10-12-24  An update on the examination and hearings.

As you’ll remember, the council submitted its local plan to the Secretary of State on August 6 and a Planning Inspector, Steven Lee, was appointed to assess whether or not the plan is sound and can be made official. A Programme Officer, Annette Feeney, was also appointed. In the weeks since then, Enfield RoadWatch and The Enfield Society have been working with the Local Plan team to make sure that all the representations have been included.  Approximately 15,000 were submitted and, throughout this process, there have been issues with the council’s database:  thousands were missing, some were mis-attributed and in many cases the summaries were incorrect or linked to incorrect representations.  The Planning Inspector is fully aware of the situation and it will be discussed in the hearings.

Although the database has improved somewhat, hundreds of representations are still missing and other issues continue. However, at this stage we need to concentrate on preparing statements for the hearing sessions which start on January 22, 2025 so we have decided not to pursue the remaining missing representations.  But you can still push for yours, if they are missing.  Here’s what to do:

• Click here
• Scroll to the bottom of the page where you’ll see two versions of the Representation Database. Open the XLSX version
• Use Ctrl F to search for your name and representation.
• If your representation is missing and you have proof that it was sent [either an email acknowledgement from the Local Plan server or a copy of what you sent showing the date and time] then email Hayley.Harding@enfield.gov.uk with the information and copy Annette.Feeney@enfield.gov.uk and request that your representation be added.

As mentioned above, the Local Plan Examination Hearings have been scheduled to start on January 22.  These are the Stage 1 hearings and there will be 12 sessions over 6 days, covering the big and strategic issues:  Legal Compliance and General Matters, Spatial Strategy, Site Selection Methodology, Housing Need and Requirement, Employment Land and Green Belt.  You can see the details here.

Enfield RoadWatch and several other local groups are requesting seats at the table.  The Programme Officer has advised us that there will be a very small public area in the main room, an overflow room to watch the proceedings remotely and that all the sessions will be streamed. More details to follow nearer the date.

In the meantime, we are working with our expert advisers to write hearing statements, which are due on January 8th. These statements respond to specific questions asked by the Planning Inspector and must advance, not repeat, our arguments – but there is plenty to be said.

For the time-being, apart from checking whether your Regulation 19 submission was received and recorded, we don’t have any action items for you – except to enjoy a safe and happy holiday season.  Thank you for all you have done over the past few years to protect Enfield’s Green Belt. It’s hard to believe but we started campaigning 9 years ago! We remain optimistic that our combined efforts will pay off.

17-10-24    During the past few weeks, we and The Enfield Society have been working with the Local Plan team and the government Planning Inspector’s Programme Officer to include as many of the missing representations as we can. It seems that 2,659 were missing from
those submitted up to 10am on May 20 alone. These were all backed up by hard copies, which were delivered to the Civic Centre at 3pm on May 20. We are reasonably confident that these will all be included in the next version of the index and consultation statement when they come out. More than 650 representations were submitted after 10am on May 20 and we won’t know until the next index release how many of those are included. We will do our best to rectify any omissions from that set but it may be harder without proof of submission. If you submitted your representation after 10am on May 20 and find that yours is not included in the next index and, crucially, if you have an email proving that it was sent before the deadline, please let us know and we’ll let you know what to do.

In the meantime, there are a couple of other issues which need your input, please:

1. The council is consulting on locations for Traveller sites in the borough. The Traveller Local Plan [Regulation 18] consultation runs until 5pm on November 4.

This survey can be completed by emailing a response to travellerlocalplan@enfield.gov.uk
Tor by completing the survey at:     https://letstalk.enfield.gov.uk/traveller-local-plan/surveys/traveller-local-plan-questionnaie

You will need to be registered to use the survey [And, yes, there is a typo in the link!]

Here is the background. Enfield will require 30 permanent Gypsy and Traveller pitches, as well as a transit pitch to accommodate at least 15 caravans simultaneously, during the plan-period i.e. up to 2041. The Council originally considered 11 sites from which they have chosen 5. Those 5 will deliver in excess of 52 pitches, so far more than is required.

Two of the sites are the proposed new residential developments at Vicarage Farm [Chase Park – TLP-10] and Crews Hill [TLP-11] No specific locations have been proposed so the suitability cannot be assessed. However, the landowner of Chase Park has not agreed to include Traveller pitches so Chase Park should be excluded. With regard to Crews Hill, the Council owns some land that might be suitable but, without knowing if that’s the site they are proposing for a Traveller Site, it is impossible to assess the location at this stage.

