North East Enfield Area Action Plan [NEEAAP] Draft Interim Direction Document: Working Towards a Submission AAP July 2012 Version – 13/07/12

CONTENTS Foreword 1.0 Introduction 4.1 Overview 4.2 Strategic Planning Context 4.3 What is the purpose of this document? 4.4 AAP Study Area Boundary 2.0 Area Context 2.1 North East Enfield: Urban Structure, Form, and Land Uses 2.2 Socio Economic Profile 2.3 Regeneration Considerations 2.4 Regeneration Drivers 3.0 Regeneration Vision & Objectives 3.1 Draft Vision 3.2 Objectives 4.0 The Spatial Framework The Neighbourhood Places – A1010 Hertford Road Corridor 4.1 Ponders End 4.2 Enfield Highway 4.3 Enfield Wash 4.4 The Shopping Parades in North East Enfield - Enfield Island Village - Enfield Lock - Ordnance Road - Freezywater - Brimsdown - Bullsmoor - South Street, Ponders End - Southbury Road Kingsway The Areas of Improvement 4.5 Employment Growth and the Local Economy 4.6 Industrial Estates 4.7 North London’s Waterside and the Lee Valley Regional Park Infrastructure Investment 4.8 The Need for Community Facilities and Services

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4.9 The Network of Open Spaces 4.10 The Highway Network, Transport and Movement Infrastructure 4.11 The Decentralised Energy Network 5.0 Next Steps 6.0 Appendices Appendix 1: Planning Policy Context Appendix 2: Document Context and Preparation Stages Appendix 3: List of Figures

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1.0 INTRODUCTION 1.1 Overview This document is about the future of North East Enfield 1[NEE], an area stretching from the M25 southwards to Ponders End. It includes the communities of Enfield Lock, Enfield Highway, Ponders End, Turkey Street, and Southbury. At first glance the area has much to offer, its diverse neighbourhood places of Ponders End, Enfield High and Enfield Wash, thriving industrial areas of Brimsdown and Innova Park and an area of natural recreation in the Lee Valley Regional Park and Waterways. This area is home to a diverse community of 59,000 people and approximately a 1000 + businesses, and many people travel to and through the area to work. However it is home to some of London’s poorest communities suffering from high unemployment, low skill base, low educational attainment and benefit claimant level together with income deprivation affecting children and older people. The Council is preparing an Area Action Plan 2[AAP] which will provide a comprehensive planning policy framework to guide future development and investment in the area. The regeneration of the area, planning for new homes, businesses and the necessary future support infrastructure requirements have been ongoing considerations over a number of years through the Local Plan making process. An AAP is needed to achieve sustainable growth for the NEE area in future years and manage the delivery of key development potential in a holistic way. The AAP will be a shared strategy for the variety of stakeholders that live, work, visit and invest in the area. It will provide a clear planning policy framework for decisions about existing issues and problems, as well as a guide to inform the future comprehensive regeneration, development opportunities and targeted investment. 1.2 What is the purpose of this document? The Council is not starting from scratch on this project. The preparation process of the North East Enfield Area Action Plan 3[NEEAAP] has been on hold following consultation on the Preferred Options in May 2009. There has been significant change and progress made in this interim period, the Council has an adopted Core Strategy, 2010 for the Borough in place

1 NEE – North East Enfield 2 AAP – Area Action Plan is an optional development plan document specified in United Kingdom planning law forming part of a Local Plan 3 NEEAAP – North East Enfield Area Action Plan

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that provides the strategic direction for NEE area. There has also been significant evidence base work undertaken, in particular: publication of the Ponders End Framework for Change, August 2009; adoption of the Ponders End Central Planning Brief, May 2011, the publication of the new London Plan – 2011 and the draft Opportunity Area Planning Framework 4[OAPF] for the Upper Lee Valley, November 2011. The key messages from the earlier Issues and Options, 2008 and preferred Options, 2009 stages of consultation have allowed a comprehensive process and understanding to develop as to the level of deprivation linked with the issues of accessibility and connectivity, the need for affordable family housing, community facilities and services, the need for jobs and training for residents of the area and the need to manage holistically the potential future development opportunities in the area. The time is right to move forward in the NEEAAP process to ensure that change is planned in a comprehensive way. This document is an opportunity to highlight and consider the regeneration drivers in the NEE area. Importantly it is an opportunity to re-engage with you, the stakeholders in the process, as to the regeneration drivers, development opportunities and potential growth for future years in order to inform the submission AAP document. We welcome your thoughts and views on the content of this document and what you like and dislike about the area and how you would like things to be changed. A series of question are asked throughout this document to help you provide your thoughts and comments. This document seeks to do the following:

Provide an overview to the context to which the NEEAAP is set within and the need for regeneration, in particular highlight the significant progress that has been made in Ponders End and how it should be driven forward comprehensively given the scale of opportunity and its future impact on the entire AAP area;

Identify a spatial structure to neighbourhood places, shopping parades, wider land uses and the infrastructure that supports their function in the area to which a planning framework can be framed;

Identify key regeneration considerations and drivers that will help develop an understanding of neighbourhoods and wider land uses in the area, there future needs and how places will function to meet those needs;

Provide a draft vision for the future of the area based upon a comprehensive understanding of the future needs of the communities in the area and set out objectives that help develop the draft vision through to the preparation of the Submission AAP;

Set out the Councils AAP policy approach’s that can assist the preparation of the Submission AAP; and

Identify the path to an adopted AAP working forward from this current stage of the Interim Direction document.

4 OAPF – Draft Upper Lee Valley Opportunity Area Planning Framework, November 2011, Greater London Authority Publication

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1.3 Strategic Planning Context The North East Enfield [NEE] area occupies a key position in a wider growth area. It sits within the London-Stansted- Cambridge-Peterborough growth corridor and the Upper Lee Valley. This is defined in the London Plan as an ‘Opportunity Area’ and is a priority for regeneration which is illustrated through the Draft Opportunity Area Planning Framework for the Upper Lee Valley, November 2011 [OAPF]. The adopted Core Strategy for the Borough highlights NEE as a strategic growth area and Ponders End as a regeneration priority area. Core Policy 40 North East Enfield sets out the objectives for the North East Enfield area; and Core Policy 41 Ponders End recognises the area as a Place Shaping Priority Area, with three areas of future development opportunities identified Including Ponders End Central, Ponders End South Street Campus and Ponders End Waterfront. The broad objectives of these policies include: The Focus of New Development Opportunities - The focus for change and

development will be in Ponders End where there is a string of key opportunity sites along an east-west axis;

Industrial Estates – North East Enfield’s reputation as a thriving and competitive industrial business location will be enhanced with Strategic Industrial Locations being safeguarded;

New Housing – Across the North East Enfield area there is scope to develop 1,000+ new homes with a range of typologies and tenures, including affordable housing;

Local Centres and Community Facilities: The local centres will be enhanced to improve the shopping experience, recreation and leisure offer. Social and community infrastructure expansion will be supported to accommodate the needs of a growing population; &

Infrastructure Investment: Improvements to public transport and access to the area by car, cycle and on foot in particular: Improvements to the busy Hertford Road corridor to improve the environment for pedestrians and road users alike; more attractive and green links to maximise access east-west to the Lee Valley Park and to the existing communities and employment areas; Improvements to north-south pedestrian and cycle routes within the Lee Valley Park; Work with its partners to ensure that negative impacts of the proposed new investment in the West Anglia main line are mitigated and continued consideration of the Northern Gateway Access Package 5[NGAP] and the likely improvements to accessibility and movement.

These policies provide the broad basis for the regeneration and policy drivers the [AAP] process must explore further. The primary purpose of the AAP is to articulate in greater detail how these policies will be implemented, and to provide a more detailed policy framework to guide the development process for the area. [Appendix 1: Detailed Planning Policy Context to the AAP area]

5 NGAP – Northern Gateway Access Package – Explained at 4.10 of this report.

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1.4 AAP Study Area Boundary The area that will be covered by the North East Enfield AAP is shown in Figure 1: North East Enfield Study Area, bounded by a solid red line. The initial boundary of the AAP to the west was defined by Hertford Road. The boundary has been extended in response to previous consultations to include communities west of Hertford Road and can be spatially overviewed as follows:

The area is defined by its large areas of industrial estates and waterways;

The Lee Valley Regional Park and Waterways are also an important

natural asset, although they are largely hidden from view, inaccessible and thus under utilised. In addition, other areas of open space are of poor quality;

The area is orientated on a north-south basis, forming barriers to east-

west movement. The area around Ponders End forms an important eastern gateway into the area;

The eastern most railway line [East Anglia Mainline]forms the major

barrier to movement due to the crossings along its length;

Hertford Road is the main community spine in the area, where local centres nodes of activity are located surrounded by built up neighbourhoods. There exists conflicts along this corridor between the quality of the centres and the volumes of traffic along it; and

The area is important within its strategic context and opportunities at

the strategic level need to be reconciled with the need at the local level.

Q Do you agree with the extension to the boundary of the study area we are proposing in light of the responses to earlier stages of consultation?

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2.0 AREA CONTEXT 2.1 North East Enfield: Urban Structure, Form, and Land Uses Generally, the Hertford Road spine defines the centre of a wider residential area with ground floor retail uses in defined neighbourhood centres and along main pedestrian routes. The eastern boundary of the residential area is clearly defined by the eastern railway corridor with the only exception being the Enfield Lock and Enfield Island Village area. The western boundary is more fluent and extends beyond the railway corridor up to the A10 Great Cambridge Road. The Brimsdown industrial area forms one homogenous area that sits between residential quarters and the Lee Valley Regional Park and eastern green belt. More employment areas are located further north towards the M25 and down towards Central Leeside. Some smaller industrial sites are competing with residential uses within the residentially dominated area between the railway corridors. These sites include Alexandra Road & Alma Road Industrial Estates, Redburn Industrial Estate, Meridian Business Park, Great Cambridge Road Industrial Business Park, Queensway Industrial Estate near Southbury Station and various business sites along Hertford Road. Neighbourhood Places develop naturally around local centre node points with high levels of connectivity to the surrounding urban fabric and high pedestrian counts. Neighbourhood Places show a clustering of community facilities and retail activities around residential fabric. They are the focus of communities and underpin their character and local identity. In the AAP area, three such key local centre node points are located along Hertford Road Corridor [Ponders End, Enfield Highway and Enfield Wash] and to a lesser degree a number of secondary nodes in the form of shopping parades located within the built up neighbourhoods, [Ordnance Road, Enfield Lock, Enfield Island Village, Freezywater, Brimsdown, Bullsmoor, South Street, Ponders End, Southbury Road Kingsway]. We need to develop the critical understanding through the AAP process of these key neighbourhood places and their relationship with the wider network of shopping parades. As such, improvements to and along the Hertford Road [A1010] are important, together with the connectivity and linkage from it. This forms the main community spine through the area, along which centres of activity, in terms of retail, social and community infrastructure. This is also the spine through which the bus network is focused. Conversely though, it is an important route in terms of the designated highway of streets and conflicts thus exist between the volume of traffic and quality of the environment in the centres, particularly for pedestrians. The importance of these centres is reflected within the historic development of the area, with the development of the area concentrated along the Hertford Road prior to the opening of the railway lines and the industrialisation of the area.

