Minutes and Report by Peter W Gibbs, Chairman
Report on Proceedings of General Public meeting, held at 7.45pm on May 12th 2025 at Church Hall, Christ the King Catholic Church, Bramley Road. With added explanatory notes.
The Chairman opened the meeting and welcomed 24 members and guests;
Apologies received from Cllr Georgiou, Cllr Sampson, and Cllr Smith.
Also Colin Bull Chair of CLARA.
The Report of the previous meeting, having been distributed, was agreed.
General Friends meeting:
CHAIRMAN’S REPORT
Over the last year, Parks management has gone through a complete overhaul with new people in all the key positions. While we were hopeful at first that this would bring some positive outcomes, the management changes have not to date proven the breakthrough we all seek. An unwelcome return to bureaucratic process has reappeared in the form of a so-called Friends Volunteer Agreement, now being pressed on us – the third iteration of this device, likely bound to be as useful as before. Revised park plans are at last being issued but, in the case of TCP, it is neither comprehensive nor committed to any improvements, there being apparently no budgets.
All this continues the unfortunate negative trend in relationships with Enfield Council that we have seen over the past several years. What used to be a constructive exchange that informed a rolling park plan, has deteriorated to the point where the Friends’ mission is now one of defence of the Park against Council neglect.
The tipping point came 8 years ago with the introduction of the council’s Events Strategy, a move to monetise the borough’s parks. However it proved that costs of control and restoration after major events consumed all the revenue and nothing of worth came to TCP while the surrounding Cockfosters area suffered intolerable impacts. The Friends welcome smaller right-sized community based activities that encourage visitors to the park and provide a social contribution to the Enfield community. Large music festivals do not do that.
Maintenance of the Park is desultory despite the fact that concessions provide over £100,000 in revenue each year. A much delayed patching up of trip hazards on Limes Ave was partly completed, but large holes in the café carpark and a decommissioned swing remain gaping evidence of disinterest in keeping the park up to the Green Flag standard set, and presumably still in force since 2017.
Another negative change is the ministerial permission for change of use of the car park at Cockfosters station which, if development of 351 units is carried through as earlier threatened, would lead to significant visual and amenity impact on the park and neighbourhood. In addition we expect the loss of station carparking to rebound on the Park, loading the currently free parking space to the detriment of genuine park users.
The social and recreational value of the Park and all the other open spaces in Enfield could not be more significant – large development schemes are afoot and each expansion of the borough’s population (currently 333,000) means an even greater reliance on open space for health, recreation and community cohesion. So-called “community recreation assets” featured in current planning applications are in reality nominal, designed not to impede maximum housing density.
Enfield Council has steadily removed support from parks and now the draft Local Plan [currently in the examination phase] is bearing down on the Green Belt, seeking to remove and develop some 10% of the gross Green Belt area of the borough. If approved, the character of the borough will change from suburban to urban, diminishing the quality of life for all current stakeholders. Council assurances that open space is valued are not supported by current proposals. [See the London Plan section below for more information on threats to the park and Green Belt]
Events
Major event promoters remain active in N London boroughs, always incurring heavy resistance from residents who suffer losses and pollution, but see no gains to their amenities.
Major events have been absent from TCP this year and we work in conjunction with all residents associations to maintain a strong opposition into the future.
Heritage Assets
Over-sized supply vehicles trying to enter the Park from Cockfosters remain a burden and we are pressing LBE to enforce its size limitations on events contractors and other suppliers to preserve the safety of visitors, as well as the heritage assets and roadways, already severely damaged by heavy trucks.
The gate on Cockfosters Road remains badly damaged 2 years after it was last struck by a truck supplying Go Ape. LBE first insisted minor repointing was adequate but, after much pressure, has admitted that the North pillar and pedestrian arch are unstable and need rebuilding to carry the weight of the oak gate. However, LBE has not secured sufficient funds from insurers to undertake the work including replacing the broken urn. We urge the council to do the work and pursue routes to recover the balance. LBE maintains it is up to insurers but takes no enforcement action, a sad state of affairs for such a large corporation
Raves and security
In 2024 we reported that LBE secured prior notice of raves and took effective measures to keep them out of the Park. This has lapsed this year, but we are assured the council will put in vehicle bollards to prevent out of hours ingress, especially at the northern approaches to the Park. Now that we see what can be done to displace raves, we are pressing LBE to make this response its normal practice.
