A proposed new town in Enfield faces criticism, with local opposition arguing it represents poor planning rather than a solution to the borough's housing challenges. According to a letter from Kathrin Spinnler, published today, there is no evidence the development would alleviate Enfield's primarily affordability-based housing crisis.
The Office for Budget Responsibility estimates that proposed planning reforms would reduce house prices by only 0.8% by 2029-30. The development is also said to threaten 884 hectares of Enfield's green belt, including wooded land and farmland. Risks associated with building on the green belt include increased flooding, loss of access to nature, and high car-dependency, which are stated to contradict government and mayoral objectives.
Concerns have also been raised regarding infrastructure, with claims that the added traffic would cause major problems in the north of the borough. It is suggested that the existing rail connections, such as Crews Hill running two to four trains per hour, would not cope with over 40,000 additional residents.
Instead, it is proposed that Enfield should prioritise building up to 37,000 brownfield homes, which is more than the 21,000 homes planned for the new town. The Meridian Water development, intended for 10,000 homes, has delivered only 300 homes over 10 years, highlighting the need for such alternative sites to take priority.