Enfield Town Centre

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Enfield Town is located in the heart of Enfield and is the largest town centre in the borough and is a historic market town, home to a market that was first established in 1303 and is still operational today.

Enfield Town is also home to 7% of the borough’s jobs and 8% of businesses, making it the largest economy of our five priority town centres. Employment is predominantly in the retail and public administration sectors, driven by the large number of high street shops and the Council offices.

Town Centre Vision

A focal point for the borough: the embodiment of the modern-day market town. A place with a strong identity which celebrates the diversity of the borough through commerce, culture and heritage.

Enfield Town will be undergoing an exciting transformation that will see a range of improvements delivered in the coming years.

Enfield Council is focused on working with the community to create a healthy town centre that encourages more people to visit and enjoy their time in Enfield Town. As such, we are bringing forward proposals to deliver new and improved public spaces, alongside better pedestrian, bus and cycling facilities that will mean people can arrive to and get around the town centre by foot, cycle, bus or car.

We have engaged the community since 2019 to hear the views of residents, businesses and other stakeholders to shape the vision for the future of Enfield Town. We have heard from over 3000 people through the Let’s Talk Enfield Town engagement activities and events.

From our early conversations with the community, five Design Principles were established to shape the vision for future of Enfield Town, which is that Enfield Town is:

  • Is safe for all;
  • Has a vibrant economy;
  • Is a great place to be;
  • Offers transport choices; and
  • Celebrates its heritage

In late 2020 we published and consulted on an earlier proposed plan to improve Enfield Town. This included the introduction of a 20-mph speed limit in the Town Centre, improvements for public transport users and introducing a series of facilities to make it safer to walk and cycle to and around the Town Centre. A series of co-design workshops were also convened on four public spaces in Enfield Town including the Library Green and Town Park entrance, Fountain Island, Enfield Town Station Plaza, a proposed new public square at the junction of Little Park Gardens and Church Street (near Nationwide Building Society). Developed proposals for these public realm spaces were then shared in 2021.

The input from the community across engagement activities and events since 2019 has been used to inform the proposed designs for Enfield Town that are available to view here.

Please see below for updates on what's happening in Enfield Town and ways to get involved in shaping the future of Enfield Town.

Stay up to date with the project by clicking 'Subscribe' in the top right of this page. For more information on earlier phases of engagement, including summary reports and the Equalities Impact Assessment and Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) please see the Document Library and FAQs to the right hand side of this page.


Enfield Town is located in the heart of Enfield and is the largest town centre in the borough and is a historic market town, home to a market that was first established in 1303 and is still operational today.

Enfield Town is also home to 7% of the borough’s jobs and 8% of businesses, making it the largest economy of our five priority town centres. Employment is predominantly in the retail and public administration sectors, driven by the large number of high street shops and the Council offices.

Town Centre Vision

A focal point for the borough: the embodiment of the modern-day market town. A place with a strong identity which celebrates the diversity of the borough through commerce, culture and heritage.

Enfield Town will be undergoing an exciting transformation that will see a range of improvements delivered in the coming years.

Enfield Council is focused on working with the community to create a healthy town centre that encourages more people to visit and enjoy their time in Enfield Town. As such, we are bringing forward proposals to deliver new and improved public spaces, alongside better pedestrian, bus and cycling facilities that will mean people can arrive to and get around the town centre by foot, cycle, bus or car.

We have engaged the community since 2019 to hear the views of residents, businesses and other stakeholders to shape the vision for the future of Enfield Town. We have heard from over 3000 people through the Let’s Talk Enfield Town engagement activities and events.

From our early conversations with the community, five Design Principles were established to shape the vision for future of Enfield Town, which is that Enfield Town is:

  • Is safe for all;
  • Has a vibrant economy;
  • Is a great place to be;
  • Offers transport choices; and
  • Celebrates its heritage

In late 2020 we published and consulted on an earlier proposed plan to improve Enfield Town. This included the introduction of a 20-mph speed limit in the Town Centre, improvements for public transport users and introducing a series of facilities to make it safer to walk and cycle to and around the Town Centre. A series of co-design workshops were also convened on four public spaces in Enfield Town including the Library Green and Town Park entrance, Fountain Island, Enfield Town Station Plaza, a proposed new public square at the junction of Little Park Gardens and Church Street (near Nationwide Building Society). Developed proposals for these public realm spaces were then shared in 2021.

The input from the community across engagement activities and events since 2019 has been used to inform the proposed designs for Enfield Town that are available to view here.

Please see below for updates on what's happening in Enfield Town and ways to get involved in shaping the future of Enfield Town.