The Public Space Protection Orders [PSPOs] that were in place to reduce anti-social behaviour, etc. expired last year. A new set have been written which should go out for public consultation in the next month or two. We will notify you when that happens.
Berkeley estate and Museum
Good progress was noted with most of the estate now built out, the mansion reconstruction being the last major project. The grounds look very attractive. Prospects for the new museum, slated to open early 2026, look exceedingly good. Parking arrangements have still to be resolved for museum visitors, though it seems a solution may have been agreed.
Local Plan / ERW (Carol Fisk]
Enfield RoadWatch was set up 10 years ago to resist unwarranted development of Green Belt along Enfield Road. It is now working with several other local interest groups to resist the transformative proposals announced in Enfield Council’s latest draft Local Plan. The Plan would transform Enfield Road into an ‘urban highway’ with blocks of flats on either side and houses sprawling up to Hadley Road, and turn Crews Hill from a horticultural centre into a 7,000+ housing development.
The draft plan is now in its final phase, which is examination by an impartial Government Planning Inspector. The Stage 1 hearings were held in January and the Inspector asked for extra work from the Council, posed some difficult questions and left it open whether he would ultimately accept the Plan. The Stage 2 hearings will run from mid-June until mid-August and will involve sessions on each site allocation, including the individual Green Belt sites. Enfield RoadWatch and its partner groups will attend the hearings, also representing the Friends. We will continue to update you on the Plan, which, if accepted by the Inspector with or without modifications, should come into effect in 2026.
The Plan, because of its timing, is being examined under the current London Plan and the 2023 National Planning Policy Framework [NPPF], both of which have strong Green Belt protections. However, that is all changing under the Labour Government’s planning reforms and the emerging new London Plan, so it remains to be seen when the impact of those will be seen locally.
The New London Plan
The London Plan has to be revised every 5 years, so work is under way to replace the 2021 plan with a new plan that will come into full effect in late 2027/early 2028 – though its policies will have an impact before that. The Government has increased London’s housing target to 88,000 a year, which the Mayor does not think can be accomplished on brownfield sites or in existing urban areas alone. As a result, the Greater London Assembly [GLA] is conducting a London-wide Green Belt survey to identify sites that can be downgraded to ‘grey belt’ [a dangerously subjective definition, which is already being abused by developers]
While there is a lot of talk about car parks and old petrol stations that have retained Green Belt status, the fact is that any tract of Green Belt can become grey belt if it’s suitable for infill, for an urban extension, or if it’s close to public transport. Therefore, Trent Country Park itself is threatened because of its proximity to Oakwood and Cockfosters stations. TfL has floated a proposal for high-density, car-free development in the park along the tube line. They say once that is in place with a critical mass of new residents, they would then fund public transport improvements to allow development all along Bramley Road and Enfield Road, replacing the golf course, the equestrian centre and Vicarage Farm with 12,000+ new homes. We need your help to oppose this!
There is a London Plan consultation running until June 22, which would allow you to voice your opinions. We are still formulating our arguments so you don’t need to do anything quite yet, but we will send another newsletter with detailed guidance on how to respond to the consultation in the next week or two.
PUBLIC COMMUNICATIONS: Members are requested earnestly to address concerns to us and also make their views known via the following LBE councillors / officers. The more impacts the greater chance of influencing public policy, especially in the 12 months approaching the next local elections:
- Leader of Enfield Council: Cllr.ergin.erbil@enfield.gov.uk
- Cabinet Member for Environment and Sustainability: Cllr.Chinelo.Anyanwu@enfield.gov.uk
- Assistant Cabinet Member: cllr.Chris.James@enfield.gov.uk
- Cockfosters Ward local councillors:
Cllr.Alessandro.Georgiou@enfield.gov.uk Cllr.Ruby.Sampson@enfield.gov.uk
- Conservative lead for parks: cllr.Edward.Smith@enfield.gov.uk
- Senior Operations Manager for Parks: lisa.smart@enfield.gov.uk
- Enfield’s website has a “Report it” facility to notify anything untoward seen in the park. LBE promises to scrutinise all reports and take appropriate action. https://new.enfield.gov.uk/services/leisure-and-culture/parks-and-open-spaces/parks/
Social Media
Please Like our Facebook page and share it with friends and family. This is the first place to look for news of events, alerts or just pretty pictures of the park.
Next Friends meeting
The next meeting, which will also be our AGM, is planned for Nov 2025. Information will be sent out nearer the time.
Meeting closed 21.15 hrs. PWG 17.05,25