Latest Thoughts

3rd October 2004

Enfield Town Vision
“Enfield’s historic environment deserves more than indifference”
Ian Bishop-Laggett - October 2004
www.enfieldtown.org.uk

Existing Library in Cecil Road
As per recent newspaper reports, keep existing library in Cecil Road, but create new entrance off library green. Improve library green and integrate with Church Street and make more of a feature at west entrance to the town. (see below about bus terminus). Improve disabled access by installing a lift and extend on top of children’s library to provide additional space. Provide minimal internet access as this could be provided elsewhere in the town (see below).

By improving the west end of town and building a new entrance to the library off the green, it will help to keep Church Street alive and also integrate the library into the town.

New “Civic” Building in Cecil Road
Instead of creating a new library, make this a cultural centre. Provide a flexible entertainment space on two floors that could be called the Townhouse to replace the building which is being demolished. This could be rented to the existing Townhouse management and provide all the existing facilities which will be lost to the Town including evening dancing sessions, discos and functions. The nightclub part would be a similar size to the existing Townhouse club.

If the cultural centre was designed to have a stage and moveable seating on one of the floors, it could also double up as a theatre. The theatre could also be used as a cinema providing “specialist” and unique films. The building could also incorporate a coffee bar with seating in an atrium area.

Computer Centre
The cultural building could also incorporate a computer centre which could be run by the Middlesex University and provide the required Internet Access that was originally planned for the new library. This would also replace the existing computer training centre that is provided above the Townhouse.

Museum and Local History
Depending on the internal design of the cultural centre, the planned museum and local history sections could also be included in the Cultural Building.

Improvements to PalaceXchange
Redesign the back of the shops that back onto Cecil Road and provide additional shop entrances from Cecil Road, effectively making them double ended. Keep the loading area in front of this, but open it right up to the road. Large lorry deliveries could be restricted to out of hours. But smaller deliveries could be allowed all day. This will significantly improve the view from Cecil Road and the cultural centre, and also provide a more attractive south entrance into PalaceXchange. This would then allow the narrow pathway between M&S and the new shops to be scrapped.

If stock room storage is a problem, this could be provided in basements for these units.

Bus Terminus and Transport Links in Enfield
Move the existing bus terminus in Little Park Gardens from the west end of town to in front of Enfield Town station and create a large terminus by moving the station further down the track. Create a new open car park where the existing bus terminus is. This will provide some additional parking in the town, but also help to keep foot traffic walking along Church Street.

Improvements in Church Street and London Road
Create raised crossings across Church Street opposite library green, again opposite the entrance to Palace Gardens, by the Market Place and entrance to PalaceXchange. This idea could be carried around into London Road at the new crossroads at Church Street, London Road, Silver Street and Southbury Road, then opposite the entrance to PalaceXchange in London Road and finally at the junction where the Genotin Road link meets London Road.

These raised crossing points and an appropriate design for the rest of Church Street and London Road could create the image of a pedestrian area and link Church Street and London Road into PalaceXchange and Palace Gardens.

Southbury Road Shops
Remove bus stops and pavement from in front of shops in Southbury road and create diagonal car parking in front of shops. This will open up the area and make it look a more attractive East Entrance to Town. The parking would be far enough from the main road traffic to allow cars to reverse out of parking spaces safely.

20th September 2004

“Enfield’s historic environment deserves more than indifference”.

The Phase II development has gone unconditional on 31st August 2004.

The Advertiser recently suggested that we should give up the fight and accept what is coming to Enfield Town.  I think that we should keep the pressure on to get modifications and improvements made to the development that will attempt to retain some of the "Market Town" feel.  I have said many times that I don't think this development has been designed to complement Enfield Town's image of a market town. Instead, it is simply designed to fill a space allocated to the developers at the least cost to maximise the returns to the developer and it's backers.

The main issue I see is that by plonking further high street chains into the centre will do nothing to attract people into the town. The Council leader (Michael Rye) stated that the intention is not to attract new shoppers, but to retain existing shoppers. I think people are being mislead over the new 550 space car park as in fact, the development replaces two car parks in Sydney Road and Cecil Road and significantly alters the car park in Genotin Road. This provides a net increase of about 50 car parking spaces in the town.

I think what is needed is to build smaller, affordable, high street shops that can accommodate independent retailers with interesting specialist shops, along with areas which would attract people to the town and encourage them to spend time in the town.

My vision would be to build shops along Sydney Road facing Marks and Spencers and Pearsons, that curve round into Cecil Road. Also, replace the old co-op building in London Road. Perhaps arrange for the shop in London Road to be big enough to span from London Road to Sydney Road if required.

These shops would be two storeys with a delivery yard accessible from London Road along side Town Carpets.

On the southside of Cecil Road, I invisage a gathering area with green space, additional town square with cafes and restaurants surrounding it. If it proves impossible to redevelope the existing library, then this could be included on this part of the development.

The car parking would be provided underneath the entire development in a modern well lit and secure car park on two floors. This would provide more then enough car parking for the town.

I feel this arrangement would attract people into the town, encourage them to stay for lunch and then enable further shopping after lunch. By providing more parking, the car parking could be charged on exit rather then pay and display and allow people to stay as long as they wished.

There are also other areas of the town which will soon be vacated or are already vacated. These are the old offices adjacent to the Cecil Road car park and the Catholic School in London Road. Both these areas should be considered within this development.

I still hope that the developers are not fixed on their design and that they listen to the Council Leader, who wants to do away with the large civic building and car park and expand and regenerate the existing library and library green. This would be a great improvement in my view.

12th March 2004

There are a number of issues with the development that worry local residents and councillors.  Most people are agreed that Enfield Town needs a development, but residents are concerned that this development will destroy Enfield's image of a "Market Town"?

This is your chance to have a say, please join our email news group and let us know your thoughts and ideas.

Shops

Enfield Town needs to be unique and not be like other retail centres with identical lines of high street shops .  It somehow needs to attract smaller specialist shops.

Large shops pay large rents, and developers need to be able to recover their development costs, but not at any cost.

The developers have kept details of which shops are planning to move into Enfield very close to their chest.  But they have announced their two "anchor" stores as TK-Maxx and Next.  I don't think anybody has been impressed by that news.  Next is already in the town and TK-Maxx isn't the most exciting prospect.

The council believe that if the development does not go ahead, then Waitrose and M&S may leave the town. This has not been confirmed by either store.

What sort of shops would you like to see in Enfield Town?

Car Parking

In several places, the literature and advertising boards mention 550 new car parking spaces which is strictly correct.  However, the development is being built on two existing car parks loosing 450+ spaces.  This gives the town a net increase of less then 100 spaces.

This has been controlled by central government directives, but in today's modern world of convenience, people prefer to drive and park.  I can't see that adding less then 100 car parking spaces is going to attract more shoppers into Enfield Town.

How do you get into town?

Reality Check

The planning for this development started so long ago that I am not sure whether it is still current.  This development needs a complete reality check before the bulldozers arrive and it's too late.

When the development was first conceived, it included a leisure centre, a theatre, a museum and a new all singing all dancing library.  Now we are looking forward to more shops, a car park and a significantly reduced library.

Do you think we still need the original development?

What would you rather see in its place?

Library

I have yet to see any figures on the costs of the new library.  There have been various reasons put forward for a new library, but I am not sure that the current library can not be modified to suit.

The current library and the registry office would certainly be under threat of being sold off once the new library was opened.

What are your views?

See the consultation document

Your say

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