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2.2 Socio Economic Profile Enfield has a high level of deprivation, as measured in the 2010 Indices of Multiple Deprivation [Office of National Statistics, ONS], which measures the average of the categories of income, unemployment, health and life expectancy, crime, overcrowding and poor housing conditions. Enfield has an overall ranking in the 2010 Indices of Multiple Deprivation showed to be the 10th most deprived out of 32 London Boroughs. There are high levels of inequality within the Borough with some neighbourhoods amongst the most deprived in Britain with concentrations of socio-economic deprivation with high unemployment, low skills, high benefit claimant level, income deprivation affecting children and older people together with high levels of localised child poverty indicators in the eastern and southern-side. The wards in NEE area have an estimated population of 59,000 people and where some of London’s most affordable rental property is located. Average life expectancy for males: 81.7 years and females: 77.5 years, with the area suffering from poorer health than the Borough average. Other particular measurements of concern in the AAP area are education, housing and living environment across all five wards. Ponders End is the most deprived of the study area wards and Enfield’s third most deprived. In terms of the ethnicity make-up in the NEE area, the largest ethnic groups in the area include White British, White other, Black Caribbean and Black African. There is a relatively high proportion of White British in Enfield Lock and Enfield Highway and in Ponders End there is a high proportion of Bangladeshi although the largest group is White British. Over the past 20 years Enfield has provided affordable rental property for many vulnerable groups. In-migration tends have had a significant impact on the profile of Enfield’s population, particularly with regard to ethnic and age profile and the number of single parent households. A key factor affecting the employability of unemployed residents in the area is their skill level. Although overall skill levels have improved, Enfield still has a skills gap, with only 1 in 12 jobs advertised by Job Centre Plus [JCP] each year requiring low or no skills. It is clear employers increasingly require higher-levels of competence and job related qualifications. Employers in our growing sectors shared that they find it difficult to attract local applicants for skilled jobs, notably construction trades, distribution and engineering jobs. As a result businesses tend to look to recruitment agencies to fill positions. This is also a reflection of educational attainment across the area where the proportion of pupils achieving five GCSE’s at A* - C is below average. Within the identified wards the total number of jobseeker allowance claimants in 2012 to date: 3,260 of which 1,395 were female and 875 were between the ages of 18-24. In 2011 the overall number of people on income support totals 4,070. The number of 16-18 year olds not in education or employment or training equates to 127 to date in 2012.

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Low spending power in the neighbourhoods in the NEE area where economic deprivation is concentrated is weakening the sustainability of the local retail sector. Enfield needs to attract more people with higher-level skills to live in the Borough and attract more businesses with higher paid job. This in-turn will help raise the Borough’s average household income and address child poverty indicators. In terms of income deprivation in the NEE area, the rankings highlight Enfield Highway: 31; Enfield Lock: 28; Ponders End: 25; Southbury: 104 and Turkey Street: 43 out of 628 nationally. The rankings for income deprivation affecting children highlights: Enfield Highway: 97; Enfield Lock: 87; Ponders End: 26; Southbury: 120 and Turkey Street: 61 out of 628 nationally. The rankings for income deprivation affecting older people highlights: Enfield Highway: 265; Enfield Lock: 299; Ponders End: 158; Southbury: 241 and Turkey Street: 278 out of 628 nationally. In the context of the Borough, crime and disorder is low but criminal damage is high in Enfield Lock and Enfield Highway. Ponders End however is a high crime area. Barriers Local businesses in the NEE area with distribution functions shared thorough previous consultation stages that congestion on the roads is a major challenge. Employers shared that they limit the turnaround window at their depots to early hours of the morning in order to avoid peak traffic. Through the AAP process we need to ensure infrastructure in the future is fit for purpose, this will be key to retaining and enabling the growth of existing businesses and promoting inward investment offer to businesses considering where to locate. The rail-line on the eastern corridor is limited to 3 stopping services per hour. Local bus services particularly east-west connections are relatively weak, particularly services connecting our major towns with strategic development sites where many future jobs will be located. As bus transport tends to be the main mode of transport for low income households, it is essential to provide good affordable public transport services so that local people can get to work within a reasonable period of time. The Council’s approach to socio-economic regeneration will involve working in close partnership with our key stakeholders to achieve long-term benefits for our residents, particularly those experiencing severe disadvantage and deprivation. There are many issues to consider and some key decisions that need to be made in relation to the future housing needs, the quality of local centres, employment base, educational facilities, skill levels and training needs, recreation facilities, highways and movement network, strategic and local transport connections, improved public transport and higher quality public

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realm conditions for pedestrians and cyclists, the green and built environment, and the quality of life generally. 2.3 Regeneration Considerations Sustainable Communities The principles of sustainability respond to a much wider agenda rather than aiming to improve a particular condition within North East Enfield. It must form a key part of the vision and therefore needs to be represented within all of the projects created. We believe there is immense opportunity in the NEE area for establishing sustainable communities of the future and to distinguish itself as a leader in environmental issues by accommodating new forms of eco-development, providing suitable accommodation and the required image for fostering green businesses and industries. There is opportunity in the area to create a greenspace network and natural grid, to provide a strong green character, reinforced by a series of green spaces and linkages, which will mean new natural gateways connected by substantial planting and corridors that encourage the movement and growth of wildlife and aid biodiversity. It will also give the area sense of natural enclosure and aid orientation. We want to encourage the use of sustainable forms of energy and design, develop new eco-opportunities by way of alternative energy developments through design and construction of new homes and development of the Decentralised Energy Network 6[DEN] for communities and business that can play an important educational resource for people to learn from and have a greater affinity with. The Function of Hertford Road Corridor [A1010] The need to safeguard and enhance the role, function, landscape, and townscape character of each of the neighbourhood places [Ponders End, Enfield Highway, Enfield Wash] in NEE area to create a vibrant high street environment will require detailed analysis and consideration. This could be potentially achieved through improvements to: the public realm, environmental enhancements, stronger connections from these centres to the shopping parades, the Lee Valley Regional Park, improving public transport facilities, promoting development of the highest design quality, and the encouragement of a vibrant mix of uses. The Enfield Retail Study 2009 states, in line with the retail hierarchy of the area, in all cases the proportion of comparison retail units is lower than the national average, with convenience retail units being more dominant. This however is reflective of the status of the areas as neighbourhood places and shopping parades, with comparison units driven by policy to locate in larger centres,

6 DEN – Decentralised Energy Network

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such as Enfield Town. Local centres and shopping parades are particularly important in serving day-to-day needs and it is therefore important that they are accessible to all. However, being focused along Hertford Road corridor, it is unsurprising that pedestrian movement is impeded. At present there is an ongoing consultation paper looking at a boundary review of all the retail centres in the Borough. This includes the neighbourhood places and shopping parades we have identified in NEE area. In terms of accommodating future growth through arising development opportunities, the sequential approach will be followed as set out by the 7NPPF. As part of the Local Plan the AAP will be supported by the Core Strategy and forthcoming Development Management document to improve the retail offer, general quality and appearance of the all the centres in the Borough. The Upper Lee Valley Opportunity Framework document also recognises the importance of improving the quality of local centres in the wider area, particularly those strung along the A1010, being places where a mix of uses and thus sustainable patterns of development can be accommodated. The Oxford Economics report for the Borough ‘Investment and Regeneration in the Upper Lee Valley Corridor’ states the A1010 Corridor has the potential for 1,600 jobs spilit across retail [30%] industrial [40%] and public sector [30%] uses, scheduled for development between 2012 and 2026. This area runs from the North of Enfield, through to Edmonton and Tottenham. Residential Development Opportunities - Density, Tenure and Typology North East Enfield has the potential to contribute towards housing targets in the Borough set out in the adopted Core Strategy and in line with the adopted London Plan targets for the Borough. There is significant potential for new housing development in Ponders End with sites including the former Middlesex University site together with the Alma Housing Estate renewal project. Linked to the question of how new housing can be accommodated in the NEE area is the issue of density. The more dense the development, the more new housing units can be delivered, and the greater the critical mass of people to support services such as retail and community uses for the resident population. However, there needs to be a balance. Although new housing developments should make the most efficient use of suitable land, they need to respect the local context and character of the area. The opportunity sites in Ponders End have the potential to achieve high densities given their proximity to key node points including the High Street and Ponders End Station.

7 NPPF – National Planning Policy Framework, March 2012 - This is a key part of our reforms by Central Government to make the planning system less complex and more accessible, to protect the environment and to promote sustainable growth.

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In terms of housing tenure and typology, the evidence base to the Core Strategy has identified that there is much need for affordable and family housing in the NEE area. The Core Strategy details the Borough wide policy application supported by the London Plan and the need to take account of changes in household characteristics and lifestyle by offering a range of housing types and sizes. The Local Plan evidence base details that a range of housing types will be required in the Borough, which meets the needs of the local communities with a range of lifestyles, incomes, and for families wishing to stay in the area. Part of the AAP is about improving the area as it is now but the plan also gives us the opportunity to change the use of some sites, deliver new development and regenerate the area.

Q Are there any other significant sites in North East Enfield that could be considered for residential or other potential development opportunities that we have not identified? Accessibility We need to enhance accessibility into and within North East Enfield for all users. Key movement routes should assist the arrival experience and present a clear structure for negotiating routes within the area and to key locations such as neighbourhood places, transport nodes [bus/rail] and the industrial estates within the area. The AAP needs to break down the barriers that exist and create direct and accessible routes into the area and enhance the arrival and movement experience through the area. The aim is to create neighbourhoods for people, without neglecting the balance between vehicles, pedestrians and cyclists that is required for places to function well. Strong access principles will ensure places are easy for people to get to, to do so in safety and comfort, and to be able to at any time of the day or night. The key routes should be developed to be inclusive, safe and pleasant for all users. We need to create and celebrate better area gateways and arrival points. The objective will be to ensure they are distinctive and memorable and provide a clear indication of the quality of environment they lead into. These could be quality spaces that reflect the significance of arriving in the area and the start of a more understandable journey into the neighbourhood places. The only connection with the M25 motorway in the area is from the A10 (Junction 25). The A121 and Junction 26 east of the Lee Valley cannot be utilised in its current road layout. As a result of this, it appears that Brimsdown traffic to and from M25 motorway currently uses “rat-runs” through the study

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area, causing traffic and pollution problems in vulnerable residential and mixed-use areas and compromising the character of the area, particularly through the neighbourhood centres along Hertford Road High Street. The western rail corridor is well permeated with over and underbridges relieving traffic from residential areas towards Cambridge Road. However, the eastern rail corridor shows a significantly lower degree of permeation with the only over- and under bridges being at Lea Valley Road [A110] and Mollison Avenue [A1055]. While level crossings at Ordnance Road and Green Street are causing road congestion, these are also likely to discourage vehicles from “rat-runs” through residential and mixed-use areas. Despite the high number of train stations, the accessibility to public in the area is generally low. The London Plan uses a Public Transport Accessibility Level 8[PTAL] measure as a broad indication of accessibility to London’s public transport network. A rating of ‘0’ equates to very low public transport accessibility, whereas a rating of ‘6b’ equates to very high public transport accessibility. PTAL ratings for the AAP area confirm that the areas between Enfield Highway and Enfield Wash along with Enfield Lock are particularly badly served by public transport. Due to the relatively close proximity to Southbury train station, the Ponders End area west of Hertford Road shows the best PTAL ratings in the area. To a lesser degree this applies also to the Enfield Wash area between Hertford Road and Turkey Street Station, where PTAL ratings show slightly better accessibility to public transport. However, as a whole, public transport accessibility in the area is quite poor. Connectivity and Linkages We need to address the issues of movement and the poor connections within the entire NEE area. We need to aim to ease movement to and within the area for all users, through new and improved routes. The submission AAP needs to examine extending the physical capacity of the area by breaking down the barriers. There is potential to reconfigure the route hierarchy through a series of environmental and physical improvements such as tree planting, at-grade pedestrian priority crossings at key junctions, traffic calming and improve the appearance along the entire routes. These interventions have the potential to create a calmer and safer pedestrian and cyclist environment and a more efficient movement along the Hertford Road corridor. A green network can be achieved through planting and changing and managing routes efficiently. Pedestrian footfall concentrates along the Hertford Road spine and along routes between this spine and train stations serving the area. There are some important long distance routes crossing through the area, namely the London Loop and the tow path along the River Lee.

8 PTAL – Public Transport Accessibility Level - It is a method sometimes used in United Kingdom transport planning to assess the access level of geographical areas to public transport.

