Joined-up housing and infrastructure in Enfield

Connected Living London's development by Cockfosters London Underground station in Enfield (Transport for London / Grainger PLC)

Future Cities Forum is discussing TfL's housing development at Cockfosters Tube station at our Infrastructure and Transport event this month. Our discussions in the forum have often focused on the vital area of joined up housing and infrastructure as some developments in the past have left residents isolated from well connected transport.

Proposals by Connected Living London - the long term partnership between Grainger plc and Transport for London - to deliver 351 new homes for rent with 40 per cent affordable housing have been given the green light by Enfield Council's Planning Committee. The development is being built next to Cockfosters London Underground station - subject to conditions.

The 1.36 hectare development will deliver not only homes but commercial space, improvements to public realm and new operational space for TfL. The new homes will be delivered across four buildings and will be a mixture of one, two and three-bedroom properties, providing options for all types of households. The affordable homes will be provided at a discount to open market rates for rent and all residents will benefit equally from a range of on-site amenities, such as a residents' lounge, gym and a dedicated onsite Residents Services team.

Sustainability is a core focus throughout the plans and the development intends to optimise building performance with respect to energy, carbon, water and waste. It will also include solar panels, wildlife-friendly landscaping, and will lead to more than 70 additional trees being planted across the development. The designs also enhance public access to Trent Park and the London Outer Orbital Path and have been designed to provide around 4,200 sqm of publicly accessible open space for both the local community and residents, with the new trees and greenery replacing much of the current hard surface.

The development encourages sustainable travel through excellent public transport connections, such as the Piccadilly line and the multiple bus routes that serve the Grade II listed Cockfosters Tube station which became the 80th London Underground station to become step-free in October 2020. A new cycle hub with 60 spaces for the local community, as well as improvements to the existing cycle access and pavements, will also encourage walking and cycling. The scheme has also been designed to deliver a new dedicated pick-up/drop-off area, comprised of seven short stay parking spaces, and to re-provide 47 publicly accessible car parking spaces including 12 blue badge parking spaces to support the local area.

While some of the publicly accessible car parking is being re-provided, the new homes themselves have been designed to be effectively car-free, with the exception of blue badge parking for residents and a car club space. This will help monitor air quality in London in live with the Mayor's Transport Strategy.

Ben Tate, Head of Property Development at TfL, states:

'We're really pleased to have been given the go-ahead for our proposed development by Cockfosters Tube station, building on the success of our CLL schemes in Southhall, Nine Elms and north Lambeth.

'This scheme has been designed to provide not only the new affordable homes that are urgently needed in the borough and across London, but also to create new areas of open space and play space that can be enjoyed by the local community and residents alike and re-provide car parking facilities to support the local area. It will contribute around £4.5 million to help improve local infrastructure and services.'