The regeneration of Enfield Spring 2017 Issue Eight
Dreams come true Meridian Water moves from plans to reality / Bottled up secrets Forty Hall Vineyard / Business case market forces council enterprise
WE ARE LOOKING FOR LAND... ...IN LONDON AND THE SOUTH EAST
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A SELECTION OF OUR 2016 ACQUISITIONS 1 | PARK ROYAL - NW10
2 | HICKMAN AVENUE - HIGHAMS PARK
3 | VICTORIA WAY - CHARLTON
Formerly part of the Guiness factory 5.5 acre (2.22 hectares)
A cleared site used as temporary car park 0.9 acre (0.36 hectares)
Large warehouse and associated offices 4.82 acre (1.95 hectares)
4 | HAMPDEN ROAD - HORNSEY
5 | OVAL ROAD - CAMDEN
6 | HOPE WHARF - GREENWICH
Former steel stockholders yard 1.4 acre (0.56 hectares)
Six light industrial units 0.8 acre (0.32 hectares)
Former Booker ‘cash & carry’ wholesale store 1.1 acre (0.44 hectares)
7 | GAYTON ROAD - HARROW
8 | CRICKLEWOOD - NW2
Redundant car park • Cleared site Delapidated residential block of flats 3.16 acre (1.28 hectares)
Disused warehouse • Derelict offices MOT station and garage • Islamic centre 1.6 acre, (0.64 hectares)
9 | YEOMAN STREET - SURREY QUAYS Former building contractors storage yard 0.7 acre (0.28 hectares)
Based in Enfield for over 50 years, we have been successfully using our expertise and specialist skills to ensure land owners realise maximum value from their sites. We continue to seek new land opportunities in London and the South East. • All sites considered, with or without planning • Substantial funds immediately available • Purchasing decisions are made quickly • Introductory fees paid For further information please email Nicholas Dulcken at nick.dulcken@fairview.co.uk or Richard Paterson at richard.paterson@fairview.co.uk. Alternatively call 020 8366 1271.
50 Lancaster Road, Enfield, Middlesex EN2 0BY. DX: 90635 ENFIELD www.fairviewnewhomes.co.uk
Making lives better IN PARTNERSHIP WITH ENFIELD COUNCIL
ALMA ESTATE, PONDERS END 993 new homes on the borough’s largest estate with retail, gym, medical and community facilities.
NEW AVENUE, SOUTHGATE A vibrant new development of 412 homes, with a pre-nursery school and multi-purpose community centre.
Countryside is delighted to continue our strong relationship with Enfield, with the addition of two exciting new developments in Ponders End and Southgate. Between them, these innovative regeneration projects will deliver 1405 new homes, 539 of which will be affordable, bringing sustainable prosperity to Enfield and the wider community. Put simply, we believe in making lives better.
WWW.COUNTRYSIDE-PROPERTIES.COM
Editorial director Siobhán Crozier Assistant editor James Wood News and digital editor Marco Cillario Trainee reporter Aileen Murphy Designers Smallfury Designs Production manager Chris Hazeldine Business development director Paul Gussar Business development manager Shelley Cook Business development executive Amanda Jenkins Project manager Sue Mapara Subscriptions manager Simon Maxwell Managing director Toby Fox
Contents
7 News Updates include Crossrail 2, the rising housing and commercial markets, support for young aspiring architects, and investment in homes and regeneration. 10 Forty Hall Vineyard One of Enfield’s more unexpected social enterprises is thriving – London’s first commerical-scale organic vineyard is due to launch its first sparkling vintage this year, from the 2015 harvest. 16 Cycling Whether keeping fit, finding new routes to commute or just chilling, cyclists have plenty of green space and waterways to explore in the Lee Valley Regional Park and around Enfield.
22 Meridian Water The £6 billion scheme, one of the largest in the country, is progressing from visions and plans to reality. 28 Map and Projects Latest steps on some of the schemes planned or under way in Enfield. 38 Enterprise With local authorities operating under budgetary constraints, councils are setting up in business to raise income and protect services.
Cover illustration Meridian Water visualisation provided by London Communications Agency Images Miles Willis, Mark Hadden, London Communications Agency, Shutterstock / Don Pablo, Building BloQs, Glenny, HTA Design, Eleanor Bentall, Barratt London, Lovell, Mulalley/ Sherrygreen Homes, Shutterstock / Denys Prykhodov, Dmitriy Domino, Andrey Arkusha Printed by Park Communications Published by Sunley House, Bedford Park, Croydon CR0 2AP 020 7978 6840 3foxinternational.com Enfield Council Civic Centre, Silver Street, Enfield EN1 3XA enfield.gov.uk improvingenfield.com Subscriptions opportunityenfield.com © 3Fox International Limited 2017. All material is strictly copyright and all rights are reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without the written permission of 3Fox International Limited is strictly forbidden. The greatest care has been taken to ensure the accuracy of information in this magazine at time of going to press, but we accept no responsibility for omissions or errors. The views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of 3Fox International Limited.
46 Sitematch The North London Distribution Centre is well connected and currently available on the market. 5 Contents Issue 8 Spring 2017
Building and regenerating communities throughout London A family owned, award winning company with a reputation as a dynamic organisation committed to exceeding clients expectations. Delivering high quality regeneration projects throughout London and the South East of England for over 40 years. enquiries@sherrygreenhomes.co.uk www.sherrygreenhomes.co.uk
020 8551 9999 www.mulalley.co.uk
NEWS
First new council homes in decades Residents have moved into the first council houses to be built in Enfield for more than 30 years. The Dujardin Mews scheme is named after Enfield-born triple Olympic gold medallist, Charlotte Dujardin, and is the first phase of the Ponders End regeneration programme. The 38 townhouses, flats and maisonettes at Dujardin Mews will be made available to tenants and leaseholders from the Alma Estate, which is being demolished and rebuilt. Councillor Ahmet Oykener, Enfield Council’s cabinet member for housing and housing regeneration, said: “Developments such as Dujardin Mews and the Alma
estate will increase our stock of social housing, help tackle the housing crisis locally and provide good quality housing for residents. “These regeneration schemes also bring jobs to the area, help rejuvenate some of the poorest parts of the borough and provide benefits that run far beyond simply providing new homes. “We are proud of these Enfield schemes and we are committed to improving the quality of life for all of our residents now and in the future.” Students from The College of Haringey, Enfield and North London assisted with the construction of Dujardin Mews. 7 News Issue 8 Spring 2017
“The development replaces old housing and introduces additional homes”
Commercial property market boom
NEWS
Mayor visits Building BloQs facility
8 News Opportunity Enfield
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan visited Enfield’s Building BloQs workspace for freelancers and designers, to meet the team and learn about plans to build a new facility. Building BloQs, a pay-as-you-go professionalstandard workshop at Meridian Works, received £1.35 million from the mayor's London Regeneration Fund to move to a new facility on its current estate. Khan heard about plans to convert two industrial warehouses into flexible open-plan workspaces. The larger industrial shed will be its main facility and the smaller will be used as an arts studio. The project is currently at the planning and design stage and Building BloQs is in the process of selecting a contractor to start work. In its main space, the existing floor will be developed into a fully equipped workshop and an upper 1,532sq m workspace floor will be added. The top level will have a 325sq m space for a cafe and in the future more levels could be installed. At a cost of £2.7 million, the project is due to be completed by the end of 2017. The 4,645sq m facility will become the largest of its kind in Europe. Founded by four friends in 2012, Building BloQs was established to provide an affordable and flexible alternative to renting expensive London studios and investing in private equipment. It allows small businesses, freelancers and designers access to industry-standard equipment needed to work in wood, metal, textiles, concrete, plastic and paint. Membership fees cost £40 a year, and daily rent is £20 for workspace.
