Enfield tackles the national housing crisis with bold plans

Enfield tackles the national housing crisis with bold plans

To address the issues of housing supply, equality and to end homelessness in the borough, Enfield Council is planning bold action through two major strategies, starting with a public consultation.

The consultation will help the Council develop a 10-year Housing and Growth Strategy and five-year Preventing Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy.

These seek to deliver more and better homes in well-connected neighbourhoods and to address the imbalances in the housing market. In addition, the Council wants to make homeless prevention a priority for everyone so no one in Enfield is left without a place to live.

Enfield Council will be seeking views from everyone across the borough — from first-time buyers to those wishing to downsize; Council tenants to private landlords; letting agents to registered housing providers. Taking part is easy. Go to www.enfield.gov.uk/consultations.

The ambition is to increase the housing supply for Enfield people on different incomes. The Council has already committed to deliver 3,500 new council homes across the borough over the next ten years that are genuinely affordable* along with 10,000 new homes in the land-mark Meridian Water regeneration project which will take shape over a period of 25 years. This is in addition to our work with housing associations and developers to build many more homes.

The Leader of Enfield Council, Cllr Nesil Caliskan, said: “Our underlying belief is that everyone has a right to live in well-connected, safe neighbourhoods where no-one will be left behind. However, to deliver the number of genuinely affordable homes needed, we will require significant subsidy.

“The Government needs to step in to help us build and supply homes on the scale required. But we are not going to sit back and wait. As well as lobbying government, we are seeking your views to inform a strategy that will provide the groundwork for affordable, health promoting, accessible, and environmentally sustainable homes that are digitally connected across Enfield, for all of Enfield.”

As well as creating new homes, the Council will be looking to reduce and prevent homelessness by working with communities, housing providers, the private sector and other partners. This will involve delivering services in the community, helping residents to plan for their housing needs and raising standards in the private rented sector.

The Cabinet Member for Social Housing, Cllr Gina Needs, added: “I am proud to be launching this consultation just as we have hit the 100th anniversary of the Housing Act, which paved the way for social housing as we know it. As well as looking at ways of building new homes, we want to improve the condition and use of existing housing and will be working with tenants, landlords and owner occupiers so Enfield has high-quality, secure and affordable housing of quality and variety. In addition, it is vital we give people facing homelessness a route out of it with access to safe and appropriate housing and the tools to find a permanent place to live. No-one should live in fear of not having a roof over their heads.”

As well as residents, stakeholders and community groups will also be encouraged to participate.

*The Council’s definition of affordable housing uses the principle that people on median incomes and below should not have to spend more than 33% of their household income on housing rent or purchase costs.

Header image shows town houses in the Electric Quarter.

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