This document is about the future of North East Enfield1 [NEE], an area stretching from the M25 southwards to Ponders End. It includes the communities of Enfield Lock, Enfield Highway, Ponders End, Turkey Street, and Southbury.
1.1.1 The area covered by this document is shown in Figure 1.1 opposite. The Council is preparing an Area Action Plan2 [AAP] which will provide a comprehensive planning policy framework to guide future development and investment in the area. This document is the ‘Proposed-Submission AAP’.
1.1.2 At first glance the area has much to offer: its diverse neighbourhoods of Ponders End, Enfield Highway, Enfield Wash along the main spine of Hertford Road; the attractive conservation area at Enfield Lock,;thriving industrial areas of Brimsdown and Innova Park; and an area of natural recreation in the Lee Valley Regional Park and Waterways. This area is home to a diverse community of around 77,000 people and approximately a 1000 + businesses, and many people travel to and through the area to work.
 Enfield Wash Local Centre |
Brimsdown Industrial Estate with the boundary of the River Lea |
1.1.3 However, despite its strengths, NEE is also home to some of London’s poorest communities suffering from high unemployment, low skill base, low educational attainment and a higher than average level of benefit claimants. There is a need to regenerate the area, to make it a more attractive place to live and work, with the facilities and services to support its residents.
1.2.1 The regeneration of the area, planning for new sustainable neighbourhoods of homes, businesses and the infrastructure needed to support existing communities and future growth requirements have been ongoing over a number of years through the Local Plan making process. This AAP is needed to achieve sustainable growth for the NEE area in future years and manage the delivery of key development potential in a holistic way.
1.2.2 The AAP is a shared strategy for the variety of stakeholders that live, work, visit and invest in the area. It provides a clear planning policy framework for decisions about existing issues and problems, as well as a guide to inform the future comprehensive regeneration, development opportunities and targeted investment.
Figure 1.1: North East Enfield Area Action Plan Area
1.3.1 The Council has worked closely with its neighbours to ensure that the strategic and cross boundary implications of the NEEAAP have been carefully considered and that this process has fed into the preparation of the plan. The 2011 Localism Act sets out the duty-to-co-operate, which requires such a process.
1.3.2 Those partner organisations that are instrumental to the delivery of the NEEAAP have also been involved throughout its preparations.
1.3.3 The Council’s partners and neighbours in the preparation of the NEEAAP include Transport for London, neighbouring boroughs, in particular Broxbourne Council and Epping Forest District Council, Lee Valley Regional Park Authority3 and the North East Enfield Area Partnership Board.
1.3.4 The North East Enfield Area Partnership Board has been especially instrumental, bringing together and coordinating local people and partner organisations to help make positive changes in the area.
1.4.1 The North East Enfield [NEE] area occupies a key position in a wider growth area. It sits within the London- Stansted-Cambridge growth corridor and the Upper Lee Valley. This is defined in the Mayor’s London Plan as an ‘Opportunity Area’ and is a priority for regeneration, identified within the Opportunity Area Planning Framework [OAPF] for the Upper Lee Valley, July 2013.
Figure 1.2: London And The Wider Stansted Corridor
Figure 1.3: Nee Within The Upper Lee Valley Context And North East Enfield Within Its Immediate Context
1.4.2 The adopted Core Strategy for the Borough highlights NEE as a strategic growth area and Ponders End as a regeneration priority area. Core Policy 40: North East Enfield sets out the objectives for the North East Enfield area; and Core Policy 41: Ponders End recognises the area as a Place Shaping Priority Area, with three areas of future development opportunities identified Including Ponders End Central, Ponders End South Street Campus and Ponders End Waterfront. The broad objectives of these policies include:
The Focus of New Development Opportunities - The focus for change and development will be in Ponders End where there are a number key opportunity sites;
Industrial Estates – North East Enfield’s reputation as a thriving and competitive industrial business location will be enhanced with Strategic Industrial Locations being safeguarded with a continued focus for investment through re-configuration and environmental improvements;
New Housing – Across the North East Enfield area there is scope to develop 1,000+ new homes with a range of typologies and tenures, including affordable housing;
Local Centres and Community Facilities: The local centres will be enhanced to improve the shopping experience, and recreation and leisure facilities. Social and community infrastructure expansion will be supported to accommodate the needs of a growing population; and
Infrastructure Investment: Improvements to public transport and access to the area by car, cycle and on foot in particular. Improvements to the busy Hertford Road corridor to improve the environment for pedestrians and road users alike; more attractive and green links to maximise access east-west to the Lee Valley Park and to the existing communities and employment areas; improvements to north-south pedestrian and cycle routes within the Lee Valley Park; work with its partners to ensure that negative impacts of the proposed new investment in the West Anglia main line are mitigated and the benefits harness; and continued consideration of the Northern Gateway Access Package4 [NGAP] and the likely improvements to accessibility and movement.
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1.4.3 The primary purpose of the AAP is to articulate in greater detail how these policies will be implemented, and to provide a more detailed policy framework to guide new development in the area.
Figure 1.4: Enfield's Local Plan Relationship Of Component Documents
Figure1.5: North East Enfield Area Action Plan Area: Planning Policy Context
1 NEE - North East Enfield.
2 AAP - Area Action Plan is an optional development plan document specified in United Kingdom planning law forming part of a Local Plan.
3 The Lee Valley Regional Park Authority's remit, described in the 1966 Act, embraces aspect of leisure, sport and recreation, including nature conservation and the protection and enhancement of the natural environment. The organisation is not a local authority and is not governed by local authority legislation. However, it often adopts what is considered 'best practice' by local authorities. The Lee Valley Regional Park Authority 'Park Development Framework' sets out the LVRPA's proposals for management and development of the park. It has informed the preparation of this AAP and will be treated as a material consideration in the determination of any planning applications in this area.
4 NGAP - Northern Gateway Access Package - explained on pages 34 and 50 of this report