Enfield’s commercial property market has significantly improved in the last three years, according to recent economic analysis. Dominated by the industrial and distribution sector, the market has seen a rise in demand for warehouse and distribution buildings. The study, by property consultant Glenny, found that the demand for development outweighs supply by a factor of 4:1. Schemes such as SEGRO’s Navigation Park, a warehouse and office space, which is the first carbon neutral warehouse development in the UK, point towards a willingness for occupiers to agree terms before the construction is completed. Camden Town Brewery took 5,295sq m at the park early on in the construction of the site. DFS and Cooks Delight signed for units of 4,134sq m and 4,645sq m respectively, both relocating to Enfield Distribution Park. They signed for space before the building’s completion, citing confidence in the area. The study suggests that rent and capital values have risen by 25-30% since 2013. However the area is still regarded as ‘good value’.
House prices fly high
New Avenue estate regeneration approved Approval has been granted for more than 400 homes on Avenue Road in Southgate. Enfield Council’s planning committee gave the go-ahead on 8 November 2016 to Countryside Properties’ New Avenue estate regeneration scheme, the developer has confirmed. The £140 million project, designed by architect HTA, will increase the number of homes on the site from 171 to 408. Plans also include a community centre, a nursery and an energy centre. The scheme will be delivered in phases, in partnership with Enfield Council, following the demolition of the residential buildings on Shepcot House, Oakwood Lodge, Beardow Grove, Coverack Close and the rear garage court on Lousada Lodge. Countryside said all existing council tenants “will be given the option where possible of being rehoused within the scheme if they choose”. The redevelopment of the estate will deliver a mix of two, three, four, five, six and nine-storey buildings with 330 car parking spaces. A play area will be created at Cowper Gardens. Councillor Ahmet Oykener, council’s cabinet member for housing and housing regeneration, welcomed the plans when they were submitted. He said: “This development not only replaces old housing and introduces many additional homes that will benefit the people of Enfield, but it also includes features that will make it a more enjoyable place to live in." Work is planned to start in 2017 and be completed in 2023.
Average house prices in Enfield rose significantly during 2016 while remaining below the London average, a study has revealed. The UK House Price Index, published by the government’s Land Registry at the end of the year, found that the average house in the north London borough was worth £400,486 in October 2016 – when the data were last recorded. It means the average price increased by 13.2% in one year – up from £353,797 in October 2015. The Enfield figure almost doubled the average increase in London: overall, prices in the capital went up by 7.7% in the same period. However, properties in the north London borough remain cheaper compared to the London median price of £474,475, meaning it is still an attractive proposition for London buyers. And yet Enfield prices might increase further over the next few months and years due to improving infrastructure, including the prospect of Crossrail 2. According to plans presented in autumn 2015, the new fast rail track from Surrey to Hertfordshire across London, which could open by 2033, will stop at four stations in Enfield – Ponders End, Brimsdown, Enfield Lock and the new Meridian Water station. Research published by The Telegraph in spring 2016 showed property values around these four stations had already started being influenced by the plans, showing a strong increase between 2012 and 2015 – by 19.71% at Enfield Lock, 42.40% at Brimsdown, 42.46% at Ponders End and 34.20% in the current Angel station area, where Meridian Water station will be built. A further increase is also suggested by the experience drawn from the Elizabeth line (Crossrail 1), the ‘twin’ track running from east to west of London, which – more than three years before its completion – has already added an estimated £5.5 billion to property values along its route.
“Crossrail 2 will stop at four stations in Enfield – Ponders End, Brimsdown, Enfield Lock and Meridian Water”
ALMOST 100 HOMES ON COUNCIL SITES Work has been completed on the first phase of a scheme which will deliver 94 new homes on councilowned sites. St George’s Road has seen three fourbedroom family houses built as part of Enfield Council’s small housing sites project. Work is under way on six other sites across the borough, with completion scheduled for later this year. Kier is the council’s development partner for the scheme, which is supported by a grant from the Greater London Authority. Of the new homes built, 37 will be allocated as affordable and 57 will be for private rent. Four threestorey buildings will be built on Parsonage Lane, providing 29 homes. On Tudor Crescent, 15 homes will be created in two residential buildings. Four units for private rent and four for social rent will be available on Holtwhites Hill. Nine properties will be built on Forty Hill, 18 on Jasper Close and 12 on Lavender Hill. See pages 34 and 35 for more information on small housing sites.
9 News Issue 8 Spring 2017
Bottled up secrets 10 Forty Hall Vineyard Opportunity Enfield
There are many Grade I-listed estates in the country, but few featuring unusual social enterprises, as is the case at Enfield’s Forty Hall. James Wood takes a trip to London’s first commercialscale, organic vineyard
As wearied but eager volunteers tend to a four-hectare vineyard on a vast swathe of farmland, the only reminder of their proximity to the city is the skyline beyond. This is neither the Catalan region of Spain nor a shady spot along France’s Côtes du Rhone, but a vineyard on Forty Hall Farm in the London Borough of Enfield – a place known better for its high-yielding industrial estates, the busy North Circular Road and the M25 than for producing fine wines. Some on the continent are sceptical about this country’s wine production, but according to the United Kingdom Vineyard Association, England and Wales now have more than 2,000ha under vine, with 500 commercial vineyards and more than 130 companies producing sparkling, white, rosé and red wines. In the last 16 years, English sparkling wines have collected 15 trophies in global taste testing competitions. From Yorkshire to Surrey, grapes are stomped and turned into wine, but in 2010, Enfield’s Forty Hall Vineyard became the first commercial-scale facility to harvest grapes in London since the middle ages. Inspired by urban vineyards in other cities such as Paris, Sarah Vaughan-Roberts set up the communityled vineyard in Enfield as a not-for-profit organisation. Supported by the nearby horticultural school, Capel Manor College, which provides land on its organic farm at Forty Hall, the first acre of vineyard was planted in 2009. The project received funding from the National Lottery’s Local Food programme in 2010 and the vineyard now has 10 acres (4.04ha) under vine on a south-facing plot, with views of Canary Wharf and the City in the distance. When it reaches full capacity, the goal is to produce around 15,000 bottles a year. The vineyard currently makes two still white wines – a Bacchus and an Ortega – both of which were selected by leading wine critic Matthew Jukes in his 2016 compendium of the best English wines. A London Sparkling Brut made at Forty Hall is naturally fermented in the bottle in the same way as champagne. It is made from Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay grapes and is believed to be London’s only sparkling wine. “The London climate is ideal for making great quality sparking wine,” explains Vaughan-Roberts. “We are looking forward to launching our 2015 vintage sparkling wine for sale on the open market for the first time this autumn.” Immediately after the grapes are picked, they are taken to Davenport Vineyards in East Sussex, where they are pressed and turned into wine by multiple awardwinning producer, Will Davenport. “Will is widely recognised as one of the UK’s most successful and enthusiastic organic winemakers,” says Vaughan-Roberts. “He is known for the outstanding quality, his low-intervention winemaking and his long-standing commitment to organic and sustainable production values.” Volunteers run Forty Hall Vineyard, helping out with
Left A successful business model at Forty Hall Vineyard brings volunteers together to tend the vines and produce the wine.