Part of Edmonton Skate Park on the A10 is also proposed [TLP-09]. This site seems inappropriate because of traffic concerns, including large caravans entering and exiting the site, the small size of the site, and the noise and pollution from the A10.

There is also a site on The Ridgeway near to St John’s School [TLP-03] This site is problematic for the following reasons: the speed of the traffic in that location, which is known for accidents; the site’s remoteness from public transport and amenities; the
configuration of the site and the fact that it is Green Belt.

The former tree nursery at Bulls Cross [TLP-01] is the final site under consideration. The main objection to this site is the impact on the surrounding conservation area and the narrow road system.

Suitable sites must be found for the required number of pitches but we do not believe that the Council has proposed the most appropriate. Meridian Water is close to road and public transport networks and amenities and could provide space for a permanent or transit site. For the same reasons, land in the Southbury placemaking area could be set aside. Or land in the Brimsdown area. Additional sites around the borough that are close to road networks, public transport and amenities are also being proposed by our partner organisations.

Please have your say on this one!

2.   Fairview New Homes recently submitted a planning application for work on trees in the Enfield Road fields that they have managed for the London Diocese for over 10 years. We use the word ‘managed’ loosely as the fields have largely been allowed to re-wild, except
for the grazing of a few horses. It therefore seems suspicious that this application comes just after we submitted the fields as a potential site for the GLA’s Local Nature Recovery Strategy and included the habitat survey that was completed last year, which suggested
sufficient biodiversity for the fields to be considered as a Local Wildlife Site [SINC].  2023 Enfield Road Fields habitat survey

The application is 24/03061/TPO and can be found at:
https://planningandbuildingcontrol.enfield.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=documents&keyVal=SJN97KJNIWQ00

Once you have registered, you can comment on the application. Please respond by October 30.

If you would like to see what Enfield RoadWatch submitted click here.

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13/9/24  Thanks again to the thousands of you who responded to the recent Regulation 19 consultation and to those who let us know that their submissions were not in the council database. We corresponded with the Planning Inspector, Steven Lee, about all the omissions [well over 1,000] via his Programme Officer and that prompted some action.

Some of you may have received an email from Annette Feeney, the Programme Officer, with the letter sent to the council.  The full letter can be seen on the council’s local plan examination website.  With regard to the missing representations, Mr. Lee says:   I have been informed by the Programme Officer that some issues have been identified with the database of representations made at the Regulation 19 stage…. It is, of course, imperative that I have access to all the representations made. Please keep the Programme Officer informed of progress on this work and any further issues that arise.  The council have until midday on September 30 to provide a timetable for correcting the above – and a deadline of midday on November 1 to respond to the Inspector’s other questions.  Of course, once we hear that the council has corrected the database, we will do some more checking and notify the Inspector if there are still omissions.

We don’t know at this stage what impact any of this will have on the examination schedule, but we are already preparing for the hearings so we will be ready whenever they happen [which might not be until early next year].

In the meantime, an important consultation is under way that will impact the longterm future of the Green Belt. The new government is proposing planning reforms that will severely weaken protections.  You can find all the information here.  Please take the time to make your opinion known.

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8/8/24 The council has submitted the local plan to the Planning Inspectorate. If you made a representation/objection to the recent Regulation 19 consultation, which closed on May 20, please check that it has been included. Go to the index athttps://www.enfield.gov.uk/__data/assets/excel_doc/0031/61789/Reg19-Representation-index-Planning.xlsxand search for your name or organisation. Note the 5 digit number then go tohttps://www.enfield.gov.uk/services/planning/new-enfield-local-plan/elpexaminationand type that number into the search box. It should bring up whatever you submitted.  Let us know if anything is missing

6/8/24   Please object to Spurs planning application for Whitewebbs. Deadline August 13  Spurs submitted numerous amendments to their planning application so there is a new deadline of Tuesday, August 13 at 5pm. If you haven’t yet objected or if the new information contains some objections you haven’t yet made, please respond to Planning Application 24/00987/FUL. You’ll find instructions, a synopsis of the arguments and much more information, including maps and illustrations of what is proposed and an example of the comment form, at the Whitewebbs website

At the time of writing, the campaign is still waiting to hear whether they will be allowed to object to the decision made by the judge at the recent judicial review.