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While levels of pedestrian permeability and connectivity around the Hertford Road and bordering residential areas seem high, allowing for a potentially pedestrian friendly environment, other areas in the study area show a significant lack of connectivity, creating environments that discourage walking and cycling:

There are hardly any safe pedestrian connections between the important towpath along the River Lee and the residential areas west of the eastern railway corridor. The primary pedestrian route between Hertford Road and Brimsdown Station ends at the station without completing the connection with the towpath and King George’s Reservoir;

While the western railway corridor seems well permeated allowing easy

pedestrian access to the west, the eastern railway corridor constitutes a major barrier between the residential neighbourhood and areas to the east of the railway line. Some parts of this railway corridor extend up to 1.5km with no opportunity for pedestrians or cyclists to cross the tracks; &

Long waiting times at the Ordnance Road level crossing (due to high

train frequencies) cause frustrations. At the Green Street crossing, an underpass allows pedestrians and cyclists an alternative route if the barriers are down. Furthermore, underused and unsupervised park areas disconnect safe pedestrian routes on a local level.

The low degree of permeability and connectivity across the eastern railway corridor and through the Brimsdown area discourage walking and cycling. This forces people to use motor vehicles for relatively short distances in an area that has already road capacity problems. Improved connectivity by creating pedestrian and cycle priority links is paramount to the future spatial structure of the area. There is a need for a hierarchy of clear connections between key destinations both existing and proposed. The hierarchy needs to be based on an improved balance of pedestrians and vehicles. Many of the streets within existing neighbourhood places would be improved by the current vehicular dominance. Future development should provide or fund improved pedestrian and cycle connections, achieving a clear unity and simplicity in terms of public realm design and materials, removing physical and visual barriers to pedestrian and cycle movement, facilitating easier crossings, tree planting and increasing the width of pedestrian footpaths. The idea of a visitor circuit around neighbourhood places is an important starting point. People will be able to experience the centre in a new way. This could support a significant expansion of the centres from the key high street into the surrounding areas with new retail and leisure opportunities.

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An Improved Public Realm We need to improve existing public spaces and create new public spaces at critical locations, such as along key routes, arrival points and at important junctions that act as transition spaces between the edges and core of the area. The AAP must plan for high quality streets and public spaces by identifying key pedestrian routes, defining a hierarchy and network of public spaces and reinforcing connections to existing spaces. The opportunity arises to improve important elements of the existing grid to provide a setting for new development that will in turn improve the areas environment and focus activity. Improved public spaces within neighborhoods places will have a significant effect on the drawing people to them for extended periods of the day providing new places to eat, drink and enjoy. There needs to be enhanced visual and physical connections to key existing spaces, landmarks and destinations within the North East Enfield area. Any new development is likely to increase activity and desire lines between them further. New development should provide or fund an improved public realm. These links between key public spaces should involve not only reinforcing spine of existing centres but also extend the public realm to provide important links. The idea is to establish more through area connections, increasing the directness of movement, and encouraging more activity within neighbourhood places. Innovative new proposals will undoubtedly bring new destinations, which must be connected into the area network in order for them to be known and used by people. Exemplary Development Opportunities New development is necessary in order to improve the offer and appeal of North East Enfield as a place to live, work, visit and spend time in. There are considerable opportunities available within Ponders End through redevelopment of both Council and privately owned sites. Development proposals throughout the area need to be exciting and attractive ensuring that they will draw people from a wide catchment and become part of the areas distinctive offer enhancing and establishing neighbourhood places and shopping parades within North East Enfield as destinations. Crucial to the development concept will be making the area an inspirational place to work, shop and live in. This means creating new buildings, new art and lighting elements and places that people can be enthusiastic about. We need to think holistically about landmarks in the NEE area. They are an important element of the areas identity and provide a means of identification, orientation and navigation. The recognition and enhancement of landmark features or buildings should be explored to reflect both their historic role and perceived importance within the urban fabric. Appropriate locations for new landmark features or key buildings will include main points

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of arrival or orientation and locations that present or strengthen local character and identity. Image and Character of the Area Central to the vision for a comprehensive regeneration of North East Enfield will be improving the image and character of the area. However, in addition there is a general need to ensure that the public realm within the AAP area is of a high quality. The public realm is defined as the space between buildings, including streets and squares and it has a major impact on how attractive, safe and welcoming a place feels. The NEE area embraces a number of sub neighbourhood areas that reflect different historical, land use and physical characteristics. Although, the tendency has been for all of these sub-areas to blur into a common area incorporating a mix of scales, material and character, a number of predominant land uses provide a clue to the future disposition of new land uses for proposed development opportunities. These should help to define character areas or neighbourhoods that will be further defined by physical features such as the key high street. There is a need to create a series of distinctive places within the NEE area or areas of defined character that have their own clear identity. These are notably the key neighbourhood places along the Hertford Road corridor. The intent of this is to create a mix of uses, which will bring with it prolonged activity over the whole day, within new character areas easily distinct from one another. The aim is to encourage diversity within North East Enfield and an interesting journey through the area. Development guidelines for each of the character areas or neighbourhood places will rest within the overall urban design framework that will be developed through the preparation of the Submission AAP. This will allow townscape and public realm design opportunities for each area to be addressed at a localised level in order to reinforce or create the distinctive sense of place.

Q Do you agree with the regeneration considerations we have identified? 2.4 Regeneration Drivers The following regeneration drivers have been identified for the area through the Local Plan preparation process to date: NEIGHBOURHOOD PLACES AND SHOPPING PARADES: We need to examine the neighbourhood places along the Hertford Road Corridor [Ponders End, Enfield Highway, Enfield Wash] and the hierarchy of shopping parades [Ordnance Road, Enfield Lock, Enfield Island Village, Freezywater, Brimsdown, Bullsmoor, South Street Ponders End, Southbury Road Kingsway] in the wider

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neighbourhood areas in terms of how they function at present and how we can comprehensively regenerate them, to establish integrity and character within them so they become distinct in their offer and attractive places to visit. We need to consider further the overall quality of the public realm, the connectivity to them from the neighbourhoods that surround them and improvements to the overall shopping environment and retail and service offer. In light of the current retail centre boundary review and the consolidation and expansion of local centres and shopping parades, we need to explore through technical studies the retail movement patterns in the NEE area and the hierarchy and function of existing designations, in particular north beyond the M25 and the movement and proximity to retail catchments in neighbouring Waltham Cross Town Centre and Waltham Abbey Town Centre. The OAPF recognises that Ponders End is a multi-site location in Enfield where greatest potential for regeneration and change, with identified sites for mixed use and residential development including the former Middlesex University site and Ponders End High Street. This approach is advocated through the Framework for Change and the Ponders End Central Area Planning Brief and details:

a regenerated park [project now completed] and improvements to the public realm; better land use around the existing Tesco superstore;

South Street where the Alma Housing Estate renewal project requires the direction through the AAP planning framework to bring forward its comprehensive re-development and establish an understanding as to its potential connections to the holistically delivery of sites across Ponders End and its relationship to transport gateways including Ponders End railway station; &

consideration of the Ponders End Waterfront, the redevelopment of industrial land adjacent to the waterside and the potential mix of uses.

The Oxford Economics report notes that Ponders End has the potential for up to 700 industrial and retail jobs in various new developments in and around the redevelopment of the High Street and waterside which is to be completed by 2026. Whilst Enfield Wash, Enfield Highway and the shopping parades in the wider NEE area may have less potential for transformational change, there are still opportunities for improvements both to the quality of the public realm and connectivity to them that need to be explored further that can inform their future function.

Q What sort of mix and balance of uses is appropriate within the centres to ensure their vitality and viability and to provide a good service to the community?

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Q Can any of the centres identified accommodate new retail development in conjunction with other new development including Housing? If so, which ones? INDUSTRIAL ESTATES: There is a need to safeguard the thriving industrial estates in the NEE area and plan future capacity to strengthen links to employment and enterprise within the local economy and retail sector together with building future capacity and opportunity for future business diversification. We need to examine the industrial estates and consider the options of improvement and reconfiguration and the infrastructure required to support them. THE LEE VALLEY REGIONAL PARK AND WATERWAYS: We need to examine the potential of improved connectivity to the Lee Valley Regional Park and Waterways that can contribute to the quality of life in the area and help build future sustainable neighbourhoods. THE HIGHWAY NETWORK, INTEGRATED PUBLIC TRANSPORT, WATER FRIGHT AND PUBLIC REALM: We need to consider the potential improvements to the highway network including continued consideration of the Northern Gate way Access Package [NGAP] and its potential benefits, the feasibility for 3/4 tracking of the West Anglia Mainline and benefits to connectivity, the understanding for destination linked with bus routes, the potential for a water freight network utilising and improving existing waterways and improvements to the public realm to provide well connected and legible neighbourhood places with access to an integrated public transport network with good pedestrian and cycle routes. SOCIAL AND COMMUNITY INFRASTRUCTURE: There are demographic and social changes that require specific needs of communities within the identified neighbourhood places to be addressed including: housing needs including affordable family homes of varied mix and tenure; the availability of quality, safe and well-maintained open spaces to support both existing and future residents in the area and accessibility to natural assets through development of green corridors; community facilities in the form of libraries, local neighbourhood & youth centres and access to leisure facilities; provision of accessible and well performing schools; health facilities including NHS drop–in centres, GP surgeries and dental practices.

Q Do you agree with the identified scope and drivers for regeneration?

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3.0 REGENERATION VISION & OBJECTIVES We are seeking to established ideas of integrated, vital, vibrant and sustainable ways of urban living and working specific to the NEE area. The approach is to create a pattern of connectivity and permeability through neighbourhoods in North East Enfield structured through public realm improvements and new development and re-configuration within which all those who make use of the neighbourhood places can contribute to their value, variety and interest. We need to consider growth and regeneration set within the context of an over-arching spatial framework for the NEE area that will be concentrated and spatially linked through the identified neighbourhood places, shopping parades, industrial estates, natural recreational areas and the infrastructure that is required to support them through identified regeneration objectives for the area to have sustainable neighbourhood credentials in the future. These specific regeneration considerations provide the justification and process that will lead to the Urban Design Framework, making it clear how the pattern of built form will evolve, i.e. the development pressures and identified sites, where the important gateways are and where the new open spaces and connections should be. The considerations aim to link back to the place ideas and the overarching objective of the AAP document. Collectively, they aim to form a convincing argument about how best to develop North East Enfield as a responsive environment that will grow and have the capability to adapt over time. The key regeneration drivers identified that affect the AAP area as a place, the function of its neighbourhood places and shopping parades, industrial estates and natural recreational areas, the infrastructure that supports and connects them have drawn out a number of responses. In part, this means establishing a clear set of specific design principles and guidance through the preparation of an Urban Design and Framework that will provide the spatial layer to applying the planning policy framework for the area to achieve its comprehensive regeneration supported by a technical evidence base for the scale of regeneration and development opportunities that exist. As a result of this approach, North East Enfield can evolve over time with the knowledge that it is set upon the best principles of place and the ideas that will lead to the creation of a more distinctive place capitalising on its assets. For a comprehensive vision to be developed we will need to re-examine through the preparation of the submission AAP the evidence base required to realise the scale of regeneration and development opportunities that exist. We have taken the opportunity in producing this document to frame our intent to be comprehensive towards the regeneration approach and to be underpinned towards the principles of achieving sustainable communities of the future by setting out our draft vision and objectives.

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3.1 Draft Vision We want North East Enfield to be comprehensively regenerated and development opportunities embraced to become an aspired place to live, work, visit and invest within. We want to plan for change working inclusively with the community and stakeholders to promote and manage growth and change to ensure North East Enfield remains thriving and economically sustainable in the future. We take the long-term view of what North East Enfield and its component parts will be like beyond the time horizon. Our approach is strategic in nature towards delivery and implementation, based upon a realistic understanding of the factors driving the economy of the area and the investment programmes of major landowners, developers and operators both public and private that will drive our growth and regeneration agenda. We will effectively plan for all scales of development in North East Enfield, whether creating or re-configuring an environment. It is an opportunity to examine how it functions at present and how it may potentially evolve and the patterns of behaviour and future needs of the community. We believe that the demand for energy will define our regeneration approach to the future development potential in the area more than any other factor. The area will benefit from opportunities of new housing development of mix type and tenure; sustainable development and improvement to the public realm of neighbourhoods and local centres; employment and skills growth through high-tech and green industries; provision of high quality schools together with social, community and leisure facilities, access and enhancement to built and green environs and the natural assets of the Lee Valley Regional Park and Waterways, and the investment into transport infrastructure to build future capacity for arising development opportunities and improve existing public transport and freight distribution networks. We will set policy parameters to deliver a spatial framework with the highest design standards and promote low-carbon living, working and as a business practice, a good mix of uses, and layouts that will meet the needs of current and future generations.