11 Forty Hall Vineyard Issue 8 Spring 2017
everything from planting and harvesting to maintenance on the farm. Vaughan-Roberts feels that her initial ambition for the project to offer significant benefits for those in the local community has been surpassed. “It has become something which Enfield residents can be proud of,” she says. “We all hear stories about how many people in the city are isolated and lonely; the vineyard enables people to come together in the outdoors, to work towards producing something meaningful and enjoyable. This really fosters a sense of community and helps bring people together for a common purpose. “The fact that we operate as a social enterprise really makes us stand out from other vineyards in the country. It is our goal to become an award-winning wine producer and to ensure that we continue to deliver health benefits for local people.” The vineyard refers to the health and wellbeing of its volunteers as “ecotherapy”, in line with a report produced by the mental health charity, Mind. This showed how engaging in outdoor activities such as gardening and exercise can help motivation and self-esteem, while contact with others can reduce loneliness.
Above There are more than four hectares of vines at Forty Hall, where the English climate benefits the production of good quality sparkling wine.
12 Forty Hall Vineyard Opportunity Enfield
The impact has been entirely positive, says Vaughan-Roberts: “Our volunteers consistently report feeling more positive, physically fitter, more selfconfident and better connected socially.” Those who work at the site range from young people to retirees, as well as those with learning difficulties and conditions such as depression and other mental health issues. One volunteer has been working at the vineyard for five years and has been diagnosed as schizophrenic. Having run the Forty Hall stall at the Real Wine Fair in 2014, the benefits have been clear. Discussing how his work has helped him, the volunteer explained: “Living with schizophrenia, I have found working at the vineyard has been an important part of my journey back to health. Green therapy worked for me and I have seen improvements in others. Coming to the vineyard gives structure to my week and gets me out of the house and into the fresh air. I enjoy working and socialising with the other volunteers – it’s good for the body and soul.” Skilled workers from abroad have also contributed towards the success of the vineyard. A volunteer from Russia who was struggling to find work was employed and
became a key member of the team. Having later worked for Enfield’s parks department, she won an award for her outstanding work. The vineyard’s head gardener and vineyard manager once struggled with anorexia before leaving her job as a lawyer to work at the vineyard. She attributes the change in job as being crucial to improvements in her health and wellbeing. It is clear that working at the vineyard has helped people with a wide range of challenges. Typical days at the site are also open to corporate teams, who engage in activities such as mulching, bud rubbing, pruning and planting. Up to 25 volunteers can be accommodated, with the benefit of working together outside the office. And the vineyard is only part of the attractions at Forty Hall. Classes in activities such as drawing and tai chi take place at the estate throughout the year, as well as events and exhibitions about art, ecology and heritage. The Livestock Music Festival has also been held at Forty Hall’s Black Barn for five years. In summer 2016, 20 bands played, covering musical genres from rock to reggae and from folk to swing. Tribute nights to the likes of The Beatles, Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen and Battle of the Bands competitions also took place in 2016. The estate itself is a Grade I-listed Jacobean manor house, which was originally owned by Sir Nicholas Rainton. A permanent exhibition about his life as a successful textile merchant features guided, audio and video tours and a gift shop.
“ The vineyard enables people to come together in the outdoors, to work towards producing something meaningful”
13 Forty Hall Vineyard Issue 8 Spring 2017
In an English garden
Above Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay grapes are used to produce Enfield’s very own sparkling wine.
14 Forty Hall Vineyard Opportunity Enfield
Forty Hall farm on the site is run by Capel Manor College. It features a variety of animals, many of which are rare breeds, as well as an orchard with more than 400 trees, planted in 2011. In April 2013, a market garden was established on the farm, dedicated to organic fruit and vegetable production and also run by volunteers. Its produce is sold at the nearby Budgens supermarket and at the local village wholefood shop and used by cooks at the Nice Green Cafe in Forty Hall. Events such as the summer beer and blues festival have also been held at the site and have proved popular. But the vineyard is perhaps the most unexpected feature of Forty Hall estate and its wines are starting to receive attention from industry professionals. Experts at the Real Wine Fair in London’s Tobacco Dock reportedly reviewed the Ortega and Bacchus to great acclaim in summer 2016. Londoners have been heard to sing the praises of wines from Sussex, Surrey, Kent and beyond, with some even available in supermarkets. But as word of this Enfield plot begins to spread, those who have sampled the produce of Forty Hall Vineyard continue to flock to the farm shop to pick up a bottle of north London’s finest.
From renditions of Ella Fitzgerald songs on the lawn to summer performances of Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest, there are many reasons why people come to visit Enfield’s Myddleton House Gardens. Built under the reign of George III in 1812, the venue was restored in 2011 following a two-year project funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund, which saw the installation of a new visitor centre, telling the story of a man considered to be among the greatest gardeners of the 20th century. Edward Augustus Bowles was the youngest of five children, born to Henry Carrington Bowles Treacher, who built Myddleton House. It was named after a successful engineer who created the 38 mile-long New River, which brought water from Ware in Hertfordshire down to Clerkenwell in central London. The horticultural tradition has lived on at the estate. Many people from all over the country came to visit the site in the 19th century to witness the green-fingered endeavours of Edward Bowles. The admiration of one of Britain’s most famous gardens lives on at the site today, focused on the newly created Victorian Glasshouse Range, which is open to the public. A collection of tender plants was transferred from the 1950s London School of Pharmacy glasshouses, which were subsequently demolished. Bowles spent almost 90 years in Myddleton House, from 1865 until 1954 and dedicated most of his life to finding exotic plants to transform the gardens. Today, visitors are invited to wander around a carp lake, a Victorian conservatory and a number of historical artefacts collected by EA Bowles. These include pieces from the original St Paul’s Cathedral and the Enfield Market Cross. The wisteria is a notable feature of the gardens, which has been growing for more than 110 years ago and turns a “brilliant blue” in the spring.
Peaceful easy wheeling 16 Lee Valley Cycling Opportunity Enfield
Cycling has been reinvented, and not just as a sport but a mode of transport or means of keeping fit. Matthew Young finds it’s also a leisurely way to explore the Lee Valley
FINDING a spot to truly enjoy cycling in London can be difficult – but an array of spectacular pedalling routes on Enfield’s doorstep proves you do not have to venture far to embrace your inner Sir Bradley Wiggins. The borough has welcomed the sport’s popularity surge in recent years, and the region’s lycra crowd has options to chose from – whether they want an alternative mode of transport or simply wish to enjoy the feeling of wheeling through their local area at leisure, without the hindrance of heavy traffic. The desire to cycle is also expected to have an impact on Enfield’s property market, with demand for homes now rising in London’s bike-friendly areas and regions with good access to pedal hotspots. The Lee Valley Regional Park is a fine example of just how a modern, bustling city can ensure there is still ample opportunity to ride with freedom in a peaceful setting. Within the park, the Lee Valley Walk offers up a range of routes, varying in difficulty, for hikers and bikers alike. A section of the path runs north to south through the east side of Enfield, as the River Lea – it’s spelt both ways – meanders all the way from Luton to east London. You can jump in the saddle and pick up a cycle trail here, and you will soon be joined by the welcome sight of King George’s and William Girling’s stunning reservoirs. North of the borough boundary the route continues to Cheshunt and beyond, while going south will take you to central London. Riders can explore the wonders of the Lee Valley Regional Park – a spectacular, 26-mile-long stretch of open space and greenery. The 10,000-acre (4047-ha) spot was created by a unique Act of Parliament as a “green lung” for London, Essex and Hertfordshire in 1967 as Britain’s first designated regional park. It stretches from Ware in Hertfordshire down to the River Thames. The Lee Valley Regional Park Authority aims to be “community-focused and commercially driven”, so it can “produce a unique combination of activities, sights and experiences”. North of Cheshunt, you will reach Broxbourne, which also lies near the park and should take around 45 minutes on the bike from the track in Enfield. 17 Lee Valley Cycling Issue 8 Spring 2017
There are dozens of cycling routes to discover throughout the park. For example, one route, named Explosive Pedal Power on the Visit Lee Valley website, is a leisurely five-mile cycle which should take around 30 minutes to complete. But it is no ordinary pedal – here you will get to ride past the intriguing Gunpowder Park. Formerly part of the Royal Gunpowder Mills, the site was used for the research and development of explosives for which nearby Waltham Abbey was once famous. In the country park you can even see evidence of the blasts the site was subjected to. Decommissioned by the Ministry Of Defence in 1991, it was regenerated into the stunning, Green Flag accredited, open space you’ll see as you cycle through. From there, head up to the ultra-modern environment of the Lee Valley White Water Centre, which was used for canoeing and kayaking events during the London 2012 Olympics. Despite its natural setting, the centre was purpose-built. The return leg follows the Lee Navigation using the towpath, and cuts through Enfield Island Village before linking up with the picturesque nature reserves that border Gunpowder Park. This route boasts a mixture of urban, open space and waterways all in one ride, and there are many more like it. For those who are looking to stop off for some pubgrub or a refreshing drink, there are plenty of watering holes you can park up at if you pick the right ride. Another cycle route on the Lee Valley Walk starts off in Broxbourne and ends in Lea Bridge Road. The 13.1-mile
Right and opposite: No lycra in sight – where the urban environment meets the green of the Lee Valley Regional Park.
