‘Supporting sustainable development;
preserving our character and natural environment;
strengthening protection of the Green Belt'
Latest news
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The public hearings on the Council's draft Local Plan 2019-2041 have now been completed, and the examiner will issue his report early 2026.
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The proposed site for 160+ new homes in Hadley Wood was discussed on 19th June 2025, when we were represented by Rupert Warren KC.
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The situation has been complicated by a number of actions to implement a key pledge in Labour's manifesto.
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The government wants 1.5 million new homes to be built and, as it's quicker and cheaper to build on greenfield, has weakened the protections for Green Belt land. The Mayor of London's review of which parts of the Green Belt can be built on will inform the 2026 update to the London Plan (all London boroughs must be 'in general conformity' with that).
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The government has also published a list of proposed 'New Towns'. One comprises 21,000 new homes on a vast area stretching from Crews Hill to Chase Park, i.e. from the M25 to Oakwood Underground station. Detailed assessments will take a few more months, but the New Towns proposals are dictinct from the draft new Local Plan, and are therefore not part of the current examination. However, we have argued that the proposal removes the last possible argument for development of the site in Hadley Wood - see here.
Local Plan vs Neighbourhood Plan
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Planning applications are considered against the policies of both the Local Plan and Neighbourhood Plan.
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The Hadley Wood Neighbourhood Plan only applies to our area and was developed, and voted on, by local residents. It reflects the community's view on what development should look like.
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Enfield Council's Local Plan covers the entire borough. It sets a new housing target, and can remove land from the Green Belt for development (or add to it). Councillors, not residents, vote on the Local Plan.
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The NP's policies can differ from the Local Plan policies, but must align with its 'Strategic Policies', such as the target number of new homes.
What's happening?
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Enfield Council has for a few years been developing its new Local Plan for the period to 2041.
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In spite of overwhelming objections in 2021, the Council produced a largely unchanged draft, which was subject to one last public consultation in early 2024.
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In Sep 2024 the Council submitted that draft Plan for independent examination. Comments you sent in during the last consultation were passed on to the Examiner.
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The new homes target has been increased by 33% over the 2021 draft. This is being used to justify the unchanged plans for material releases of Green Belt land for development, including the fields off Crescent West (see images below).
View from Crescent West
The Local Plan mentions 160 new homes, but the number could be much higher (500) based on the building density to be used at Chase Park, and buildings up to 7 storeys tall.