Stay up to date with the project by clicking 'Subscribe' in the top right of this page. For more information on earlier phases of engagement, including summary reports and the Equalities Impact Assessment and Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) please see the Document Library and FAQs to the right hand side of this page.


  • Webinar date - clarification (Tue, 27 Feb)

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    Please note, the date of the upcoming online webinar for the statutory consultation on Enfield Town Liveable Neighbourhood Project (Phase 1) is Tuesday, 27 February 6 pm, and the webinar can be accessed using the following Microsoft Teams link: https://tinyurl.com/EnfieldTown2024

    A letter with this correction has been sent to the community. We apologise for this inconvenience.

  • Enfield Town Liveable Neighbourhoods – Phase 1 Statutory Consultation Feb 2024

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    Following extensive engagement with residents, businesses, young people, community groups and other stakeholders over the past few years, Enfield Council is pleased to share the proposals for Phase 1 of the Enfield Town Liveable Neighbourhood project, which you can find on the right-hand side of this website in the Document Library. We invite you to view the draft traffic order and make a representation or objection through the statutory consultation process.

    The Enfield Town Liveable Neighbourhoods project proposes improved walking and cycling provisions as well as public transport passenger facilities to reduce car use and promote sustainable transport options. It also has a focus on improving public realm spaces that provide places to stop and rest and promote a bustling and vibrant town centre. This project is part-funded by Transport for London.

    This is an ambitious plan for our Town Centre and the Council. The Council will look to deliver the project in phases as funding becomes available. Below is a summary of the interventions proposed as part of Phase 1:

    • Closure of the eastern end of Little Park Gardens at its junction with Church Street to create a new public square
    • Changes to how traffic will operate on Little Park Gardens to facilitate the road closure
    • Changes to how traffic operates at the Church Street / Cecil Road / Little Park Gardens junction (straight ahead from Cecil Road will now be permitted for general traffic)
    • New signalised crossing at the junction of Church Street / Sarnesfield Road
    • Relocation of the crossing point on Cecil Road and upgrading it to being a signalised toucan crossing
    • Implementation of diagonal path linking the two new crossing points on Church Street / Sarnesfield Road junction and on Cecil Road
    • Changes to waiting and loading along Sarnesfield Road
    • Changes to waiting and loading on Church Street between Sarnesfield Road and Little Park Gardens
    • Introduction of a motorcycle parking on Burleigh Way
    • Changes to waiting and loading within the Phase 1 project area

    More information, including plans of the proposed changes and the draft Traffic Order can be found on the right-hand side of this page under 'Documents - Traffic Order'. The map of proposed changes as part of Phase 1 of the Enfield Town project can be found on this page and can also be viewed at the in-person events detailed below.


    Have your say

    We invite residents and anyone interested to provide an objection or representation to the draft traffic order through the statutory consultation. The statutory consultation is open until midnight on Sunday 3 March 2024. Any objection or representation must be made in writing, quoting the reference TG52/1544 and must state the grounds on which it is made. Objections or representations can be made in any of the following ways:



    Join us!

    We invite you to speak with the project team and view the detailed plans for Phase of the project at the following events:

    Event

    Date and time

    Location

    Drop-in session to speak with the project team

    10am – 1pm on Saturday 10 February 2024

    Library Green

    Drop-in session to speak with the project team

    11am – 2pm on Tuesday 20 February 2024

    Palace Gardens Shopping Centre, near Office Shoes

    Online webinar

    6pm on Tuesday 27 February 2024

    Microsoft Teams via the link: https://tinyurl.com/EnfieldTown2024

    Exhibition of proposals

    On display until Sunday 3 March 2024

    Enfield Town Library


    Following the statutory consultation, a formal report will be produced that summarises the feedback received. Enfield Council will provide a response and use the comments received to make a decision on whether or not to implement the project. The report will be publicly available and will be uploaded to this project page

  • The stories and inspiration behind A Stroll Through Enfield Town Mural

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    A Stroll Through Enfield Town is a mural commissioned by Journeys & Places, as part of the Curate Enfield public art programme and is supported by Arts Council England. Created by artist Anna Nicolò, the mural is inspired by Enfield’s heritage and celebrates the borough’s origins as a market town.

    In the foreground, are bold and brightly coloured silhouettes of people carrying shopping bags filled with goods from the stalls in Enfield's Market Place. These include a piece of Kente cloth from the market’s accessory stall, and a falling pocket watch which covers the head of the watch stall-holder, as he shakes the Queen’s hand during her visit to the market in 2003, to celebrate 700 years of trading in Market Place.