Q Do you agree with the draft Vision? Q Is there anything missing from the Vision?

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3.2 Our Objectives Objective 1: Long Term Coordinated Planning for Growth - The ability to build strong business justification for inward investment; - The ability to act as an image-marketing tool for the area; - Commercial planning awareness and the approach to development

economics; - Framework for an approach to site assembly; - Promote low carbon living and working; - Ability to unlock development potential; - Delivery driven and strong on implementation; - Building flexibility into planning policy to apply the comprehensive

approach; - Conformity with the wider planning framework; Objective 2: Sustainable Neighbourhoods - Instill principles of sustainable development in existing and future neighbourhood places; - Unlocking development potential of available sites; - Comprehensively embody the principles of good urban design specific to the neighbourhood level and environmentally conscious design of individual buildings and sites with consideration of cumulative impact, and ensure that development addresses flood risk requirements and future climate change impacts; - Embrace low – carbon living/working and sustainable development opportunities to meet current and future social, economic and environmental needs in a balanced and integrated way taking account of cumulative impact; - Protect and enhance the historic environment, including non-designated buildings and sites of heritage value, for the benefit of residents and visitors alike; - Comprehensively manage development opportunities and growth to enhance the identified neighbourhood places along the Hertford Road Spine and shopping parades in the wider North East Enfield area; - Strengthening, maintaining and enhancing the mix of uses in the neighbourhood places including retail, office, leisure and residential without undermining the primary retail function; - Comprehensively deliver around 1000 + new homes in Ponders End up to 2026 through development opportunities and reconfiguration of existing

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neighbourhoods through housing estate renewal initiatives to help meet existing and future housing needs; - Diversify the type, size and tenure of housing, including affordable housing to meet local community needs; - Improve the design quality of new housing ensuring new residential developments are designed to the highest standards, and ensure they achieve the Lifetime Homes Standard; - Ensure that all development provides safe and secure environments and reduces the risk of crime; Objective 3: Employment Growth and the Local Economy - Develop employment land capacity through reconfiguration of existing industrial estates that is attractive to regional, national and international investors in order to secure economic diversification, business growth and the creation of jobs; - Ensure that employment opportunities are accessible to all and assist in securing the provision of employment and training opportunities for local residents; - Protect existing industrial estates and where opportunities arise use a balanced approach to the release of industrial land for other uses with a notion of re-provision; - Support a culture of enterprise, entrepreneurship, innovation and sustainable business growth; Objective 4: Maximising Value of Natural Assets - Protect, enhance and improve access to existing natural assets form the surrounding neighbourhoods to the Lee Valley Regional Park and waterways; - Ensure that the local area’s natural environments biodiversity is protected and enhanced; - Work in partnership with the Lee Valley Regional Park Authority to maximise the value of the Park and waterways; Objective 5: Infrastructure Investment - Support the transformation of educational facilities in the area and encourage school links with local businesses and residents for the benefit of the whole community;

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- Ensure that everyone has access to health, leisure and community facilities of a high standard and within close proximity to where they live; - Maintain and enhance the network of linked open space, green space, playing fields to establish connected green space, natural leisure and health living corridors across the plan area; - Consider flood risk mitigation through proposals for development; - Provide safe and convenient routes by a choice of transport modes, secure appropriate investment in key public transport improvements and road infrastructure, and support the effective management of sustainable travel patterns; - Provide transport infrastructure with an emphasis on sustainable transport, which increases accessibility and navigation. Of particular emphasis will be exploring the feasibility of direct access o the M25 through the NGAP project in order to enhance the viability and capacity of future employment needs and infrastructure to support new and existing residential communities in the area; - Improve overall accessibility and connectivity in North East Enfield; - Ensure that utilities and other business critical infrastructure will be competitive with business locations nationally and internationally and seeks out low carbon alternatives where feasible; - Provide excellent rail infrastructure [including light, passenger and freight] exploring the feasibility of the 3/4 tracking of the West Anglia mainline, and the future sustainable use of existing waterways for potential freight movements; -Explore pedestrian and cycle network enhancement opportunities; - Build upon initial feasibility work of a Decentralised Energy Network [DEN] to support sustainable growth of neighbourhoods and industry to deliver actual projects on the ground;

Q Do you agree with the objectives for the areas regeneration?

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4.0 The Spatial Framework The Neighbourhood Places – A1010 Hertford Road Corridor 4.1 Ponders End Ponders End is defined by three key development areas including:

1. Ponders End Central – The former Middlesex University site, Queensway and the High Street;

2. Ponders End, South Street – South Street around Ponders End Station, the former National Grid site, Welcome Point and the Youth Centre, Former Railway Inn and the Alma Housing Estate; &

3. Ponders End Waterfront - The southern part of Brimsdown and Columbia Wharf Area.

It is the area between the junctions of Hertford Road with Southbury Road [towards Southbury Station] and South Street [towards Ponders End station] is a bustling local centre benefiting from a large population base in the surrounding area and the clustering of important facilities. This node point has a strong character and identity within the immediate environs of Hertford Road, which is the result of a history of organic growth and redevelopment. This is evidenced by the historic street alignment of Hertford Road and South Street with some historic building stock, including St Matthew’s Church. Buildings along Hertford Road are a delightful mix of ages and styles, all with a human scale of two to four storeys. Towards Ponders End station, however, this delicate building mix and historical cohesion is severed by modern large-scale residential tower developments that lack integration in the urban fabric. The area is orientated on a north south basis, with all major roads and railways aligned on this axis. This layout represents a significant barrier to east west movement. The lack of connections thus highlights the area around Ponders End and the junction of the A1055 and A110 as an important gateway into the area. This is also one of the few places within the AAP area where access to the water and Regional Park can be obtained. It therefore represents an opportunity for focused improvement within the area. However, opportunities here need to be set in the context of the conservation area status existing around the Flour Mills. Ponders End is the largest of the local centres in North East Enfield, with a mix of different types of uses including retail, residential, employment and community facilities. It is relatively well served by transport – there are two railway stations [at Southbury and Ponders End]; its High Street is along the A1010 Hertford Road, the main north-south route through the area, and it is also served by the A110, an important east-west route linking Enfield Town with the wider area. Ponders End is also important in that it is one of the few points along the Upper Lee Valley where it is possible to access the Lee Valley Park and waterfront.

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The centre has a large number of retailing and services with the majority of the retailing units located on High Street with a small number located South Street. Southbury station is located 500m east of the centre. However, the Ponders End area is in need of much improvement and investment. It is an area of relatively high deprivation - indeed Ponders End is the third most deprived ward in the Borough and falls within the worst 25% of wards in England. There is a need, therefore, to improve the range and quality of housing, employment opportunities, community facilities and the environment. The volume of traffic on the main road network undermines the quality of the local centre; rail services are infrequent; pedestrian and cycle links to the Lee Valley Regional Park are poorly defined and unattractive; and the High Street includes some vacant and under-utilised sites, with low density and poor quality buildings. There has been much urgency in taking forward development opportunities/pressures within the Ponders End Area since the last consultation stage of the AAP. With the Opportunity Area Planning Framework, Framework for Change and subsequent Central Planning Brief that have come forward to provide a planning basis in the intervening period, there have been actual projects delivered on the back of these documents and key milestones since February 2009 include: Ponders End Central Planning Brief Area:

Adopted Central Planning Brief - Former Middlesex University Site and High Street;

High Street 188-216 Regeneration Scheme - Site assembly and scheme progression;

High Street Lighting Scheme – Replacing street lighting; Ponders End Park – Significant makeover scheme now completed;

South Street Planning Brief Area: South Street – Consultation on implementation of 20 mph zone, footway

widening and carriageway resurfacing; South Street Lighting Scheme - Replacing street lighting; Oasis Hadley Academy – Project nearing completion and will be

accommodating 1900 pupils with community facilities as part of the design, due to open in December 2012;

Alma Housing Estate Redevelopment – Exploring with residents the redevelopment options for the estate;

Successful Funding Bids: Outer London Fund 1: Funding secured for projects along the A1010

corridor including Ponders End; Outer London Fund Round 2: Funding secured for projects in Ponders

End, Enfield Highway and Ordnance Road Enfield Lock; Mayors Great Spaces: Funding secured for design feasibility work;

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Policy Approach Ponders End Central:

1. To transform the former Middlesex University and cluster of sites on High Street as a focus of social life and activity, with new and improved shopping, civic and employment uses as well as providing a choice of new homes;

2. The consideration of the amount and location of new housing across the NEEAAP area;

3. To have housing densities that make the best use of land and have due regard to the principles of sustainable communities;

4. A comprehensive approach to unlocking development potential of available sites including the use of 9Compulsory Purchase Order Powers [CPO];

5. New routes and connections will integrate this development opportunity with surrounding communities ensuring benefits are shared by all;

6. To achieve varied housing types and mix through the comprehensive consideration of the redevelopment of sites across Ponders End, specifically the Middlesex University site in light of Alma Housing Estate renewal options that are at present being developed and the potential for comprehensively meeting the future housing needs for the area;

7. A vibrant High Street, with a high quality public realm, active frontages and enhanced public realm will create a safe, harmonious and attractive centre, which can be enjoyed by all;

8. The Middlesex University site should be developed for a mix of uses, including new homes and community uses. The listed building at the heart of the site must be retained and redeveloped;

9. Any proposals for the Middlesex University site should take a holistic approach to development, addressing opportunities for improvements to High Street and its facilities;

10. The Middlesex University site does not currently have a frontage onto the High Street or onto Queensway. Where possible, opportunities should be sought through land assembly to create a larger development site incorporating sites that face these main roads. Development proposals should seek to create a more coherent frontage onto Hertford Road, the High Street and Queensway and should contribute to public realm improvements. This may require the redevelopment of employment uses at the eastern end of the Queensway employment area, where Queensway meets Hertford Road;

11. New linkages from the heart of the University site to both Hertford Road and Queensway should be provided;

12. Opportunities for more efficient use of car parking at Tesco should be explored. This would make more efficient use of this land at the heart of Ponders End, provide the opportunity for a more coherent street frontage onto Southbury Street and Queensway, and free-up land to create development opportunities for a mix of uses;

9 CPO – Compulsory Purchase Order – A legal function in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland that allows certain bodies which need to obtain land or property to do so through a legal process.

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13. Flood mitigation measures should also be considered and incorporated into proposals for development at Ponders End and the appropriate Flood Risk Assessments must be undertaken before proposals for change can be fully considered. The potential redevelopment sites in Ponders End represent an exciting opportunity to reduce flood risk through the appropriate location, layout and design of development;

Ponders End South Street Campus To the southeast of the Ponders End area is a cluster of sites with potential for change that were identified through earlier stages of the NEEAAP:

1. The former gasholder site has now been redeveloped for the relocation of Oasis Academy Hadley frorm the Albany School site in Bell Lane [a type of secondary school which is independent, but publicly funded and publicly run]. Proposals for the Academy have demonstrated that the success of the school will not be compromised by the industrial uses, and associated traffic, at the Redburn Estate. This has been carefully considered and traffic management measures will ensure that there is safe walking routes to and from school;

2. Ongoing improvements to South Street including public realm improvements;

3. The future estate renewal options for the Alma Housing Estate – consultations have concluded with residents as to the future options for the estate with a majority opinion for total redevelopment. The Council will now explore further the considerations for redevelopment working with all stakeholders ;

4. As part of the Alma Housing Estate redevelopment there is an opportunity to carryout feasibility into moving the current parade of shops on South Street further down towards Ponders End Station and to intensify the mix of uses to create a strong node of activity in the area that can provide links to southern Brimsdown and Ponders End Waterfront;

5. Improvements could be made to the northern fringe of the Alma Road Industrial Estate. There may be opportunities to alter the layout of part of the estate in order to create a stronger frontage onto Durant's Park. This could include buildings that have doors and windows facing onto the park to encourage greater activity and an improved sense of safety. Environmental improvements and alterations to the current access arrangements will also be encouraged;

Ponders End Waterfront On the other side of the railway line from Ponders End station, as you move towards the Lee Valley Regional Park, the environment changes dramatically. Here, there is an oasis of green space at the point at which the two reservoirs meet, with the River Lee running through it. A functioning flour-mill [forming its own conservation area] and Columbia Wharf create some focus. Either side, the Brimsdown and Meridian employment areas continue to thrive. None of these uses, however, take full advantage of this unique environment, and the place is poorly connected.

