Borough. Traditionally retail parks provide large format premises for bulky goods retailing (that is, DIY, furniture, carpets and electrical goods) however, they have a legacy of being heavily car dependent. National policy and the London Plan acknowledges this in advocating that a sequential approach should be taken in assessing, a) proposals for out of centre retail and leisure developments and for b) the intensification or expansion of existing out of centre retail and leisure developments. Furthermore, proposals should seek to reduce car dependency, traffic generation and improve public transport access as a means to promote more sustainable forms of development.
6.67 PPS4 requires an impact assessment for retail and leisure proposals above 2,500 square metres gross that are not in an existing centre. An impact assessment may also be required for smaller scale proposals where the nature of the proposal is likely to have a significant localised impact on a designated centre(s).
Implementation
6.68 The Development Management Document will define the: a) primary shopping areas for the major and each of the district centres; and b) the primary and secondary frontages for Enfield Town; and c) the criteria to prevent the over concentration of non retail uses within town centres.
6.69 The Edmonton Masterplan will identify sites to accommodate some of the proposed growth in comparison goods shopping.
Monitoring and Targets
6.70 The total amount of retail floorspace (A1 use class) in town centres and within the Borough will be monitored to meet the targets identified in the Retail Study Update (2009).
Offices
6.71 Enfield Town and Southgate are the main focus of office accommodation in the Borough. However, much of the existing floorspace dates from the 1950s and 1960s, and some of these appear obsolete. At the same time, there is a shortage of affordable accommodation for small businesses for which an accessible town centre location is ideal. Given the relatively limited demand from major occupiers for office uses in outer London locations such as Enfield, and competition from emerging new centres such as Stratford, a careful approach needs to be taken to managing the supply and location of office uses in the Borough, focusing on the locations that are likely to be most successful.
Figure 6.6 Innova House, Innova Park Enfield Lock
CORE POLICY 19 OFFICES The Council will:
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Justification
6.72 The London Plan identifies that there will continue to be some demand for office based activities outside Central London. For the North Sub Region (London Boroughs of Enfield, Haringey and Barnet) demand for office floorspace from 2006 to 2026 will be considerable (2.7 million sq m). However, anticipated demand for floorspace is less than originally envisaged in the 2004 London Plan. Although no single town centre or out of town location in Enfield is identified within the London Plan as being of strategic significance for office uses, the Plan recommends that boroughs should manage structural change in the office market (for renewal and new development of office stock) in a few key strategic locations such as town centres and business parks.
6.73 The GLA’s London Office Policy Review (2007) recommends concentrating on encouraging offices in town centres and business parks with the greatest potential for growth, where public transport and access to Central London is already good, and where there is an opportunity to provide good quality office space and reinforce identity through a mix of residential, retail leisure uses and good quality public realm. In Enfield, Enfield Town and Southgate are identified as the main office locations.
6.74 Enfield's Retail and Town Centres' Study (2007) draws on existing land use data to suggest that commercial town centre developments could include approximately 20% Class A2/B1 ground floorspace and 35% of all floorspace to be devoted to B1 office use (equivalent to that of at 11,000 sq m by 2017). If this is achieved, this would represent about 25% of the borough-wide projection (44,600 sq m) set out in the London Office Policy Review up to 2016, which is broadly consistent with the existing office stock in town centres. The findings of this study are broadly supportive of the GLA's suggested approach i.e. that Enfield Town and Southgate can be promoted as locations for office provision, as part of wider mixed use schemes, and that other centres in the Borough should not be actively promoted for office development. Office development in other centres is likely to be small scale.
6.75 Enfield lacks suitable accommodation for small businesses. Where it exists, it is well occupied, for example the BIC site and BIC2 at Innova Park. Enterprise Enfield has recently reported a huge growth in enquiries from people seeking to set up a new business, however there is a limited supply of suitable premises in Enfield.
Implementation
6.76 The Enfield Town Area Action Plan will identify the mix of uses including the amount and location of new office development in the vicinity of Enfield Town Station.
6.77 Criteria for assessing proposals for change of use of offices to alternative uses within town centres will be detailed in the Development Management DPD.
Monitoring and Targets
6.78 The total amount of office floorspace (B1 use class) in town centres and the Borough will be monitored to meet the target to accommodate new office floorspace around Enfield Town station.
1 The Working Paper No.20 employment projections by sector and borough, Source GLA Economic February 2007.
2 Based on evidence from Professor Michael Batty of UCL (Batty M More Residents, More Jobs, the Relationship Between Population, Employment and Accessibility in London: A Review of the Report from the GLA Economics, GLA, 2007).
3 Further details of the review of Strategic Industrial Locations is set out in Enfield's review of Employment Land Designations - Further background to the Submission Core Strategy (May 2010).
4 (Edmonton Eco Park approx 16ha + the Aztec 406 development site approx 18ha + Innova Park approx 26ha)
5 Source: Enfield's Skills and Employment Strategy: April 2008 to March 2011
6 An area including entertainment venues and other elements of the evening economy, designated by the Council, in which planning, licensing, policing, transport and street management issues are managed and co-ordinated.
7 The GLA's March 2009 population growth projections form the baseline for the Retail Study Update
8 Consultation Draft Replacement London Plan GLA October 2009
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