18 Lee Valley Cycling Opportunity Enfield
ride begins near a pub, The Crown, which is adjacent to the towpath and perfect for a pre-ride refreshment. The country pub “oozes rural charm” and handily serves cask ales for the more refined pallet. Further along the route, near Enfield Lock, cyclists will pass The Greyhound, another traditional boozer well worth a visit. Described as being in a “hidden waterside location”, it is a perfect stop-off point to replenish and rest – or have a game of pool – before setting back on the track. It is also right next to Enfield’s old armament factory for those wishing to indulge their inner historian while taking a break from the saddle. Carrying on along the route, pedallers will eventually reach Tottenham Hale station, where the Ferry Boat Inn is nearby. It describes itself as “homely and rustic, family friendly” and serving “classic pub grub deals” – the perfect way to reward yourself after burning all those calories – just don’t sit next to the log fire. If you’re not entirely sure on how to pick a cycling route to your taste or avoid busy routes, simply collect one of Transport for London’s (TfL) free cycle maps and peruse the options at your leisure. In total, there are 14 printed guides covering the entire capital, with routes recommended by experienced cyclists, so you’re in good hands. The guides can be posted, with a limit of six per address. Alternatively, you can pick them up from some bike shops or via the 24-hour telephone travel information service or the TfL website for more details. The surge in popularity of cycling hotspots such as the Lee Valley Walk and the regional park means estate agents have a fantastic selling point – particularly for the London worker in desperate need of some fresh air. They have yet another USP with the Cycle Enfield scheme, a £40 million-plus development project to encourage people to ride more frequently and safely, by using upcoming cycle lanes. Similar “Mini-Holland” schemes are also under way in Kingston and Waltham Forest and aim to link residential areas to schools, town centres and green spaces. Estate agents have lost no time in mentioning MiniHolland areas in their sales pitches. “It’s not just cyclists who will be trying to spot places to live along the new routes – a lot of young families will target car-free Quietway areas because they are safer and healthier for kids,” says Rebecca May of Kinleigh Folkard & Hayward. While making journeys to and from work easier and safer, cycle Quietways, which are set to serve Enfield, are already causing property ripples in areas that will benefit from reduced motor traffic, better air quality and improved public spaces. Many Enfield commuters are already opting to cycle to work rather than take public transport or drive. Mark Bown is the group marketing manager at maritime navigation surveillance firm Kelvin Hughes, based on the outskirts of the borough in Mollison Avenue.
“It’s not just cyclists who will try to spot places to live – young families will also target the car-free Quietway areas”
Bown pedals every day from the Hertfordshire town of Hoddesdon to the company’s Enfield headquarters and says many colleauges are taking the same path. “It makes the start to your day so much fresher,” he says. “You feel full of energy at the beginning of the day, rather than stressed after being stuck in traffic queues for 30 minutes. It’s healthy, you feel invigorated and it’s also a great way to end a day.” Parents are also starting to take their children to school on bicycles, and more are expected to take it up once the cycle scheme is finished. Mum-of-two and Enfield Cycling Campaign member Clare Rogers rides a tandem bike with her nine-
year-old daughter to get her to school, and thinks more will soon follow suit. She says: “I was shocked by the high pollution statistics and so I decided to ditch the car for the tandem. It’s been completely life-changing. I did it for health reasons but it’s so much fun, it really opened cycling up for us.” Rogers, a homeowner, also anticipates a surge in people moving to Enfield once the cycle scheme is completed and better pedal routes are provided to schools and areas beside the River Lea. “I think it will really affect the property market. Those who are more health-conscious and more environmentally aware will look to move to areas like this,” she says. “There are a lot of people looking forward to the cycling lanes and a lot of mums are looking forward to riding to school with their kids.” Through the Cycle Enfield project, David Hilliard teaches cycling to build riders’ confidence as part of the drive to get more people into the saddle. “It’s great,” he says. “It’s really enjoyable, you get some people come along who have not cycled for 10 years or more and are not as confident on the road as they once were, so I go through it with them to ensure their safety. “Once the cycle lanes are all up, children will be able to go to school on their bikes as well.” Sir Wiggo wouldn’t find too much to challenge him in Enfield, there’s no Box Hill, let alone a Col du Tourmalet. But for families, fitness fans, commuters or those who wonder why they ever stopped riding a bike, Enfield offers peaceful, freewheeling space in spades. 19 Lee Valley Cycling Issue 8 Spring 2017
Barratt London's Meridian Water North London's largest regeneration scheme, Meridian Water
is set to become a new sustainable community, delivering 10,000 new homes and creating 6,700 new jobs.
Located at the northern edge of the Lee Valley Park in the
London borough of Enfield, Barratt London's Meridian Water
will encompass a riverfront lifestyle and help to create a new neighbourhood with plenty of open accessible space, leisure
facilities and amenities. Fast train connections reaching central London in 20 minutes, served by the new Meridian Water
Overground station, will make this new area an attractive place to
live, work and relax away from London's inner hub.
Phase 1 will consist of 725 new homes and a pedestrianized square
adjacent to the new station, lined with cafes, shops and a gym.
Studios, one, two and three-bedroom apartments and three-bedroom houses will be available, and there will be on street parking,
undercroft parking and cycle spaces.
BUILD WILL START IN 2018, WITH THE FIRST HOMES AVAILABLE TO BU Y IN EARLY 2019.
MERIDIAN WATER, ENFIELD
VISIT MERIDIANWATER.CO.UK Images are for illustrative purposes only and may include optional upgrades at additional cost. Prices correct at time of print.
Dreams come true 22 Meridian Water Opportunity Enfield
The story of how Meridian Water evolved over the past three years is the tale of how an aspiration became a plan of action, a concept grew into a viable scheme, and an idea was turned into a project. At the end of 2013, Enfield Council’s aim to transform an 85-ha site – including a former gasworks, in the south-east of the borough – into a new north London residential area with thousands of homes, was still just an aspiration. “Back then, no land had been acquired, the new station was just a design and really there was only a simple masterplan with 5,000 homes, setting out an approach to the site,” says director of environment and regeneration, Ian Davis. Since then the council has striven to progress the project to what it is today: a £6 billion regeneration scheme which will provide London with 10,000 new homes, a new station ready for Crossrail 2, shops, schools, employment and community facilities. The project will create 6,700 jobs and add an estimated £3 billion to the country’s economy, as well as benefiting the construction industry with 10,000 jobs over the 20-year development lifespan. Says Davis: “On the back of the major projects such as King’s Cross, the Olympic legacy and Battersea Nine Elms, Meridian Water is now spearheading the next wave of major transformational regeneration projects that will each create a new piece of city.”