    In the background, are landmarks, curious stories and memories shared by local residents, which create a playful landscape of Enfield Town. These include the iconic Market House, Barclays Bank – site of the world’s first cash machine, and the much-loved Enfield Town Library. Also included are some buildings that are sadly no longer standing today, but still have strong cultural relevance. These include Clarke’s Academy, once the cultural heart of Enfield and attended by the poet John Keats; and the ancient Manor that was once the home of Robert Uvedale – a local cleric teacher and horticulturist. Also featured in the mural is the ‘Cedar of Lebanon’ tree which was planted by Uvedale and located where Pearson’s department store is today. Uvedale’s work is also referenced in the sweet pea flower held by a little girl - a character inspired by an Iranian refugee who participated in a creative workshop to generate ideas for the mural’s design.


    Notable local residents are also represented, including Charles Lamb, essayist, poet and resident of Gentlemen’s Row. After reportedly witnessing a desolate donkey struggling to find nourishing grass, Lamb opened the gate between his lodgings and the Chase to allow the donkey to feast on the lush garden lawn. Barney the legendary cat, well known by anyone walking along River View, also makes an appearance.



    Among the many stories and memories, there are also some curious and darker tales too, such as the flying chair, a nod to the infamous Enfield Poltergeist; and the fallen teeth scattered in Market Place, where during the late 18th century, the public extraction of teeth would attract large crowds.

    Local residents Aisha Bocas, John Cole and Shan-Jay Daley were recruited as ‘Public Art Champions’ and supported by artist and curator Mark Beattie to develop the concept for this artwork and select the site and the artist – Anna Nicolò.


    The artist worked closely with local residents and communities on the mural’s design and creation. Students from Enfield County School for Girls and young people participating in reparation projects assisted with the painting of the mural, which was launched in December 2023.

    We would like to give special thanks to Sue Grayson-Ford and The Enfield Society for their invaluable contribution to this project.


    Curate Enfield is a borough-wide grassroots public art programme, which supports local residents to take the lead in conceptualizing and curating public art projects for their town centres. In addition to A Stroll Through Enfield Town, there are new artworks in Palmers Green, and more in development for Angel Edmonton, Southgate and Edmonton Green. Please check the linked text above for updates on these projects.

  • New Mural launched in Enfield Town!

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    A new mural commissioned by the council through their Curate Enfield grassroots public art programme, was launched in Palace Gardens Shopping Centre on Saturday 2 December.

    Curate Enfield is a borough wide programme supported by Arts Council England, which will create 5 new public artworks for the borough - one for each of our town centres:




    • Enfield Town
    • Palmers Green
    • Angel Edmonton
    • Southgate
    • Edmonton Green


    Young people and community leaders from across the borough have been recruited as public art champions to curate these commissions. The champions have selected the sites they would like to see transformed and enriched by public art; consulted their local communities for ideas and feedback and worked with local artist-mentors to devise and develop artist briefs for their respective town centres.

    In Enfield Town, public art champions John, Aisha and Shan were mentored by artist Mark Beattie from Hive Curates, and created a brief to commission a large-scale public artwork to reanimate and enliven the alleyway between Deichmann Shoes and Marks & Spencer in Palace Gardens Shopping Centre. Following an open call out, the public art champions selected North London based artist Anna Nicolo to deliver this commission.

    Over the past few months, Anna invited residents, business owners and communities to contribute creative ideas for a vibrant and ambitious mural. The mural celebrates the rich heritage, landmarks, stories and myths of Enfield Town, and captures what makes it so special to the people living and working here.

    The mural was painted with the help of pupils from Enfield County School and a group of young people participating reparation projects through Enfield's Youth Justice system.



  • Call out for proposals for the Arts Trail

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    As part of the exciting Liveable Neighbourhood Project for Enfield Town (ETLN), Enfield Council are commissioning artworks for an arts trail. The arts trail will be inspired by the town centre’s literary and industrial heritage and reflect its connection to water and nature. Calls for proposals for two art and design artworks, as part of a wider development of Little Park Gardens in Enfield Town, are launched today. More opportunities will be announced in the coming months.

    For further information about these opportunities and how to apply, please see links to the following downloads below, which can be also found on the right hand side of the project page under Arts Trail: Call out for Proposals:

    • Commission A: Interpretative Design for Drainage Channel/Cover:
    • Commission B: Artwork / Designs for Stepping Posts:

    The deadline for these opportunities is midnight 6 October 2023.

    We are looking forward to hearing from you.