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An opportunity exists to transform this area by considering, in holistic terms, Columbia Wharf and the southern part of the Brimsdown employment area to the south of Duck Lees Lane. The approach for these sites is to develop a new mixed-use residential community, which can benefit from the unique environment of the Lee Valley Park in this location, as well as enable an upgrade of the employment offer in Southern Brimsdown. New leisure and recreation uses at Columbia Wharf would help to complement the creation of a new community in this location and could also be enjoyed by visitors to the Lee Valley Park and workers in the adjacent employment areas.

1. The southern part of Brimsdown to the south of Duck Lees Lane to be redeveloped for a mix of uses, allowing for medium to high density residential development to help fund improvements to the employment offer, but retaining the same quantum of employment floorspace and increasing the number of jobs on the site;

2. The redevelopment should not compromise the overall employment function of Brimsdown. New development should be carefully designed so as not to compromise the operating conditions of adjacent employment uses. The employment floorspace should be delivered in the first phase of any scheme. Where employment and non-employment uses are integrated it will normally be expected that the employment space is occupied before any private housing units are sold;

3. All proposals must clearly demonstrate steps taken to relocate or accommodate existing businesses on the site. Proposals must support the objectives of Enfield’s Skills and Employment Strategy. Careful consideration should be given to the opportunity provided by the site’s location adjacent to the reservoir and the design of new development should seek to maximise the potential for all residents and employees to enjoy easy access and, where possible views, to the water;

4. Public access and open space along the waterfront should be promoted. The landscape and ecological value of the area should be enhanced. New development should facilitate improvements to physical links between the southern part of Brimsdown and Columbia Wharf, as well as links west to Ponders End railway station and the heart of Ponders End. In particular, improvements to Wharf Road and the bridge across the railway should be sought. New leisure and recreation activities will be encouraged at Columbia Wharf;

Q Do you agree with the comprehensive regeneration approach we are taking with Ponders End?

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4.2 Enfield Highway Enfield Highway, from St James Church through Green St [towards Brimsdown Station] to Hertford Road junction with Carterhatch Lane [towards Forty Hill and Brimsdown Station], constitutes a fairly functional neighbourhood centre, driven by its proximity to Enfield College and other facilities. Three storey high buildings on either side line Hertford Road, which has been majorly transformed from its historic state to accommodate slip lanes on alternating sides. Despite the asset of historic St James’s Church with its old cemetery gardens, the amended street profile appears barren and hostile. The High Street environment is severely compromised by traffic infrastructure and road congestion. The characters of buildings along this part of Hertford Road are dominated by fairly modern horizontal apartment blocks while the residential side streets still retain the finer development grain of townhouse neighbourhoods. The centre has a number of intermediate retail and services uses that serves a catchment of the surrounding immediate neighbourhoods. The busy nature of Hertford Road impedes pedestrian movements. The overall quality of the environment is quite poor and lacks street furniture and landscaping. Improvements along the Hertford Road are central to enhancing the quality of the local centre. Importantly, the junction of Hertford Road and Carterhatch Lane could be an area of focus for traffic management, overcoming issues of congestion and the associated impact on the quality of the environment and the public realm. Additionally, the introduction of environmental improvements along Green Street would help to enhance connections to Brimsdown railway station and the associated employment area. At the southern end of the Enfield Highway centre are a collection of civic and community uses, including Durants Park, St James Church with its old cemetery gardens and Enfield College. These are disconnected from the main centre, but are important to the local character and identity of the area, forming an important part of the overall urban fabric and providing important facilities for the community. Opportunities may exist to improve the setting of these uses and access to them, making them a focal point of the local centre and community life. 4.3 Enfield Wash Enfield Wash, at the junction of Hertford Road with Turkey Street [towards Turkey Street Station] and Ordnance Road [towards Enfield Lock Station and Enfield Island] has a very distinctive character through the presence of Turkey Brook. This is where the London Loop Long Distance Route crosses through urban area. It connects green belt areas to the West and East of Enfield Wash, generally running alongside Turkey Brook. West of Hertford Road, Turkey Brook is street-lined on either side with buildings giving the brook an urban frontage and making the watercourse a public feature. East of Hertford Road, however, the immediate area fronting the brook has been privatised by modern building development. Building stock around the Enfield Wash neighbourhood centre is mixed. It ranges from the old St George Church to utilitarian supermarket buildings. The centre has a number of intermediate

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retail and services uses that serves a catchment of the surrounding immediate neighbourhoods. Opportunities exist to make improvements to the quality of the local centre and the retail offer through enhancements to the public realm along Hertford Road, particularly between Turkey Brook and Hoe Lane / Eastfield Road. Routes along Turkey Brook could also be enhanced, allowing all to enjoy the quality of the waterside environment and providing links to the wider London Loop walking network. Enfield Wash is a long linear centre with few crossing points along Hertford Road. As such there is no natural retail circuit. There are few opportunities for new development in the local centre however this is an opportunity to consider the options for traffic management measures and the creation of a more attractive walking and cycling environment. Such schemes could improve the quality of the retail environment at Enfield Wash. The Oasis Academy Hadley in the area is transferring from the former Albany School site in Bell Lane to South Street, Ponders End. 4.4 The Shopping Parades in North East Enfield Enfield Island Village Enfield Island Village is a residential neighbourhood developed on the site of the former Royal Small Arms Factory in Enfield Lock. There are remnants of the old factory buildings on the Island itself and some historic building stock along the River Lee, attesting to the significance of the canals and locks in earlier years. Although Enfield Island Village is situated adjacent to the Lee Valley Park, the development turns its back on the Park. The point of access to the Lee Valley walkway and towpath is via South Ordnance Road, just before the bridge across to the Island Village. Enfield Island Village has a centre that provides for the day-to-day needs that includes only a handful of shops and community facilities. Mostly it is disconnected from other residential areas, as well as larger shopping areas, employment and community facilities such as schools and healthcare. There is only one route in and out of the estate, which contributes to the area’s isolation and deprivation. The OAPF for the Upper Lee Valley seeks consolidation of the urban village with better links to Enfield Lock station, the City Academy at Innova Park and the retail uses and community facilities along Hertford Road. This could be achieved through the introduction of new green links. In addition improved links to the Lee Valley Park and associated waterways could be sought, especially since this is the main point of access to the Lee Valley Park in the Upper Lee Valley. This could provide the opportunity for water related leisure activities in the area.

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Enfield Lock Enfield Lock is the area at the junction of the old towpath along the river Lee [Government Row] with Ordnance Road/ Smeaton Road [towards Enfield Lock Station] and the London Loop Long Distance Route has a strong water focus. Some historic building stock along the River Lee attests to the significance of the canals and locks in this area in earlier years. Enfield Lock is a series of four two-shop parades built as part of 1930s housing estate. Appears to trade well and provide good level of local facilities for surrounding residents. There are, however, a number of issues in Enfield Lock to be resolved by the North East Enfield AAP. Enfield Lock ward, for example, rates relatively poorly on the 'Index of Multiple Deprivation’ compared to the Borough average. Ordnance Road The Ordnance Road centre is adjacent to Enfield Lock station with a number of individual retailing interspersed with over 150m in length of residential properties. The centre provides important everyday convenience retailing and services to the surrounding immediate neighbourhood. Building stock around the local centre is of mixed styles and quality. Freezywater This is a purpose built parade of shops with wide a footpath setback to the adjacent road. It provides day-to-day goods and services primarily to meet the needs of the residents in the local neighborhood. Historically two parades of shops have developed from converted terraced housing. The existing definition of the centre includes over 150m in length of residential properties. As part of the current retail centres review the centre has been consolidated to exclude the residential properties and is considered a multi – nodal centre. Brimsdown The centre consists of two small retail parades approximately 250m apart, providing day-today needs for local residents and workers in this area. The existing definition of the centre does not include the intervening properties. The Green Street parade to the south is a 1930’s purpose-built parade with a public house beside it, adjacent to Brimsdown station. The Brimsdown Avenue parade to the north is also a purpose-built parade with residential properties included in its present the definition. As part of the current retail centres review the centre has been consolidated to exclude the residential properties and is considered a multi – nodal centre.

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Bullsmoor A purpose built parade with residential properties on the upper floors. It is parallel to Bullsmoor Lane at its junction with Great Chambridge Road. The parade provides day-to-day goods and services to the catchment area. South Street Ponders End A purpose built providing day-to-day needs for local residents in the area, built as part of the adjoining Alma Housing Estate. There is an opportunity here as part of the ongoing regeneration projects in Ponders End South Street including the re-development of the Alma Estate to consider the future requirements of evolving community and explore the feasibility of moving the existing parade towards Ponders End Station to create a strong landmark in the area. Southbury Road Kingsway This is a row of five shops situated along Southbury Road, adjacent to the Ponders End bus garage providing for the day–to-day needs for local residents in this area. The existing definition of the centre includes two isolated premises. Additionally there are two retail units forming part of a mixed–use development. The notion of the current boundary review is to consolidate the parade by excluding the isolated premises and extended to include the new retail premises. There is an opportunity here as part of the ongoing regeneration projects in Ponders End Central to build permeably links to Southbury station and intensify development in the area to create connectivity to the Ponders End High Street. Policy Approach

1. The role and function of neighbourhood places along the Hertford Road Corridor and the shopping parades in the area need to be explored further thorough the preparation process of the Submission AAP. This will inform our policy approach, intervention and parameters for the future;

2. It is recognised that improvements to Hertford Road will be important for the centres at Enfield Highway, Enfield Wash and Ponders End. In particular the stretch between Turkey Brook and Hoe Lane / Eastfield Road in Enfield Wash would benefit from environmental improvements, including the addition of street trees and high quality street furniture. The junction between Hertford Road and Carterhatch Lane in Enfield Highway should also be an area of focus for traffic management. Along the entire stretch of Hertford Road safer pedestrian crossing points should be provided;

3. There is an opportunity to enhance the quality of walking and cycling

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4. Routes along Turkey Brook should be enhanced in order to create an attractive waterside environment; and Green Street, which provides access between Enfield Highway and Brimsdown station, should be enhanced through a greening programme, including the planting of trees, and improvements to the quality of street furniture. The improvement of pedestrian and cycle links will enhance connections between residential areas, the local centres, employment opportunities and the Lee Valley Regional Park. An improved network of routes should form part of and be integrated into proposals for new development in the area, and should connect into a network of routes within the local centres and surrounding communities;

5. It is recognised that the movement framework needs to support access improvements to Enfield Island Village. This could be achieved through improvements to Smeaton Road and Ordnance Road, which link Enfield Island Village and Enfield Lock railway station. These routes should be safe and attractive for both pedestrians and cyclists to use. In particular the junction of Smeaton Road and Ordnance Road with Mollison Avenue should have safe crossing facilities for pedestrians and cyclists. This approach will help to strengthen links between Enfield Island Village and the Oasis Academy, as well as more established local centres to the west of the AAP area;

6. Although there may be limited opportunities for new development in Enfield Highway and Enfield Wash, where opportunities do arise for infill development, new buildings should be of the highest quality design and should also contribute to the creation of a high quality public realm, with active ground floor uses where possible. Development will be encouraged which responds to local character and context;

7. Any opportunities for development will need to: Ensure that the centre feels safe, is well structured, maintained and naturally overlooked by people; Identify design and delivery solutions that reduce the land take and visual impact of car parking; Accommodate a range of uses and building typologies that increase residential and economic activity to sustain and enhance the role of the centres; and Enhance the attractiveness of the centre as a place to live, work and shop, providing opportunities for all people of all backgrounds and ages;

Q Do you agree with the potential improvements we have identified for Enfield Highway, Enfield Wash and the Shopping Parades?