MAKING IT WORK Davis adds that the council was clear from the outset: “Meridian Water is about creating a successful place which delivers much-needed new homes and reboots the local economy through the generation of thousands of quality jobs.” Councillor Ahmet Oykener, cabinet member for housing and housing regeneration, says the project
As 2017 sees work start on the £6 billion Meridian Water development scheme, Marco Cillario looks back at what has been done so far to turn the concept of one of the biggest housing and commercial schemes in the UK into reality
Opposite The view south from Meridian Water shows its scale and location within London. Above Lively town centres and attractive public realm will be a vital feature.
23 Meridian Water Issue 8 Spring 2017
Above Development at Meridian Water will maximise natural assets, particularly the waterside setting. Opposite Ideas for enhanced public realm include greenery around the new rail station.
24 Meridian Water Opportunity Enfield
will “help tackle the housing crisis in London”. And there is no doubt that 10,000 new properties will play a key role towards alleviating one of the biggest issues facing the the capital. In addition, the council aims to maximise affordable housing across the area, with a minimum of 35% of the new homes allocated as affordable, while seeking solutions to achieve the mayor’s target of 50%. But Meridian Water is not just about housing. Councillor Alan Sitkin, cabinet member for economic regeneration and business development, says: “This is not just a residential-led scheme, this is a regenerationled scheme with benefits that will reach into Enfield and the surrounding neighbourhoods. “It is one of the key roles of my team to make sure that we bring businesses into Meridian Water to grow, so that this becomes their permanent home. “We want to make this an environment that does start with houses for people to live in but also becomes a place where they come to work and are entertained and therefore, want to stay.”
The council has started working towards two initiatives to ensure that as many as possible of the 6,700 permanent jobs, and the 10,000 positions in the construction industry generated by the development, go to Enfield residents. A built environment training centre will help local people gain the skills to help build Meridian Water, through a programme of traineeships and apprenticeships. And a new hub for makers and artists will be hosted in two warehouses alongside the Lee Navigation, in the heart of the development – Meridian Works will be Europe’s largest open source workshop space. Small businesses and freelancers will be able to hire space and 30 artists’ studios will be provided. Backed by £1.35 million from the Greater London Authority’s (GLA) London Regeneration Fund, Meridian Works is the result of collaboration between the council, local business Building BloQs and educational charity Association for Cultural Advancement through Visual Art (ACAVA). For Sitkin, Meridian Water is a “revolutionary scheme”: “It will create the jobs and infrastructure
which will underpin the borough’s economy for many years to come. It will enable us to help our young people find skilled jobs, reduce unemployment and play an important role in bringing major companies and investment to Enfield.”
LAND BENEATH THE FEET In April 2015, three former National Grid sites were purchased, providing space for 2,500 homes. The sixhectare Orbital Business Park followed the same year. The purchase of Phoenix Wharf in August 2016 and the completion of some of the Ikea land in 2017 meant the council owns 22ha of development land – enough space for half of the proposed homes on the site. A further 15ha are currently under negotiation, which, if acquired, would mean that the council would control two-thirds of the developable land in under three years and without needing to use compulsory purchase powers. But the council’s role in the scheme is not confined to being the landowner. It is also transforming the sites to make them ready for development. This includes diverting the gas infrastructures in partnership with National Grid and undertaking remediation works. Says Peter George, assistant director for regeneration and planning: “We are putting together the project-wide infrastructure for Meridian Water. The overall site presents some complex engineering challenges and therefore, it is also a matter of
understanding how you overcome constraints to see them as opportunities, rather than barriers to development.” As part of the infrastructure development, the new Angel Primary School opened on Ladysmith Road and was fully occupied at the beginning of 2017.
GETTING CONNECTED Completion of the new rail station will put this new part of London on the map. The brand new Meridian Water station will replace the existing one at Angel Road, a project which, says George, is going ahead “as a result of decisive leadership by Enfield Council”. He explains: “Just three years ago plans were being advanced to deliver a new station which would have looked perfectly fine in rural England but utterly incongruous in an exemplary new neighbourhood, which will eventually receive Crossrail 2 trains.” Furthermore, the plans proposed a station without free access over the railway line and located on the fringes on Meridian Water. “The council is a strong proponent of partnerships and what followed is an excellent example of how public sector bodies can work effectively together to deliver better outcomes,” George says. Enfield led the planning process working closely with Network Rail. The result will be a landmark new Meridian Water station, opposite Glover Drive. Scheduled
“It will create the jobs and infrastructure which will underpin the borough’s economy for for many years to come”
25 Meridian Water Issue 8 Spring 2017
to open in 2019, it will unlock the area for commuters, taking passengers south directly to Stratford and London Liverpool Street and north through Hertfordshire to Stansted and Cambridge. And its benefits might well increase with the emerging Crossrail 2 proposals: the new track, running from Surrey to Hertfordshire across London from 2033, could stop at Meridian Water.
DEVELOPERS ON BOARD
Above Crossrail 2 is being planned to link Hertfordshire to Surrey, and could provide a fast link from Meridian Water to stations and connections throughout central London.
26 Meridian Water Opportunity Enfield
Plans received a boost in June 2015, when the GLA announced Meridian Water had been granted housing zone status. As well as political support, the designation means that a number of planning and financial measures – including an indicative funding allocation of £25 million – will be in place to speed up housing delivery. Also at that time, a selection process had started to choose the developers which would carry out the work on the site. In May 2016, the council announced that Barratt London with Segro had been chosen as the preferred master developer partner to deliver the whole scheme. The announcement was greeted with enthusiasm by both the authority and the selected organisations. Stephen Kinsella, growth and partnerships director at Barratt, describes his team’s reaction to the appointment as a mix of emotions: “First of all, joy – we wanted to win to have the opportunity to create a world-class destination at Meridian Water. But also, a huge sense of responsibility: this is not an ordinary project; it is a massive undertaking for both Barratt and Segro. It will shape the future of Enfield for many generations to come, and together we have to [make] it right.”
BOOTS ON THE GROUND The year 2017 will be remembered as the time when work started to make Meridian Water a reality. Outline planning permission for phase one has been approved by Enfield Council planning committee and is now subject to GLA approval, which is expected in April 2017. Along with the new Meridian Water station, phase one includes the first 725 homes, retail space, community and leisure facilities, play areas, public open spaces and associated infrastructure. Throughout 2017 enabling works including ground water and soil remediation will take place to prepare the sites for development, and the physical delivery of homes will begin in early 2018. What three years ago was just an aspiration is now a reality, physically growing before our eyes. It will take 20 years before we see the final result. And yet the path is clear: Councillor Ahmet Oykener, cabinet member for housing and housing regeneration, says: “This is going to be one of the most exciting parts of London, it has the opportunity to fundamentally change the way people perceive new residential areas. “We can create something from scratch that is like nowhere else in the world and I think this will really become a blueprint for how urban regeneration should take place in the future. “We are drawing upon experience from throughout the world in terms of best practice and new ideas. This isn’t just about delivering 10,000 homes, or 6,700 jobs: this is a completely different approach to socially changing and delivering a new environment.”