Local Plan update:  Thanks again to everyone who responded to the recent Regulation 19 Local Plan consultation. We understand that the plan will be submitted to the Planning Inspector in the next few weeks and that hearings may start in November.  More on all of that once we have definite information, but we are already preparing for those hearings whenever they happen.

Planning Reforms:  You are probably aware that the new Government has proposed planning reforms which will have a direct impact on the Green Belt.  The changes are currently out for consultation.  We are working on our response and will post that on the website once it is ready.  The consultation will close at 11:45pm on Tuesday, September 24.  If you would like to see the consultation go here.

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9/6/24   We are continuing to help the Whitewebbs campaign in their efforts to save Whitewebbs Park for the people of Enfield and to stop it being taken over by Spurs for a women’s training academy.

You may have heard that Mr Justice Mould decided against the campaign at the Judicial Review. For the sake of all our open spaces we must all continue the fight and get the decision changed.

The campaign needs to raise £10,000 in 7 days [by the end of Friday, June 14] so that the judgment can be appealed. Please click here to contribute via CrowdJustice.

Legal deadlines are tight.  We believe that there are good grounds for appeal and are asking permission from the Court of Appeal to do so.

The reasons for this are:

1. We believe that we have a case in law.

2. If Mr Justice Mould’s ruling stands then all the public open space in London and other parts of the country are at risk from sale and inappropriate development.

3. Since the Judicial Review hearing Tottenham Hotspur Ltd have submitted their planning application. We now have a much clearer view of what they intend to do with the land.

Half of the open space in Whitewebbs Park will be enclosed as a fortress for elite football. It will be surrounded and hidden by metal fencing, high laurel hedging, a barrier of vegetation,  earth barriers in places (“bunds”) and the dense planting of trees.

The pitch area will be bulldozed  and about 16 hectares of mixed grass meadowland, including a rare area of acid  grassland, will be removed and replaced by manicured grass pitches and one astroturf.  Many trees will be removed. More details can be found at  https://whitewebbspark.org.uk/planning-application-guide-sheets/

The PILC  (www.pilc.org.uk) will be acting as solicitors in the case and the same barrister will be instructed.

We have to act quickly to raise the sum needed for the  application. If you can help with a donation, however small, and/or by contacting others about the case please do so before the deadline.  Click here to donate.

Although the formal consultation period is ended there is still time to add your comments and objections, but do not delay. Details are on the Friends of Whitewebbs web page.  And you can find more information here.

Thanks for your continued support.  Together we are stronger!

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5-21-24  Another phase of our battle to save Enfield’s Green Belt ended yesterday.  Your response to the Regulation 19 consultation was amazing!  We’re still tallying the final numbers but it looks like more than 4,700 individual submissions, making more than 8,000 comments on various policies!  We believe that’s more than any other London borough has ever done. Thank you! And a special thanks to all our volunteers.  We would never have achieved this without you all!

At 3pm yesterday we delivered 20 boxes of printed objections to the Civic Centre.  Watch our Instagram post here  Now we wait for a few months while the Council digests and collates and sends all the information to the Planning Inspectorate.  The hearings should take place late this year or early next year.

But – after a brief rest – we are not going to rest on our laurels.  We need your help for something else, please.  The Spurs application for their women’s training centre on Whitewebbs Park closes at the end of May and we need a lot of objections to that too.  Information will be posted in the next day or two, so please check back.  The High Court ruling may have gone against us but an appeal has been requested and hopefully that battle is not yet over.  More info on Whitewebbs here.

Please stay tuned.  We’ll continue to post on our Facebook page and send out our newsletters so please sign up if you are not on our email list.  info@enfieldroadwatch.co.uk 

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Anglo Aquatic – LBE has granted permission for the development of a Green Belt site on Strayfield Road in Crews Hill subject to GLA approval.  We have written to the Mayor objecting and asking for the GLA to refuse permission.  CPRE-London have also objected and their letter lays out the issues clearly. CPRE letter to Mayor 210923 – Anglo Aquarium   If you would like to object too, please email mayor@london.gov.uk.  We are most concerned about the precedent permission would set.

Whitewebbs – the legal battle to save Whitewebbs Park continues.  Updates will be posted as this progresses.