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The Areas of Improvement 4.5 Employment Growth and the Local Economy North East Enfield contains the second largest concentration of Industrial land in London. It includes the cluster of industrial estates comprising Brimsdown to the east, together with estates at Freezywater and Innova Park to the north, and smaller estates to the south, such as Alma Road, Redburn Trading Estate, Meridian Business Park, to the west Queensway and the Great Cambridge Road Industrial Business Park. The area plays a very important role in industry and distribution. It also provides employment in retail, leisure, consumer services and the public and voluntary sectors. The Council will aim to reinforce the existing employment function, whilst exploring the opportunities for providing for a wider range of employment opportunities as part of a mix of uses in the southern part of Brimsdown. Whilst the current emphasis on industry and distribution will be retained in the majority of the employment areas, in the southern part of Brimsdown we need to explore with our partners opportunities for a shift in emphasis away from this traditional focus to encourage higher value employment uses, including small studios, research and development, high technology, light industry, business services and creative industries. The Enfield Employment Land Review 2012 has considered all the industrial estates in the Borough and recommends assets in NEE area are retained and facilities improved and potential for re-configuration explored. The Industrial Estates Owing to good levels of investment in employment land and stock over recent years, these employment areas are generally thriving and in good condition. The northern part of Brimsdown is a fine example of a large, well-maintained industrial estate. The estate’s most recent developments are nearly fully occupied, demonstrating a continuing healthy demand for employment floorspace in North East Enfield. However, responses received during previous stages of consultation suggest that the southern part of Brimsdown was in need of renewal or significant overhaul. This notion was carried through the Core Strategy Preparation and the Council released the area for mixed-use development as part of the adopted Core Strategy and was informed further through the Ponders End Framework for Change. Innova Park comprises a mixture of uses including new housing, a flagship Academy, and commercial, business, office and warehousing employment floorspace. Even the smaller employment estates within North East Enfield, such as the Redburn Trading Estate and the Meridian Business Park, are relatively well-occupied and provide a valuable source of local jobs.

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Outside the strategically important employment areas there are two other smaller employment areas in North East Enfield; Alma Road Industrial Estate and Queensway Industrial Estate. These estates are again relatively well occupied. Our approach is to reinforce the existing employment function at Freezywater, Innova Park, Queensway, Brimsdown, Alma Road, Redburn Trading Estate, Great Cambridge Road Industrial Business Park and Meridian Business Park whilst exploring the opportunities for providing for a wider range of employment opportunities as part of a mix of uses in the southern part of Brimsdown as highlighted by the adopted Core Strategy. Whilst the current emphasis on industry and distribution will be retained in the majority of the employment areas, in the southern part of Brimsdown we will explore with our partners opportunities for a shift in emphasis away from this traditional focus to encourage higher value employment uses, including small studios, research and development, high technology, light industry, business services and creative industries. This approach recognises the important role and function of North East Enfield as an employment location both on a strategic and local level. More detail in relation to the types and uses that we will encourage, as well as the employment densities we envisage.

Employment capacity is a useful measure – it refers to the number of jobs that will be generated per square metre of employment land. Where mixed-use development is proposed we will ensure that there will be no net loss of employment capacity across North East Enfield. Any new development proposals for the southern part of Brimsdown will be required to re-provision of at least the same amount of employment floorspace as currently exists, replacing expansive, low value employment uses such as warehousing and distribution with higher value uses such as small studios, research and development, high technology, light industry, business services and creative industries all of which have higher employment capacities. This will ensure that there is no overall loss of jobs and that there is a provision of a broader range of job opportunities across North East Enfield. There may also be potential to intensify development within Brimsdown in order to accommodate uses that may be relocated from other parts of the AAP area. This approach should also be considered alongside emerging proposals for Central Leeside, where considerable opportunity also exists for change and redevelopment. In both areas where we have identified the potential in selected areas for change from solely employment uses to a mix of uses, it is important to recognise that employment uses will continue to form an important element of this mix and will be essential to ensure the continued vitality of the area as an attractive business location. Through the AAP process we will look to work with existing partners and stakeholders to identify environmental improvements and re-configuration across the estates identified above for strengthening and intensification. Such improvements could include the rationalisation of the estate's layouts in order to make the most efficient use of land, including any currently under-used

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areas, a range of measures such as the installation of CCTV, and new signage or public realm improvements that help to create a higher quality trading environment. Other initiatives could include business support, improved estate management, and improved environmental management. There would also be the opportunity to improve links to the Lee Valley Regional Park, as well as surrounding residential communities, through the creation of new or improved pedestrian and cycle links, and green links. Our main objective for delivering environmental improvements is to ensure that the qualities of employment areas do not deteriorate further and to create conditions for new, high-quality inward investment and the intensification of use. Improvements to employment areas make them more pleasant places to work, can enhance the image and performance of existing businesses and provide better conditions for attracting new inward investment. Policy Approach

1. The priority will be to improve the current layout of the industrial estates, including internal circulation and parking arrangements, as well as improvements to their environmental quality. Improvements to the access arrangements of the Redburn Trading Estate, for example, will be particularly important to ensure that large vehicles do not have a negative impact on the quality of living in surrounding residential streets;

2. We will also support a wider range of employment types and premises within these employment areas, including smaller units to serve knowledge industries, start-up and seedbed businesses, research and development and high technology uses; light industrial uses; general industrial uses and wholesale warehouses and distribution centres and B2 uses, in particular, will support higher employment densities across North East Enfield, helping to provide a wider range of job opportunities;

3. There may be opportunities for change on the fringes of the Queensway industrial estate and the Alma Road industrial estate to improve the physical and environmental quality of these areas and their relationship to the surroundings through managing a balanced approach to the release of industrial land for other uses. There should, however, no net loss of employment floorspace with re-provision provided through new development opportunities. Change at the former Middlesex University site should not compromise the employment function of the Queensway Estate. Indeed, both sites should complement each other in order to create a strong and vibrant heart to Ponders End. At Queensway, restructuring could include incremental changes to the layout of the estate in order to create a stronger frontage onto Queensway and Hertford Road, and improvements to the environmental quality of the estate. There may also be opportunities to consider alterations to the layout of the estate to allow for the creation of stronger linkages between the former Middlesex University site and the Tesco site, as long as there is no net loss of employment floorspace. This will need to be considered further through the preparation of a more detailed and comprehensive spatial options for the Ponders End area through the

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Urban Design Framework; 4. The northern fringe of the Alma Road industrial estate should relate well

to the neighbouring Durant's Park. In order to achieve this, there may be opportunities to alter the layout of parts of the estate in order to create a stronger frontage onto Durant's Park. This could include buildings that have doors and windows facing onto the park to encourage greater activity and an improved sense of safety. Environmental improvements and alterations to the current access arrangements will also be encouraged;

5. We will also consider the need for more direct intervention in employment areas to facilitate greater change and improvement such as the selective redevelopment of sites. For example, where sites have been vacant or derelict for a long period of time and have a negative impact upon the quality of the surrounding employment area we would consider intervening in order to facilitate redevelopment. In these instances we could invest in up-front in the form of land-acquisition, remediation or enabling works to create a platform for subsequent private sector investment. We will work on understanding the cost and benefit of any interventions such as this before making any capital investment.

Following more detailed work through the preparation of the submission AAP and where there is a strong justification, we will consider the potential for a structured release of a limited number of employment sites for mixed-use development such as the case with Southern Brimsdown and the potential fringes of the Queensway Industrial Estate. Despite current market conditions it is generally the case that non-employment land uses such as residential, retail and leisure are considerably more commercially attractive than employment activities and so intervention here will be limited to the use of Development Management powers and engagement / consultation with developers and landowners. The Core Strategy supports the managed release of unproductive or inefficient employment sites to meet wider objectives for the regeneration of the Upper Lee Valley. However, a reduction in the overall employment capacity of the borough will not be supported. We will therefore seek to offset any potential loss of employment land with commensurate gains in employment floorspace and where mixed-use development is allowed we will seek to reach agreement with any developers about the re-provision of employment uses in terms of timing, size, location and quality. Any new stock provided as part of a mixed-use scheme should be targeted at higher density, higher quality employment land uses and where possible should be geared towards the knowledge sector such as advanced engineering and Information and Communications Technology.

Q Do you agree with our approach to Industrial Estates?

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4.6 North London's Waterside and the Lee Valley Regional Park The Lee Valley Regional Park and Waterways are one of Enfield’s greatest assets. Stretching the whole length of the AAP area, the Park is a place for leisure, recreation and sport, and for nature conservation. Indeed, the park is used by a number of organisations and groups for recreation activities and is an important resource for encouraging improvements to health and general well-being. However, the potential exists to make much more of this resource. In large parts it is hidden from view by the large swathes of employment areas and access to it is limited. This is particularly so where the Brimsdown Industrial Estate sits adjacent to the Park. However, the AAP process provides an opportunity to maximise the potential of the Lee Valley Regional Park, recognising its role as a unique and unifying asset for the area. The submission AAP must identify where the setting of the Park and access to it might be improved, highlighting the potential for new and strengthened green corridors connecting surrounding communities to the Park and ensuring that new development along the Park edge is well related to and maximises the quality of the open space. In particular, the importance of improved pedestrian and cycle access to the park is highlighted, and the benefits that such improvements will have on the general health and well-being of surrounding communities. We want to develop a well-connected and high quality network of open spaces with the Lee Valley Park and waterways at its heart. Other than through the green corridors, opportunities to maximise access and the setting of the Park exist through the potential for new development alongside the Park. There is potential for green corridors to connect the Park with surrounding communities, providing safe and attractive links for pedestrians and cyclists. At Ponders End and Enfield Lock the green corridors will connect to the railway stations, opening up the facility to a much wider catchment. At Enfield Lock the green corridor can follow the course of Turkey Brook, connecting Enfield Lock, Albany Park and Enfield Wash to the Park, linking through to the Gunpowder Park in the east and its visitor’s facilities. At Ponders End the green corridor will connect Alma Road allotments, Durants Park and Enfield Highway to the Park. At Ponders End, opportunities for new leisure and recreational facilities can help create a new gateway to the Park at Columbia Wharf. It is envisaged that along the course of these connections their form and function may vary. In some instances it may take the form of an attractive tree-lined street – for example along Alma Road at Ponders End – and in other places it may take the form of a pedestrian and cycle path alongside landscape features – for example along the length of Turkey Brook, or through Durants Park. The green corridors connecting into the wider strategic network of walking and cycling

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routes, linking North East Enfield with the River Lee Country park to the north, Tottenham Marshes and the Olympic site to the south. Main opportunities include the land at the southern end of Brimsdown, where development can open up the Park but also enhance the quality and amount of open space as well as routes through this, improving cycle and pedestrian access adjacent to the waterways as well as providing space for wildlife and habitat improvement. Where development opportunities do exist, open space of ecological value should be protected and enhanced. The Lee Valley Regional Park Authority [LVRPA] has developed a draft Park Development Framework that identifies the future aspirations though thematic proposals focusing on community, visitors, environment and biodiversity that is at present going through a period of consultation. The Council will be considering these aspirations in line with the AAP and work with the park authority to achieve a comprehensive approach to future intervention. Policy Approach

1. Our approach is to maximise the potential of the Lee Valley Regional Park and associated waterways. This will primarily be achieved through new and improved access points to the Park and waterfront and improvements to the leisure and recreational offer;

2. Consider the future aspirations of the Lee Valley Regional Park Authority [LVRPA] and the Park Development Framework;

3. Accessibility to the Park will be improved at two principal locations – firstly at Enfield Lock, and secondly at Ponders End, which affords significant opportunities for change. These connections will be achieved through the creation of ‘green corridors' which will act as extensions of the Park providing greater accessibility, as well as safe pedestrian and cycle routes, between the Park and the established residential communities to the west; &

4. At Enfield Lock, strengthened routes will provide a safer and more pleasant walking and cycling environment connecting the residential community to Gunpowder Park [Waltham Abbey] and across to Innova Park, the Oasis Academy and Enfield Lock station;

Q Do you agree that currently access to these natural areas is limited? Q What ancillary facilities would you like to see developed in the future around these natural assets?