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100,000 bikes means one big bike shed. Brompton is a British success story, exporting their iconic folding bikes all over the world. Booming businesses have complex problems that need solving. However, in just one meeting, we were able to put a line through the property ones. Four separate parts of Brompton’s business moved into one of our industrial properties, a property that not only allowed for expansion but also provided a viewing platform enabling Brompton customers to watch their personally specified bikes being built. When brilliant businesses find outstanding spaces, extraordinary things happen.
Investment and regeneration: location of the current projects around Enfield From small residential sites to the massive £6 billion, 85-ha Meridian Water scheme, investment opportunities abound in the borough
To London Heathrow Airport (50 mins)
Hadley Wood
LARGE SCALE INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES
01 Electric Quarter Mixed-use regeneration site in Ponders End, delivering 167 residential units, with commercial and community space. 02 Montmorency Park Replacing the former Ladderswood Way estate with a highquality, mixed-tenure development.
03 Montagu industrial estate Congested post-war estate being transformed into a contemporary business hub, close to the North Circular Road.
05 Bury Street West Consultation was due to be finalised after Opportunity Enfield went to press. Check updates online and in next issue.
04 Meridian Water One of London’s biggest development opportunities, the 85-ha project is now on-site.
SMALL HOUSING SITES PHASE TWO DESIGNED BY PETER BARBER ARCHITECTS
OTHER SMALL HOUSING SITES:
01 Ordnance Road
05 Forty Hill
10 St George’s Road
02 Padstow Road Perry Mead Hedge Hill
06 Holtwhites Hill
11 Tudor Crescent
07 Jasper Close
12 Upton Road & Rainham Road
03 Gatward Green, Haselbury
08 Lavender Hill 09 Parsonage Lane
04 Newstead
Piccadilly Line Proposed route of Crossrail 2 28 Map Opportunity Enfield
Cockfosters
To London Stansted Airport (51 mins)
M25
To London Gatwick Airport (60 mins)
Chase Hill M25
Enfield Lock
Turkey Street
01
Gordon 08 Hill
02
11
05
09
10 A10
06
07 Enfield Chase
A110
Enfield Town
Brimsdown A110
Grange Park
Winchmore Hill
Bush Hill Park
Southbury
01
Ponders End
05
A10 Southgate
03 04
Edmonton Green
03
North Circular (A406)
02 North Circular (A406)
Silver Street
To London King’s Cross (25 mins) Moorgate (36 mins)
Angel Road (Meridian Water)
To London Liverpool Street (40 mins)
12 04
To London Liverpool Street (25 mins)
To London City Airport (21 mins)
29 Map Issue 8 Spring 2017
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Electric Quarter This 2.14-ha, mixed-use regeneration project on Ponders End High Street is comprised of 167 residential units and 1,379sq m of commercial and community space. It received planning permission in November 2016, and is currently on-site. It is due for completion early in 2019.
PROJECTS
The scheme is being developed by Lovell in two stages. Phase A of 61 homes (40 townhouses for private sale and 21 affordable rent homes) is planned to complete in early 2018. Phase B consists of 106 homes, a community hall with a nursery and rooftop play area, library and five commercial units. It will be completed by spring 2019. As part of its incorporation into the high street, Electric Quarter will reduce traffic dominance and improve the public realm by creating shared civic spaces and cycle areas. Tree planting and landscaping will feature, as part of Transport for London’s Major Schemes Programme. Regenerating the busy and complex site has thrown up some practical issues, which are being resolved. The first challenge, to manage a building site while ensuring access for the Heron Hall Academy, has been resolved via new travel and construction plans to ensure all parties have unobstructed use. Secondly, a public inquiry for compulsory purchase orders of properties on the estate took place in November 2016, and an outcome is expected from the secretary of state in spring 2017.
31 Projects Issue 8 Spring 2017
Montmorency Park The first phase of Montmorency Park, formerly the Ladderswood Way estate, in New Southgate is due to complete in late February. It comprises 40 new homes, with 23 affordable and 17 for private sale. The whole 3.2-ha scheme, next to the A406 and between Arnos Grove tube and New Southgate rail station, will see a total of 517 homes built (93 social housing properties, 56 shared ownership and 368 privately owned) across 14 apartment blocks and 81 three and four-bed houses. The rest of the scheme will be delivered in a further four stages. Alongside the residential element will be new commercial space, a community centre and an 80-bedroom hotel, which will deliver employment and training opportunities for local people. Low-carbon heating for the entire estate will be supplied by energetik, the Lee Valley heat network.
32 Projects Opportunity Enfield
Montagu Industrial Estate This 11.6-ha estate, just north of the A406 in Edmonton, is set to be transformed into a business hub under plans drawn up by Enfield Council agreed in September 2016. The post-war estate – now congested, with inadequate infrastructure and servicing arrangements – could provide more than 63,175sq m of mixed-use employment space under a conceptual masterplan drawn up by Lichfields, with input from Lambert Smith Hampton and TPA transport consultants. The space would be provided in units of between 93 and 7,246sq m. All buildings will be flexible and capable of efficient and simple subdivision. Enfield Council is in advanced discussions with a major local employer about the development of up to 8,360sq m for a manufacturing facility to occupy a prime position on the Montagu A406 development and kickstart its regeneration. The council owns approximately seven hectares of the site. Its cabinet member for economic regeneration and business, Councillor Alan Sitkin, said: “The redevelopment of Montagu was initiated by Enfield Council as part of its ongoing drive to bring our industrial estates to the very highest standard and attract top class companies. The arrangement is one that the council is negotiating with private and public sector partners, in line with engagement with economic stakeholders to help improve opportunities for residents.” Left New housing will sit in a landscaped environment at Montmorency Park.
The council is currently procuring a joint venture partner and expects to make an announcement in the summer.
33 Projects Issue 8 Spring 2017
Small Housing Sites Phase two Enfield Council is committed to redeveloping brownfield and underused sites to create new council housing to alleviate the borough’s housing problems and provide homes for its residents. Phase one of the small housing programme is on-site with 94 homes designed by HTA under construction. The second phase is now being advanced, with homes for these sites being designed by Peter Barber Architects. Phase two includes 15 new council homes for affordable rent, including 11 three-storey, three-bed terraced houses, and four single-storey mews houses on the site of a disused temporary library and community hall on Ordnance Road in north Enfield. The design maximises the number of units while maintaining openness and amenity by creating a treelined rear access mews, which also provides parking for the scheme. Building work by Neilcott Construction is on-site and completion of the new homes is expected in autumn 2017. At Padstow Road, Perry Mead and Hedge Hill, three garage sites are being redeveloped to provide 13 houses for private sale, to subsidise affordable housing in the programme. The design-led schemes respond to their challenging site constraints, and all the homes are contemporary in design. The council secured planning permission for the three schemes in 2016, and has procured building contractor, Neilcott Construction. Works on site are expected to start in spring 2017, and take around a year. Twelve new houses across two garage sites in Haselbury, close to Church Street in the Gatward Green area of Edmonton, now have planning permission. The five three-bed houses and seven two-bed houses, for both affordable and private tenures, will be high quality, with a contemporary design. Subject to planning permission, the council plans to develop 10 new independent-living apartments in Newstead, Edmonton Green, and 12 new terraced family houses. The first phase of the scheme will rehouse residents from an existing sheltered housing project into the apartments, while phase two will deliver redevelopment of the sheltered scheme into new family housing.
34 Projects Opportunity Enfield
Above Transformation of a former garage site at Hedge Hill. Left Newstead at Edmonton Green will deliver homes for independent living alongside family units. Far left A mews development by Peter Barber Architects at Ordnance Road.