A campaign is under way for a major new park on Enfield’s eastern side. Led by EnCaf [Enfield Climate Action Forum] and CPRE-London, the park could extend up to 60 hectares around Banbury Reservoir on unloved Green Belt land. The campaign would love to know what ideas you have for the park. Please click on the link to complete the short survey and share your ideas. It takes less than 5-minutes. Please share it too. Thanks.      https://tinyurl.com/2p8xnby3

12/6/23 The £18,000 needed for the first phase of the legal campaign to save Whitewebbs was met in record time! Thanks to everyone who contributed. The barristers will now start working on the case and this phase may take a few weeks. We’ll update as soon as we hear anything. If this phase is successful, another fundraising campaign will be launched for phase 2.  Stay tuned ….

27/5/23 Thanks to everyone who sent in objections to the Whitewebbs lease earlier this year. The Council is moving forwards with the process to lease 60% of Whitewebbs Park to Tottenham Hotspur Limited (or a wholly owned subsidiary of that company) (“THL”), so it’s time for the legal challenge. 

The Friends of Whitewebbs are now fundraising via CrowdJustice.  The short message is that, based on an opinion from barristers, we believe that the Council’s proposal to dispose of 60% of Whitewebbs Park to THFC is unlawful.  £18,000 needs to be raised to get the process of Judicial Review started. If all supporters of Whitewebbs chip in, that initial goal can be met.  At this stage you are simply asked to pledge an amount. It will be collected only when the initial target is met.  If you’re ready to pledge, please go to https://www.crowdjustice.com/case/save-whitewebbs/ and thanks!

Full information about the legal challenge and more can be found at https://whitewebbspark.org.uk/  

Please share this with your friends and family.  There is a deadline to be met and we hope you can help.

We will be back with more information about the Local Plan in due course.  

11/1/23 You have until midnight on Sunday to object to the leasing of Whitewebbs Park to Spurs. Please read our post on the urgent action needed to save Whitewebbs here.  The Sun newspaper has  picked up on the story.  Click here. And Dispatch has covered the well-attended demo outside the Civic Centre on January 10.  Click here.

15/10/22  Our presentation to the full council in front a packed public gallery went very well and the council leader agreed to all three of our requests.  Thanks again to everyone who signed the petition and helped to collect signatures.  You can read more about the council meeting here.

When the next version of the local plan comes forward [which may be early next year], it has been agreed that:

1. The revised local plan will come to the full council for a free and open debate with sufficient time allowed for the councillors to debate the plan’s merits
2. Each councillor will have a chance to vote for or against the plan and, in the interests of transparency, this vote will be subject to a ‘Roll Call’ so there is a public record of how each councillor voted
3. The revised plan will be published in fully-accessible formats at least 12 weeks before the council meeting to allow all the councillors, especially those who are new, to engage with their constituents in a meaningful and productive consultation about plan, which will affect every aspect of life in the borough for the next 15 years.

The Action for Enfield’s Future coalition has been very effective and we propose to continue working with the other organisations and groups moving forwards.

Thanks for your continued support.

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9/6/22  Thank you again for all your hard work during the Local Plan consultation last year. It was a magnificent effort with about 7,000 responses sent in to the Council.  Now we need your help again, please.  Last time you helped in various ways. This time it is much more specific.  In collaboration with other local groups who are trying to save the Green Belt, we have launched a petition on the council website, trying to force the local plan process into the daylight with a full council debate and public vote.  The next phase is less about numbers and more about technical planning arguments but we can still bring pressure to bear on the council as they finalise the plan. Please reach out to your friends, family and neighbours again, mobilise your networks, and spread the word however you can so we can reach at least 3,124 signatures – and hopefully many more.

Anyone who lives, works or studies in Enfield and can provide a legitimate Enfield postcode, can sign our petition on the Enfield Council website and help to save the Green Belt. This includes children but separate email addresses are needed.  Just click below.
Councillors: We Voted for You. Now Speak for Us! #Debate Enfield’s Local Plan

When you sign online, you have a choice of registering for the council website and signing and just signing.  Either is fine.

We can provide paper petitions too if you would like to go around your neighbourhood asking people to sign and/or for people who cannot sign online.  Just let us know and we can either email you a Word copy to print out or have some paper copies delivered to you.

Voting for a Local Plan is the most significant and important policy choice that can be made by local governments. 29 of the 63 current councillors are new since the recent council election in May so have had no input into the local plan. The swing away from Labour in Enfield, which bucked the London trend, signifies considerable discontent among Enfield voters and we believe all the councillors should have transparent and open communication with their constituents about the proposals and be prepared to have their vote noted.

Here is the full e-Petition.