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Q Where do you see the key points of access? Infrastructure Investment 4.7 The Need for Community Facilities and Services It is recognised that as North East Enfield’s population increases over the coming years the existing community facilities, including health facilities and schools in surrounding areas, will be placed under even greater pressure. Indeed, the provision of these facilities must be planned and delivered in parallel with the construction of new homes. New or extended services will serve existing and new residents, and will be easily accessible and of high quality. In addition, providing this range of community facilities will help to attract people to live, work and invest in North East Enfield. The development of new housing and supporting facilities hand-in-hand will need to be carefully planned and managed. Policy Approach

1. Health Facilities: Our approach will be to support the NHS in its programme to repair or replace health facilities to meet present and future health and environment standards. There are opportunities to develop potential facilities in Ponders end on the High Street and as part of the Alma Estate redevelopment at South Street;

2. We will also seek to make the existing health care provision in the Borough of Enfield more accessible to existing and future communities in North East Enfield through improved pedestrian, cycle and public transport links, and to work with the local health authority to identify potential new locations for health care facilities in North East Enfield. New primary care facilities will be considered for suitable locations across the AAP area through more detailed at the production process stage of the Submission AAP;

3. At present the Council is working with partners to redevelop the current Ordnance Road library site into a shared service building. The plans involve the temporary move of Ordnance Road library and the demolishing of the current building to be replaced by a shared service building accommodating a dentist, doctors, community space and modern public library;

Q Are there enough health care facilities in your area?

4. Education Facilities: The provision of the new facilities for Oasis Academy

Hadley were made through the Framework for Change on the former gasholder site in South Street, Ponders End and the project is due to be completed and operational by December 2012. The Academy is

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transferring to Ponders End from the former Albany Secondary School site in 2013 and will provide additional places for both primary and secondary school age pupils in the area. Discussions are in progress with potential sponsors to provide a further new academy on the former Albany site once the premises are vacated by Oasis Academy Hadley. The Council’s primary places strategy 2011-2012 also proposes the expansion of Prince of Wales Primary School from 2 to 3 forms of entry in the North East Enfield area. Any other future provision will require a plan led approach to meet the specific needs of a community in order to achieve the absolute appropriate location for such a facility.

Two new free schools are due to open in the area in 2012/13, Kingfisher Hall Academy [2 forms of entry, 60 places a year] and Enfield Heights [1 form of entry, 26 places a year]. The former will initially be based at Cuckoo Hall Academy, but the proposed permanent location is on the Enfield College campus. The latter will be located at Pitfield Way; &

Q Do you agree with our approach to future schools?

5. Other Community Facilities – Libraries, Leisure, Community Space, Recreation and Entertainment: We will through arising mix-use development opportunities encourage the provision of such facilities that can be valuable in strengthen the local economy.

Q Do you agree with our approach to Community Facilities?

4.8 The Network of Open Spaces In addition to the Lee Valley Regional Park, North East Enfield has a number of smaller areas of open space including Albany Park, Durants Park, Brimsdown Sports Ground, Ponders End Recreation Ground, Alma Road allotments and St. George’s Field. Enfield’s Open Spaces and Sports Assessment update has considered the quality of each of these spaces and made recommendations for change and improvement. It has also made an assessment in terms of quantity and notes that some parts of the study area are deficient in certain types of open space. Policy Approach

1. Our approach is to ensure that there is a network of well connected open spaces within North East Enfield, provide a mix of different spaces

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and facilities for all age groups. The Lee Valley Regional Park will serve local and regional needs. Smaller local and pocket parks and children’s play areas, integrated into residential areas and neighbourhood centres, will serve local needs. These spaces will include both equipped and informal play and sports spaces for all age groups, as well as more formal spaces for relaxation and learning. Where development opportunities allow, existing parks and open spaces should be addressed with new development that has windows and doors opening onto and overlooking the space. This will ensure that these spaces benefit from increased activity and will naturally have ‘eyes’ onto the space, therefore enhancing their safety. Equally, new spaces integral to new development should be developed with active street frontages. We will further seek to ensure that new development in North East Enfield provides public and private open space as an integral element of the proposed scheme. This will ensure that all residents have safe and easy access to high quality areas of open space. These spaces will also provide opportunities for informal play provision, particularly for younger children;

2. In terms of existing open space provision, parts of the AAP area are well served by some form of open space, such as public parks. However, they are at the same time deficient in other facilities, such as, children’s play provision or natural/semi-natural green space. Enfield’s Open Spaces and Sports Assessment update [2012] provides recommendations to address deficiencies, which relate to diversifying existing areas of open space to provide for different types of use and activity, including the provision of new children’s play provision, new planted gardens, seating and the creation of nature areas. In addition, the Lee Valley Regional Park sits adjacent to the existing community and the Council is therefore seeking to maximise the amenity value of this resource to overcome deficiencies in natural / semi-natural space. The provision of green corridors and an increase of tree planting between the Park and areas of deficiency will help will help link local amenity spaces, parks and natural green space;

Q What are your thoughts to the quality of open space within your neighbourhood? Q Is it easy to access?

4.9 The Highway Network, Transport and Movement Infrastructure Improving access and movement within North East Enfield is a key issue, particularly if Enfield is to accommodate housing and employment growth in the future. Much of Enfield’s business and residential communities currently relies on motor vehicle travel, but it is also important to encourage the use of more sustainable forms of transport. We must also recognise that additional car travel, as a result of new development, might have a negative impact

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upon the quality of the local environment. A balance therefore needs to be struck between the need for good access to the area and the need to promote the principles of sustainable travel. At first sight, one would think that North East Enfield has relatively good strategic transport links – it is close to the M25 and there are two rail lines running north-south through the area: the Lee Valley railway line and the London Liverpool Street to Cheshunt line. However, this is misleading. Access to the M25 is indirect, convoluted and congested, whilst the frequency of local services along the Lee Valley Line [stopping at Ponders End, Brimsdown and Enfield Lock stations] is limited. Many stations in the area are also difficult to access on foot or by bike, including Southbury and Turkey Street. The local highway network also suffers from specific areas of congestion on routes leading either to strategic routes or to the regional town centres of Enfield Town and Edmonton Green. Traffic management measures have already been introduced at key junctions to ensure efficient operation, but this only serves to demonstrate that highway capacity is limited. Despite the restrictions on the road network, there is already a notable volume of freight movements in the area and these movements are only likely to increase with new development across Enfield. At present discussions are ongoing with Network Rail, Mayor of London, Transport for London and a range of public sector organisations to realise the potential for a 3/4 tracking scheme of the West Anglia Main Line that has potential to unlock future investment redevelopment opportunities together with ongoing discussions with partners as to the feasibility and benefits of the Northern Gateway Access Package [NGAP] and discussions led by the North London Strategic Alliance [NLSA] as to the feasibility of Water Freight utilising existing infrastructure. The OAPF states that investment in the West Anglia Main Line is fundamental to opening up redevelopment potential of the opportunity area. Walking and cycling in the area can be difficult. Although the area has strategic walking and cycling routes running north-south through the Lee Valley Regional Park, access to the Park through these routes is limited and they could be improved. The real cause of barriers to cycling and walking is the large-scale road infrastructure, the railway lines, the waterways and reservoirs, which all serve to restrict movement between the residential areas to the west of the action plan area and the employment areas and Lee Valley Regional Park in the east. Where crossings do exist, for example at Brimsdown and Enfield Lock, the level crossings across the railway cause delays to road traffic. The environment is generally hostile to pedestrians and cyclists. These barriers cause difficulties for bus penetration as well. Overall, there is a lack of bus services to and from employment and residential areas. Sustainable transport modes need to be promoted in order to facilitate movement choice.

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Policy Approach

1. The AAP must provide sufficiently for the forecast increase in vehicle trips to and from the development areas in North East Enfield, specifically around Ponders End. This will require the implementation of traffic management measures across the local road network and routes leading to the strategic road network, such as the A10, the M25 and the A406 North Circular Road;

2. Ensuring efficient east-west local connections across North East Enfield is particularly important. With the anticipated Lee Valley Line 3/4-tracking scheme the preferred approach would be to replace the level crossings at Brimsdown and Enfield Lock Station with at least one new bridge; however, the feasibility of scheme will need to be considered in further studies in partnership with Network Rail. The main proposed development relates to the improvement of rail services on the Stratford-Lee Valley route [part of the West Anglia Main Line], enabling a robust and reliable service of four trains per hour to all stations. This would require estimated investment of £232 Million, in a series of upgrades including: a]an additional third rail line between Brimsdown and the disused Lea Bridge Station; b] a forth line for a short portion of the route between Angel Road and Ponders End; and c] an eight car turn back facility also at Brimsdown ;

3. Continued consideration will also be given to the potential benefits and merits of a Northern Gateway Access Package [NGAP] that involves providing a new link between the A1055 and the A121 to connect to junction 26 of the M25, mitigating the impact of the scheme in Rammey Marsh as much as possible. This has the potential of significantly improving access on to the M25 and beyond from key industrial areas. This, again, will be considered in the context of further technical studies being undertaken in partnership with stakeholders, such as Transport for London and the Highways Agency;

4. Our future approach also needs to be sustainably driven with the introduction of measures that will better balance the needs of vehicular and non-vehicular movements along the A1010 Hertford Road corridor. Part of this process will be to encourage freight movements by other routes including water freight through the re-configuration of existing infrastructure and, in particular, to encourage any proposals for the introduction of a commercial wharf on the River Lee Navigation for the southern part of Brimsdown or Columbia Wharf;

5. In relation to public transport our is to maintain and improve the existing bus services and facilities in North East Enfield while potentially providing new bus routes, as required, to meet the increasing level of demand generated from new developments. Bus priority measures would also be introduced to ensure that the enhanced services offer fast and reliable access to destinations;

6. In the absence of the full 3/4-tracking of the Lee Valley Line to Broxbourne [which would allow in excess of four local stopping services per hour] the preferred approach would also include the continued

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increase in north-south bus provision to support development both in North East Enfield as well as across Enfield as a whole;

7. Our approach to rail is to improve access to all rail stations within the North East Enfield area and to pursue improvements to local rail services in excess of four services per hour along the Lee Valley Line through support of Network Rail's proposed 3/4-tracking scheme to Broxbourne. The former would be achieved through infrastructure improvements at the stations themselves and providing safe and secure cycling and walking routes leading to the stations;

8. Consideration must be given to walking and cycling networks to enhance and improve the walking and cycling routes to each of the five stations in and around the North East Enfield area, as well as the routes to the Lee Valley Regional Park and the local centres, to ensure that they are both safe and secure for pedestrians and cyclists. This will be achieved through appropriate street design and lighting; the creation of a series of east-west green corridors that link residential areas to the Lee Valley Regional Park and waterways; and connections over infrastructure barriers. In addition, improvement to walking and cycling connections beyond North East Enfield are also sought, helping to connect the area to key facilities and amenities;

Q Do you agree that we need to improve the access and movement framework in the area? Q Do you think pedestrian and cycle routes need to be improved and better linked?

4.10 The Decentralised Energy Network The Upper Lee Valley Dencentralised Energy Network [ULVDEN] Feasibility Study, July 2011 addresses how planning the future of energy provision in the sub-region could help catalyse positive outcomes in terms of economic rejuvenation and environmental improvements. It demonstrates the case there is a unique opportunity to deliver commercially sustainable Decentralised Energy Network [DEN] that would put the Upper Lee Valley at forefront of energy production in London. The vision is to combine strategic energy assets and develop them to become a source of low-cost, low-carbon heat where local waste streams represent a significant renewable fuel resource. This will help deliver cost-competitive, low-zero carbon energy supplies. This will assist with job creation, reduce overall carbon emissions, facilitate the transition to the low carbon economy, and support development in a

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coherent, unified way that prevents the emergence of piecemeal, standalone, sub-optimal energy solutions. The Oxford Economics report for Enfield, January 2012 notes the wider benefits of a DEN in the Upper Lee Valley would include fuel security and energy price stability, as well as helping alleviate fuel poverty amongst local residents. Policy Approach

1. As outlined by the ULVDEN Feasibility Study the Enfield Power Station site should be safeguarded for future development as a Combine Heat and Power [CHP] plant rather than a power generation only facility. A general requirement should be imposed that new power generation plant and other major potential sources of waste heat are designed for heat recovery, with the cost of these designs borne as part of the plant development;

2. Potential CHP schemes Ponders End, Southern Brimsdown and Innova Park;

Q Do you agree with our approach to energy?