35 Projects Issue 8 Spring 2017
Meridian Water The 85-ha, £6 billion Meridian Water, one of London’s largest development opportunities, is now on-site. It achieved housing zone status in 2015, the first phase gained outline planning consent in June 2016, and work has started on the 725 new homes, new station and associated facilities at the Willoughby Lane part of the old National Grid site. All are due for completion in 2019/20. Over the next 20 years, the scheme by Barratt London – for which the first phase will be designed by Karakusevic Carson Architects and Maccreanor Lavington – will transform the area of industrial buildings and canals into 10,000 new homes, a new railway station, parks, play areas, shops, schools and community facilities. The homes will be in a mix of tenures, size and style, with a high percentage of affordable housing, and a large proportion of private rented sector housing, making it an attractive investment opportunity for both investors and homeowners. The scheme will provide 6,700 permanent jobs and 10,000 positions in the construction industry. Part of the employment offer for the area will be Meridian Works, phase one of which will deliver a canal-side hub for makers and artists along the River Lea. Backed by £1.35 million from the Greater London Authority’s London Regeneration Fund, the first phase of Meridian Works is the result of a collaboration between Enfield Council, social enterprise Building BloQs and
educational charity ACAVA, the Association for Cultural Advancement through Visual Art . Artisans and small businesses will be able to rent space or studios in what will be Europe’s largest open-source workshop space to create work in media as diverse as wood, metal, textiles, ceramics and digital. Construction to convert the two warehouses will begin by spring 2017. Meridian Water is already improving the employment prospects for residents in an innovative apprenticeship scheme with its architect, Karakusevic Carson, organised by the Stephen Lawrence charitable trust. Under the project, called the Stephen Lawrence Building Futures Programme, six year 13 students from local sixth forms and colleges, who want to study architecture, design or engineering at university, have been selected to undertake work experience with a professional mentor within the architects’ studio to help them gain the skills required to apply for a place at university in 2017. Each student will also be awarded a bursary of £1,000 towards his or her university studies. The trust is also making another £4,000 available to other young people in Enfield to help them go to university and study architecture or construction. Applications for bursaries are open until March.
Left Meridan Water will establish a new neighbourhood, transforming a former industrial area with investment of £6 billion.
36 Projects Opportunity Enfield
• Unrivalled opportunities for technology, retail, manufacturing and green industries within easy reach of the M25, A406, A10, London Stansted Airport and central London • Join over 12,300 businesses including Coca Cola, Kelvin Hughes, Warburtons, Ardmore Construction, Ikea, John Lewis, Tesco, Building BloQs and Biffa employing nearly 132,000 people • Enfield offers support to businesses considering locating in Enfield with advice on available sites and premises, support with recruitment and introductions to local stakeholders and support with sourcing local suppliers.
For more information on opportunities in Enfield please email invest@enfield.gov.uk or visit www.investinenfield.co.uk
Business case
The climate of austerity and budget cuts hits local authority services hard – but the needs of communities don’t go away. In Enfield, Kirsty MacAulay finds the council turning to innovation to establish social enterprises, delivering accommodation and energy
38 Innovation in enterprise Opportunity Enfield
“Once Enfield’s commercial ventures get through the startup phases, they will generate cashflow for council operations”
Being able to ‘think outside the box’ is expected and encouraged when it comes to artists, innovators and creative types. It is not usually associated with local authorities. Enfield Council, however, is ripping up the rule book with a thoroughly modern take on how best to perform in a world where continuous government cuts have put council services at risk. As Councillor Achilleas Georgiou, deputy leader of the council, explains: “What matters is efficient business and that things get achieved. We can’t do things the same old way we used to with the change in the financial status. Given these constraints we must try and find ways to provide value and one of the best ways to do that is through entrepreneurialism.” The situation offers an opportunity to do things differently and Enfield Council has seized the chance, setting up several commercial ventures to enable it to save money. Examples of the entrepreneurial spirit include the Housing Gateway scheme, which entails buying property for use as an alternative to emergency accommodation, avoiding the payment of very high rents to agents. The council has also created its own sustainable energy company, energetik, to supply houses and commercial buildings with heating and hot water, delivered through a new underground pipe infrastructure, focusing on the Meridian Water sites, as well as several community schemes. The authority is also busy building its first council homes in 30 years, as well as additional housing through the wholly owned subsidiary, Enfield Innovations. Councillor Alan Sitkin, cabinet member for economic regeneration and business development, says: “Once Enfield’s commercial ventures have got through their startup phases, they will generate muchneeded cashflow for council operations, while providing much-needed services for the local population. The key factor of success varies in the different sectors – housing, heating and adult social care – where the London Borough of Enfield is showing such dynamic leadership, but the logic remains the same. “These are activities where the council supplements the lack of private sector activities. It co-ordinates with commercial and state sector partners to ensure socially optimal and financially viable outcomes,” says Sitkin. “The end result is the growing confidence that citizens – but also investors – have in working with Enfield Council ventures. It is a success story – and one that the London Borough of Enfield is rightfully proud of.”
The drive for alternative means of funding services has led Enfield Council to set up businesses, which deliver serives and generate income.
39 Innovation in enterprise Issue 8 Spring 2017
Heating up Enfield Council, via its own enterprise, is installing district energy schemes which will provide sustainable energy at various sites throughout the borough. The council has set up energetik as a wholly owned subsidiary, to design, install and supply the energy systems that will enable the council to provide clean, very low carbon, efficient energy at a competitive price. The biggest project will be at Meridian Water where approximately 10,000 homes and commercial properties across 85ha will be provided with heat and hot water by the underground heating system. Jayne Clare, managing director of energetik, says: “It’s exciting. There’s a lot to do between now and occupancy. We’ve done a lot of groundwork, looking at specification, design, aiming for very high standards of service, longevity and delivery. We have come at this both from the needs of the council as well as customers.” A series of community heat networks are being installed across the borough, where estates are being rebuilt through the council’s regeneration programme. The first to be completed will be at the former Ladderswood estate – now transformed as Montmorency Park – where residents are expected to start moving in from spring 2017. Scandinavian installation standards are being applied by energetik for its energy system, which far exceed current British standards for efficiency and reliability. A relatively unusual concept in the UK, district energy schemes have been used successfully across Scandinavia for decades, where some members of the energetik team gained experience of working on such innovative projects. Community heat networks will form an integral part of Enfield’s energy infrastructure. Unlike equivalent projects in the private sector, each scheme can be expanded, so that more homes and businesses will be 40 Innovation in enterprise Opportunity Enfield
Looking at how sources of energy are being reused in Scandinavia led Enfield Council to set up energetik, its own energy company, initially supplying homes in Montmorency Park – and eventually, thousands of residential and business customers in the borough, as Kirsty MacAulay reports
“We have come at this both from the needs of the council as well as customers”
“It will protect consumers and Enfield Council will have a long-term investment”
able to benefit from low cost, low carbon heating. The networks are flexible and capable of being adapted to new heating technologies as they become available. Testament to Enfield’s pioneering approach, the sustained social and environmental benefits are vital for the council. As Clare states: “It will make Enfield a better place to live; it will protect consumers and Enfield Council will have a long-term investment. It is really
innovative to consider the benefits for the region and consumers. The council has really thought about the future, not just the next five years.” Enfield Council is in the process of committing to investment of tens of millions in installing the system. Clare says: “There is potential to expand the scheme outside the borough in the future. Why give it to the market when we should be able to manage it better as a local authority?” 41 Innovation in enterprise Issue 8 Spring 2017
Home coming Established in 2014, Housing Gateway is Enfield Council’s answer to the rapidly growing problem of affordable temporary accommodation for residents. With rental prices increasing across the borough and the benefit cap imposed by the government reducing income, the number of homeless residents has increased dramatically. Add to this the rising cost for the council of emergency temporary housing and it makes sense to take control of the situation. Enfield Council has created its own company, Housing Gateway, to source housing for temporary use as an alternative to expensive, nightly paid accommodation, helping to alleviate the homeless problem the borough is facing. The council has taken the concept and run with it – other boroughs also looked at the idea but Enfield was the first in the country to go live. As James Rolfe, Housing Gateway’s managing director, explains, they haven’t looked back. “We needed to provide quality accommodation that residents and the council could afford,” says Rolfe. “Our councillors were very interested in it and pushed it through – we put flesh on the bones and made it work. It is cheaper to buy than rent in London, so it is a really obvious idea.” And a winning idea too, as Housing Gateway, which is only in its third year, is already beating targets and getting good feedback from tenants. The limited company was set up with a loan facility of £100 million, to be paid back over the lifetime of the assets. The goal is to purchase 500 properties within a five-year period. It looks like that might be easily achieved given that Housing Gateway has already purchased more than 400 properties, which are already providing good quality accommodation. The company has grown organically and is rapidly gaining momentum. When first established, the Housing Gateway company’s initial goal was to 42 Innovation in enterprise Opportunity Enfield
In an overheated market, the cost of temporary accommodation is notoriously high, yet councils have legal obligations to provide shelter to people in certain sets of circumstances. In Housing Gateway, Kirsty MacAulay finds an innovative approach is paying off in Enfield
provide 200 properties – but by the end of June 2016 this aim was exceeded with 204 completions. Housing Gateway’s demonstrable success in delivery, through an innovative project, led to the company being one of the finalists in the Housing Initiatives category of the prestigious Local Government Chronicle Awards in 2015. As with most ambitious projects, there was a lot of preparatory work to be done. Rolfe explains: “There were issues we’ve had to address; making sure we got the proper legal basis for the company, gaining the proper financial management skills, which took a while. There was some opposition from the local housing market, we had to build relationships with estate agents, which also did take a while – the housing market is very hot here, but we have some strong relationships now.
