ECA has responded to Enfield Council’s Local Plan 2019-39. The Enfield Local Plan: 2019-2039 will be the key planning policy document for the borough. Once adopted, it will contain policies that will be used in determining planning applications and will shape how Enfield will develop over the coming years.
According to ECA Chair, Oveta McInnis, “The planning policy document shapes the future direction of planning for the environment. It is important that the council had an input from African Caribbean community, because it will affect us for the decades to come.”
“The ECA was able to quickly review the report and give our feedback to planning, documenting some serious concerns regarding the direction of planning policy in the borough.” Click here to read Enfield Caribbean Association’s Initial considerations on Enfield Council’s Local Plan 2019-2039.
Concerns with Enfield Council’s Local Plans
ECA was concerned by the lack of ambition of Enfield Council’s Local Plan. The Council is now in a position where it can make real changes in the built environment. They have got the powers in the HRA reforms and can borrow at relatively cheap rates. It is now all about the administration being confident as an Authority and step up to the housing challenge. They must do something more than just manage the traditional poor quality public housing stock. By being radical and stepping up to the challenge, they will in turn put pressure on Central Government increase funding for housing in Enfield and elsewhere in London.
The Mayor is keen to encourage boroughs to develop affordable homes in their own right but strongly encourages them to consider working in consortia, with other registered providers, to maximise efficiency in programme delivery.
ECA is also concerned that the African Caribbean communities are effectively able to gain the economic benefits expected from the Local Plans. We are concerned by the lack of viable mechanisms to openly monitor developments. E.g. The council needs to establish a coherent Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) Housing Association forum to work with and partner with private sector builders and mainstream HA as part of its capacity building functions to improve the diversity of housing providers in Enfield.
ECA is concerned that African Caribbean young people are unable to access employment, training and career opportunities as a result of the implementation of the current local plan. Enfield Council must make a clear commitment to provide Black and Minority Ethnic communities access to the potential opportunities that will arise from local plan. Furthermore, that African Caribbean owned businesses, are given the opportunity to tender for appropriate Enfield Council contracts.
Expansion of Edmonton Incinerator
Finally, we are concerned by Enfield Council’s attempt to demarcate the expansion of the Incinerator in Edmonton, with the council’s local plan. We found it disingenuous that we could find relatively few references to the Incinerator in the local plans, when it could have a detrimental impact on the health and welfare of all residents in Enfield. ECA would urge the council to pause in the plans to build a new, larger Edmonton incinerator, and for North London Waste Authority to properly consult the people of Enfield borough about it. It should not be too much for the North London Waste Authority to find a technological solution to deal with London waste and it is not acceptable to export it to third world countries.
Click here for more information about Enfield Council’s Local Plan