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5.0 NEXT STEPS We have through this document identified the:

Spatial structure for regeneration including Neighbourhood Places, Shopping Parades and Areas of Improvement;

Regeneration considerations; Regeneration scope and drivers; Direction and clear objectives linked to regeneration intervention; & Policy approach.

Chapter 4 of this document has identified in detail the considerations submission the AAP will need to account for in bring forward a Planning Policy Framework and highlighted the need to further develop the spatial and technical evidence base to support policy notions of the Submission AAP. What is clear is the scale of opportunity is such it will require a set of robust planning policies that can enable a comprehensive regeneration and re-development approach to be applied. The planning policy context to which the submission AAP will be set within has been discussed in Appendix 1 of this document. We have considered the depth of planning policy available through the developing Local Plan and recognise that to achieve a comprehensive planning framework for the NEE area there will be a need to bring forward specific planning policy mechanisms to direct the regeneration drivers for the area supported by underlying urban design framework and technical evidence that will bring together the spatial framework and the planning policies to deliver it. As such, the North East Enfield Area Action Plan will be set within three planning policy spatial layers:

1. Infrastructure related policy requirements across the NEE area – specific planning policy set against each of the infrastructure elements identified for consideration at the AAP Submission stage;

2. Neighbourhood Places, Shopping Parades and Improvement Areas – specific planning policy for each of the areas identified to deal with the AAP considerations highlighted; and

3. Implementation and Delivery – Specific planning policies to set out achieve the overall vision and objectives that will be shaped through the preparation of the Submission AAP.

Following the current period of consultation on this document we will evaluate your comments and use these to develop our final thoughts and proposals for North East Enfield. These will then be presented in the Submission Draft Area Action Plan that will be again subject to a statutory consultation. We will then prepare the submission version which will be submitted to the Secretary of State who will appoint an independent inspector to hold and “Examination in Public” to consider the Plan and any comments you may make on it.

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The submission AAP will be a formal Development Plan Document [DPD] and will need to set out the statutory planning policy framework for how North East Enfield will be regenerated over the next 10-15 years. The AAP will need address key issues and provide a set of policies to deliver the spatial framework in a comprehensive manner to enable future development potential and environ change and improvement. It involves a pro-active approach to promoting and managing growth change to ensure that North East Enfield remains thriving and economically sustainable in future years. The AAP will have a long term view of what North East Enfield and its spatial component parts will be like beyond the time horizon of the statutory plan period but also will be strong on implementation. It will be based on a realistic understanding of the factors driving the economy of the area and the investment programmes of major stakeholders and landowners. The AAP will illustrate what the North East Enfield should become, identifying its potential and assets, but also a realistically acknowledging the barriers to achieving the vision and proposing deliverable approaches to overcoming any obstacles. The AAP document will be a business plan, image marketing tool, planning policy framework and implementation strategy and delivery direction document for change amalgamated into one. How to Comment This document presents the Council’s approach towards development and regeneration in North East Enfield. It provides you with the opportunity to say how North East Enfield should develop. We hope that residents, local organisations, workers, landowners and business owners and everyone else interested in the future of North East Enfield will tell us what they think about the approach. Comments, known as “representations”, should be given to us by 9th October 2012. You can comment on this document by:

1. Visiting our website: www.enfield.gov.uk; 2. You can comment and view comments online using Objective Online:

http://consult.enfield.gov.uk/portal; 3. Emailing us at: ldf@enfield.gov.uk; 4. Attending one [or all] of the public workshops or exhibitions being held

between August through to October [Once consultation events have been arranged with stakeholders in the area, full details will be on our website, or on posters displayed locally];

5. Writing to: Planning Policy Team Regeneration Leisure and Culture London Borough of Enfield Civic Centre Silver Street Enfield EN1 3XE;

6. Electronic copies of this report along with the supporting evidence base are available to view and download from the Council’s website: www.enfield.gov.uk; &

7. Hard copies of the report and evidence base are also available to view

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at Enfield’s libraries [see Council’s website for address and opening hours] and at the Civic Centre.

For further information relating to the consultation process please contact the Local Plan’s hotline on: 020 8379 3866.

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6.0 APPENDICES Appendix 1: Planning Policy Context During the period the NEEAAP has been on hold there has been significant change to the planning policy context that the AAP is prepared, in particular:

The publication of the Government’s National Planning Policy Framework [NPPF] in March 2012. The NPPF provides guidance for local planning authorities in preparing local plans and is a material consideration in determining planning applications;

The publication of the new London Plan – 2011 and an Opportunity Area Planning Framework [OAPF] for the Upper Lee Valley area [for consultation in November 2011]. The Council in partnership with the ULV boroughs, GLA, North London Strategic Alliance, the Park Authority and Transport for London [TfL] embarked on an Opportunity Area Planning Framework for the Upper Lee Valley to ensure Central Leeside, along with Edmonton Green and Ponders End in Enfield could harness the benefits of the improved connectivity, community and employment opportunities arising from adjoining areas; and from the London 2012 Olympic Games and its Legacy Transformation. Through this process, detailed work was undertaken to explore key principles to ensure that the vision and aspirations for the Upper Lee Valley are aligned;

The Council’s Core Strategy was adopted in November 2010 following independent examination;

The Framework for Change, August 2009; The Central Area Planning Brief, Ponders End, May 2011; The adopted Section 106 Supplementary Planning Document; The Draft Development Management Development Plan Document

[DPD]. The Enfield Core Strategy, November 2010 The Council’s Core Strategy is a strategic document providing the broad strategy for the scale and distribution of development and the provision of supporting infrastructure, ensuring that investment decisions are not made in isolation but are properly coordinated to ensure sustainable development. Core Policy 1: Strategic Growth Areas identifies key areas for change, one of them which is North East Enfield; and Core Policy 40 North East Enfield sets out the objectives for the North East Enfield area; and Core Policy 41 Ponders End recognises the area as a Place Shaping Priority Area, with three areas of future development opportunities identified for Ponders End Central, Ponders End South Street Campus and Ponders End Waterfront. The broad objectives of these policies are:

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The Focus of New Development Opportunities The focus for change and development, and hence the majority of these new homes, will be in Ponders End where there is a string of key opportunity sites along an east-west axis. In the west, in the heart of Ponders End, there is a cluster of sites including the former Middlesex University campus, adjacent Queensway employment area, land around Tesco and sites along Hertford Road, referred to as "Ponders End Central". In the middle, along South Street, there are opportunities at the gasholder site on South Street, around Ponders End railway station, and at the Alma Estate. This collection of sites is referred to as "Ponders End South Street Campus". In the east, near the Lee Valley Regional Park, development opportunities exist at Columbia Wharf and at the southern part of Brimsdown, collectively referred to as "Ponders End Waterfront"; Employment North East Enfield’s reputation as a thriving and competitive industrial business location will be enhanced, with the Strategic Industrial Locations being safeguarded; Housing Across the North East Enfield area, there is scope to develop 1,000 new homes with a range of sizes and tenures, including affordable homes; Local Centres and Community Facilities The local retail centres of Ponders End, Enfield Highway and Enfield Wash will be enhanced to improve the shopping experience. Sites will be identified in Ponders End to accommodate retail uses in accordance with the Core Strategy policies. Enhanced access to and quality of recreation and leisure opportunities will also be promoted. Social and community infrastructure to support an expanding population will be accommodated; Infrastructure Investment The Council will promote improvements to public transport and access to the area by car, bicycle and on foot in particular: Improvements to the busy Hertford Road corridor to improve the environment for pedestrians and road users alike; more attractive and green links to maximise access east-west to the Lee Valley Park and to the existing communities and employment areas; Improvements to north-south pedestrian and cycle routes within the Lee Valley Park; Work with its partners to ensure that negative impacts of the proposed new investment in the Lee Valley rail line are mitigated, for example by replacing the level crossings at Brimsdown and Enfield Lock stations with new bridges and/or underpasses; and Continue work on the benefits of a Northern Gateway Access Package to improve accessibility to and from North East Enfield, with a particular focus on supporting business growth. Summary

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These policies in the Core Strategy provide the broad basis for the regeneration and policy drivers the AAP must explore further. The primary purpose of the AAP is to articulate in greater detail how these policies will be implemented, and to provide a more detailed policy framework to guide the development process. The AAP is being prepared in general conformity with the Core Strategy and the London Plan, and will seek to give effect to its directions by interpreting the policies and objectives and applying them to North East Enfield. The Core Strategy will be supported by a series of Development Management Policies that will be used to make decisions on planning applications and applies borough-wide including North East Enfield. These development management policies should be used alongside the detailed policies contained in the emerging Area Action Plan to inform the assessment of planning applications relating to North East Enfield. The emerging policies and objectives in the submission AAP will be material planning considerations with increasing weight as the plan progresses through its statutory stages. The Core Strategy and other Development Plan Documents will eventually replace the Unitary Development Plan. All documents prepared as part of the Local Plan process are subject to a Sustainability Appraisal. Preparation of the Area Action Plan to date has been informed and improved as a result of a Sustainability Appraisal – particularly in relation to flood risk, sustainable design and construction, habitats and green spaces as well as the clarifying the intention of the policies. Mitigation measures will be used to create an appropriate balance in ensuring the development of sustainable communities.

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Appendix 2: Document Context and Preparation Stages [Note the information below will be presented in the form of flow diagrams within the final published document] 1. Enfield Local Plan [TO BE ADDED] 2. How the North East Enfield AAP is being prepared [Further information up to adoption stage to be added including timeline] The preparation of NEEAAP commenced in December 2006. The following reports have been produced to date to develop the eventual submission draft of the NEEAAP:

Evidence Gathering: A Baseline Report was published in June 2007 setting out the understanding of North East Enfield with and accompanying Sustainability Appraisal Scoping Report, both reports were subject to consultation period;

Issues and Options: An Issues and Options Report was published in

February 2008 setting out a number of options for North East Enfield accompanied by an interim Sustainability Appraisal that assessed these options against sustainable development objectives, both reports, both reports were subject to a consultation period;

Preferred Options: A Preferred Options Report was published in

February 2009, together with and accompanying Sustainability Appraisal, which assessed the preferred options against the sustainable development objectives; both reports, both reports were subject to a consultation period;

Ponders End Framework for Change: This was an interim measure of a

planning guidance mechanism by the Council published in August 2009 that advocated the proactive spatial planning approach to the area thorough the development of planning briefs to manage physical change for Ponders End Central, South Street Campus and Waterfront to provide a planning basis for three key sites at Middlesex University, Ponders End station and Columbia Wharf and advice on ways to link Ponders End with the waterside and Lee Valley Park;

Ponders End Central Planning Brief: The Supplementary Planning

Document was produced and adopted by the Council in May 2011 on the back of the Framework for change, advocating an approach to regeneration management of the High Street and a mechanism of attracting inward investment;

This document is titled ‘Interim Direction Document: Working Towards a

Submission AAP’ as this is an opportunity to reignite the NEEAAP process by revaluating and considering the regeneration approach

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previously identified and taking in account how things on the ground have developed since the last consultation stage on the AAP in 2009.

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Appendix 3: List of Figures 1. North East Enfield Study Area 2. North East Enfield Within its wider and Immediate Context [Includes NEE

within Standsted/Peterborough Growth Corridor/ NEE within the London Context

3. NEE within the Upper Lee Valley Context / and NEE within its Immediate Context]

4. Planning Policy Context 5. Existing Land Uses and Services 6. Existing Employment Land 7. The Network of Open Space and Green Chains 8. Accessibility 9. Movement Hierarchy and Node Points 10. Connection and Linkages 11. Flood Risk and Watercourses 12. Concept 13. The Key Diagram North East Enfield 14. Connectivity, Identity and Public Realm 15. Future Infrastructure Development