“We had to build relationships with estate agents – the housing market is very hot here”
In the heat of the market, councils are searching for ways to cool down escalating costs, providing accommodation and avoiding high rents. Enfield’s Housing Gateway offers a means of reducing costs and maintaining quality.
43 Innovation in enterprise Issue 8 Spring 2017
“The acid test for staff when looking at a property is always ‘would you be happy to live here?’”
Housing Gateway’s success has enabled Enfield Council to avoid expenditure equal to £1.5 million on nightly accommodation.
44 Innovation in enterprise Opportunity Enfield
“We have a team working across the council – 10 to 15 people, all of whom are working on other things as well. There is one full time member of staff, she buys in all the services from across the council – it’s a very cost effective model. “As the company has got more and more efficient, it has worked much faster and our councillors have provided the support to make this happen,” Rolfe explains. “The time it takes to put tenants in a property can vary – sometimes a property is bought and tenants can move in the following week. On other occasions, we need to do some renovation work and it can take a couple of months. We fit new kitchens, bathrooms, we knock down walls or put them up where necessary. The acid test for our staff when looking at a property is always ‘would you be happy to live here’? It comes down to whether or not the numbers work and if we can do it up and turn it around in time.” A major plus point to the new system is that it makes it easier for the council to control standards of accommodation and ensure properties are well
managed, which in turn sends a strong message to the market. Efforts to attain high standards have been rewarded. In a recent research project, 85% of Housing Gateway tenants who responded were satisfied with the service, significantly above the levels of many housing associations in the UK. The council must also be satisfied with the financial benefits – by February 2017, Enfield had already avoided expenditure equal to £1.5 million on nightly shelter. The cost of temporary housing has increased dramatically, causing significant budgetary pressures for local authorities. Enfield has the fifth highest rate nationally of households in short-term accommodation. The aim is that initiatives like Housing Gateway will help to tackle the issue. Rolfe explains: “We want to get to the position where nobody needs temporary accommodation. Over time, that may well be possible but for the foreseeable future, we will need to provide this service. It’s a winning model – the tenants are happy and it is a good financial deal. It doesn’t get better than that.”
Opportunity Enfield partners group Joining together to support Enfield
Derrick Wade Waters Mark Joslin mj@dww.co.uk Grant Thornton Paul Dossett paul.dossett@uk.gt.com Greater Anglia Jonathan Denby jonathan.denby@greateranglia.co.uk Lee Valley Estates Raechel Burgess raechel@lee-valley-estates.co.uk Newlon Housing Trust Joe Molloson joe.molloson@newlon.org.uk Sitematch London Paul Gussar paul@3foxinternational.com
For more information about these companies, visit opportunityenfield.com/partners
Big business North London Distribution Centre offers huge warehouse space, with excellent road and public transport links and Class A office space in northeast Enfield. Huub Nieuwstadt reports
Enfield Council is currently promoting the North London Distribution Centre, a three-hectare site in the north-east of the borough. Situated just off the A1055, the well-connected site was previously occupied by drinks distribution group Tradeteam, part of DHL Supply Chain. It is four miles from the M25 and 10 from central London. The site is equally accessible by public transport. Brimsdown station is nearby, from which trains take 25 minutes to Liverpool Street in the City of London. In addition to the large warehouse, a separate office building, gatehouse and 220 parking spaces also feature as part of the opportunity. To the northeast of the site is a 1.56-ha yard, which can offer further development options for a future occupant. The main warehouse contains a workshop and benefits from an 11m internal clearance and new roof lights. The building has 20-level access loading doors and three “dog-level� loading doors. 46 Sitematch Opportunity Enfield
The accompanying office building is Category A, set over two storeys and features suspended ceilings directly connected to the main warehouse. To cover the loading bays, the warehouse has 3,400sq m of canopy. The council believes the London Borough of Enfield is an ideal location for an opportunity of this size. Other than the obvious connectivity benefits, the strategic location means a future occupier could tap into a working population of 1.1 million that live within a 30-minute drive of the site. North London Distribution Centre is marketed by CBRE, DTRE and Moriarty & Company. For further information contact: Tom Fairlie, DTRE tom.fairlie@dtre.eu James Swallow, CBRE james.swallow@CBRE.com Steve Moriarty, Moriarty & Company steve@moriarty.uk.com
Above North London Distribution Centre is well connected by road and public transport.
SITEMATCH LONDON 2017 WAS THE BIGGEST AND BEST EVER. Here’s what our delegates have to say:
Are you confident the event will lead to further meetings/discussions?
93% YES
7% NO
Did you make new and useful contacts?
100% YES
Did you discover new sites/developers of interest?
86% YES
14% NO
The next Sitematch London is taking place at 155 Bishopsgate on Thursday 8 February 2018. To find out about booking meetings with local authorities, networking passes and attending briefing sessions contact Josie Brewer josie@3foxinternational.com To attend as a local authority, become an adviser or sponsor contact Paul Gussar paul@3foxinternational.com
PROPERTY | DEVELOPMENT | FINANCE
BUILDING LONDON BASED IN ENFIELD Ardmore is a large privately owned design and build contractor that provides a unique range of in-house services to guarantee the delivery of cost efficient, timely and high quality products and services. With an extensive capability based on in-house resources we offer a ‘fixed price and qualification free’ approach to major construction projects of up to £170m
Supporting investment and employment in Enfield and across London For more information please contact:
Byrne House, Jeffreys Road, Enfield, EN3 7UB
New Business Martyn Horne
Recruitment Andrew Nash
www.ardmoregroup.co.uk t: 020 8344 0300
e: mhorne@ardmoregroup.co.uk t: 0208 344 0426
e: anash@ardmoregroup.co.uk t: 0208 344 0397