The recent local elections brought some big changes to councils all over England. Some now have a completely different party leading them. This can have a monumental impact on key things, including views on significant projects. That has happened in Enfield, North London. We want to have a closer look at it here, and what it could mean for the future. Then, if you need help from a creative architect in London, you can speak to us.

A crucial decision

Enfield Council is now under Conservative control, switching from Labour. New Leader, Councillor Alessandro Georgiou, was quick to make a massive change to the Council’s stance on development in the borough. He has formally withdrawn the area from the New Towns programme, following up on an election pledge to oppose the plan and protect Green Belt land.

The New Towns programme is one of the cornerstones of Labour’s goal to build 1.5 million new homes. There has been a huge amount of work on the proposals, including refining the list of locations for development. Notably, earlier this year the list was narrowed down to the seven with the best prospects. It includes Crews Hill in Enfield.

Crucially, the proposal for a New Town in Crews Hill would see the delivery of up to 21,000 new homes. The aim is for as many as 50% of them to be affordable. The plan got support because the area has existing transport links, including an “underutilised” station. It provides easy connections to the major labour markets in the city. Trust us if you need help from a leading architect in London.

What next?

The Conservative Enfield Council said they are still focusing on delivering more new homes in the borough. However, they won’t do it at the cost of “precious green spaces”. Instead, they will have a Brownfield-first approach. It will involve identifying underused land for development and focusing on regenerating town centres.

So, is the plan for a new town at Crews Hill dead? Interestingly the answer is no. The formation of a development corporation would take the decision out of the Council’s hands. A spokesperson for the Government said they “will back mayors” to push through plans if necessary. Crucially, they will continue to make decisions on New Towns with a focus on the national interest. So, it is likely there will be a challenge to the decision to pull Enfield out of the programme. The Mayor of London’s office said it will also work with the council and local people on the plans for Enfield.

Plan a project with a leading architect in London

It will be very interesting to see if the plans for Crews Hill do move forward in the future. Whatever the decision, it is clear that we need more housing in England. They should be high quality, sustainable homes in fantastic locations with the right infrastructure to support them.

We’d love to help if you have a project in mind. Coffey Architects has experience with all kinds of projects, including new builds, redevelopments, and more. Most importantly, we know what it takes to create wonderful places, ensuring they are locations where people want to live and can also thrive.

So, get in touch and run your ideas past an award winning architect in London. We can explore all of the key elements with you, including light, space, sustainability, and more.