In February 2022 a planning application by Connected Living London (CLL) for 351 rental flats in blocks up to 14 storeys high was voted through by Enfield’s Planning Committee on the Chair’s casting vote, despite over 3,000 local residents formally objecting.

Subsequently, the government’s Transport Secretary effectively stopped the Scheme by refusing permission to change the use of the car park. This decision was reversed with the 2024 change of government.

However, there is significant doubt about the future of the currently approved Scheme because of post-Grenfell changes to fire safety building regulations.

We believe that these changes are sufficient to render the approved Scheme undeliverable and that a completely new planning application will be needed. We have no indication of CLL’s thinking or intentions at present.

We know from our experience of opposing the application that neither purely planning factors nor arguments about heritage, protection of Trent Park and the character of Cockfosters etc. are likely to sway the Planning Committee in our favour.

We recognise the chronic need for more homes in Enfield and accept that, in principle, it makes sense to build them near to transport hubs. However, there are major caveats to this argument.

Individually, the arguments not to build on the car park, e.g. the loss of the ‘Park & Ride’ facility and the barrier to sustainable travel it will create, and the inadequate local infrastructure, may not outweigh the need for more homes. However, we will argue that these and other cogent arguments taken together most certainly do.

You can read our presentation from the public meeting held in Christ Church on 17 September 2024 here.

In 2021 we campaigned with ‘Save Cockfosters’ against the Scheme and we will do so again once we have reliable information on the intentions of CLL. We will keep you updated on relevant developments by email.

You can read CLARA's 2021 Objection to Enfield’s Planning Committee by clicking here and our later supplementary objection here.

We also submitted eight topic papers to the Planning Committee detailing our objections. You can read them here: 1 Background, 2 Tall Buildings & Density, 3 Housing Mix & Affordable Homes, 4 Schools & Social Infrastructure, 5 Heritage & the Green Belt, 6 Car Parking & the Public Sector Equality Duty, 7 Design, 8 Financial Viability.