With seven days until polling day, Enfield voters are being asked to believe a series of major housing promises that do not survive basic scrutiny. Cllr Ergin Erbil has claimed Enfield Labour can build 6,000 council homes at Crews Hill Golf Course, give Enfield residents “first dibs” on new town homes, deliver “thousands of jobs”,Continue reading “Erbil’s housing promises fall apart under scrutiny”
Tag Archives: Meridian Water
Enfield cannot afford to lose more jobs. So why do new town plans treat them as expendable?
Enfield cannot afford to lose more local jobs. But the proposed Crews Hill and Chase Park new town risks treating existing businesses and livelihoods as expendable.
Why didn’t Enfield Council put Meridian Water forward as a new town?
Meridian Water was an obvious candidate for the Government’s new towns programme. It is a very large, self-contained brownfield site that has struggled to deliver. Formal new town status could have made a real difference by helping to get the project back on track. It could have accelerated the delivery of new homes and jobs.Continue reading “Why didn’t Enfield Council put Meridian Water forward as a new town?”
Enfield Labour’s poor housing record
Ahead of the local election on May 7th, the Mayor of London has this week called for people to “… vote on the track record of their local councils, rather than using it as a referendum on the imperfections of a Labour government.” [1] Fair enough. So that is what we have done. We lookedContinue reading “Enfield Labour’s poor housing record”
Where Has £650,000 of Meridian Water Community Chest Money Gone?
In 2021 Enfield Council established the Meridian Water Community Chest which promised to transform the lives of residents in Edmonton. Four years on, it Is unclear what has happened to £650,000 of the fund that was supposed to be distributed to benefit the community. Despite the Council’s commitment to regular grant rounds and reporting, theContinue reading “Where Has £650,000 of Meridian Water Community Chest Money Gone?”
Meridian Water: A cautionary tale of unrealistic expectations
In 2009/10, Enfield Council claimed over 2,500 new homes would be built at Meridian Water by 2023/24. However, only 20 have been completed – that’s less than 1% of the projected number. [1,2] The council’s projections for housing delivery at Meridian Water were based on ‘extensive work’ and ‘conservative’ start dates, and were accepted byContinue reading “Meridian Water: A cautionary tale of unrealistic expectations”
Meridian Water is not working
Enfield Council’s Meridian Water Regeneration scheme, including the purchase of Stonehill Estate, has failed to deliver on its pledge for job creation and housing provision. While the council justified the purchase with plans for a large e-commerce centre and 2,000 homes, neither the centre has been built nor the land cleared for housing. Many jobs have been lost due to site clearance for proposed projects, with no substantial replacement. The scheme now faces scrutiny, raising questions about the council’s ability to deliver on its commitments alongside growing concern about local unemployment rates.
Another community park in Edmonton is at risk as Enfield Council propose to redevelop Kenninghall Open Space.
Kenninghall Open Space in Edmonton is one of the few accessible green spaces in the area and is an important asset for the local community. For example, this Sunday (10/09/2023) the park will host the Kenninghall Festival to celebrate food harvested by local growers [Figure 1]. Figure 1 – Source: Enfield Council (2023); Flyer advertisingContinue reading “Another community park in Edmonton is at risk as Enfield Council propose to redevelop Kenninghall Open Space.”
Shared Ownership homes at Meridian Water have gone on sale, but can local people afford them?
The first ‘affordable’ Shared Ownership flats at Enfield Council’s Meridian Water development are now being advertised, but costs for these homes are well above what most local people can afford. [1] New two-bedroom homes on the development are currently priced between £427,000 and £590,000. [2] This means that acquiring the minimum 50% Shared Ownership stakeContinue reading “Shared Ownership homes at Meridian Water have gone on sale, but can local people afford them?”
Apparently, the Meridian Water Masterplan is complete, so why isn’t it published and why weren’t the public consulted?
In a recent report, Enfield Council announced that they’re intending to cut the number of employees working on the regeneration of Meridian Water from 45 to 20. One of the reasons given for letting go more than half the staff, is that the Masterplan is now complete. [1] This means the Council has completed theContinue reading “Apparently, the Meridian Water Masterplan is complete, so why isn’t it published and why weren’t the public consulted?”
Better Homes Enfield 