  • Project update April 2023

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    Enfield Council has heard from the community about their ideas and feedback on the plans for the Enfield Town project over four phases. The four phases of community engagement have demonstrated the desire to improve the town centre for everyone who lives, works, and visits the area. Thank you to everyone who took part and shared their thoughts with us during the fourth phase of engagement delivered from July to October 2022 prior to us commencing detailed design work. A report summarising the results of the Phase 4 engagement has been published and can be found here.

    Enfield Council has now received funding from TfL for the forthcoming year, which will enable the project to progress through the detailed design stage.

    Statutory consultation is also planned to take place later this year on some elements of the project, and subject to the outcome of the consultation, selected parts of the wider scheme are hoped to be implemented next. The scope of the works will be guided by the funding available for implementation.

    We will write to the community with more details on the statutory consultation and planned works closer to the time.

  • Enfield Council recognised for engagement on the Enfield Town project

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    Enfield Council were awarded the ‘Community Engagement Award’ for the Enfield Town project as part of the Granicus 2022 Digital Public Sector Awards on 15 November 2022. This award is for an organisation’s creative application of digital solutions to inform and engage communities in order to achieve better outcomes.

    Since 2019 the Council has delivered an extensive community engagement programme to hear from residents, businesses, students, community groups and other stakeholders about what they want for the future of Enfield Town. This has included opportunities to engage with the Council in-person and online, particularly during 2020 and 2021 whilst working in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. The judging panel awarded Enfield Council the Community Engagement Award for the Enfield Town project for our use of digital tools including surveys, the mapping tool and information shared through the Enfield Town project page on the Let’s Talk Enfield website, along with webinars and online co-design workshops. Through using these digital tools, we have heard from thousands of people who are passionate about Enfield Town. Their ideas and feedback have informed the proposed plan for the Town Centre which can be viewed here.

    We are pleased to have been recognised for our work to engage the Enfield community in this project so far and look forward to continuing to engage more people as this project progresses.

  • 10 Oct 2022: Phase 4 engagement now closed

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    Thank you to those who got involved in the recent community engagement period for the Enfield Town project. We spoke with many local residents at the pop up events held in the Town Centre, met with local community groups and heard from many others through the survey. This phase of engagement has now ended and we are analysing the responses received through the survey. The summary report is planned to be published in November 2022 and will inform final design before it progresses in to the next phase (detailed design)

  • Engagement extended until 9th October 2022

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    Following the death of Her Majesty The Queen, Enfield Council cancelled two events that were scheduled to take place for the Enfield Town project, namely:

    • Pop-up at the Market Square scheduled for Friday 9th September 2022; and
    • Drop-in session at the Library Green scheduled for 10th September 2022

    We have rescheduled these events and extended the opportunity to take part in this project. We would like to invite you to speak to the project team about the proposals for Enfield Town at one of the following rescheduled events:

    • Pop-up at the Market Square on Friday 7 October 2022 from 1pm – 4pm
    • Drop-in session at the Library Green to discuss the proposed sensory garden on Saturday 8 October 2022 from 10am – 1pm

    The opportunity to take the survey and view the exhibition of proposals for Enfield Town at Enfield Town Library will now end on Sunday 9 October 2022.

    Tell us what you think by taking the survey

    We encourage you to view the plans at the library or online at https://letstalk.enfield.gov.uk/EnfieldTown, and let us know what you think about how they respond to the Design Principles that were established following earlier conversations with the community (see link above for more information).

    The survey also offers an opportunity to provide suggestions for the proposed sensory garden in the Library Green, and suggest a name for the new public space located at the junction of Church Street and Little Park Gardens (near Nationwide Building Society). Those who suggest a name for the new public space will go into the draw to win £300 to spend in Enfield! Take the survey at https://letstalk.enfield.gov.uk/EnfieldTown.

  • Project update 27 July 2022

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    Following extensive engagement with residents, businesses, young people, community groups and other stakeholders over the past few years, Enfield Council are now pleased to share the proposals for the Enfield Town project.

    Enfield Town has a rich heritage and history and is an important town centre in our borough. The project has a focus on improving public realm spaces that provide places to stop and rest, and promotes a bustling and vibrant Town Centre. The project also proposes improved walking and cycling provision as well as public transport passenger facilities to reduce car use and promote sustainable transport options.

    The proposed plan (here) and additional information can be viewed on the right hand side, in the Documents section on the right hand side of the project page.

    This is an ambitious plan for our Town Centre and the Council have already secured more than £5m to enable change to happen. To deliver the completed project, including changes to pedestrian crossings and other transport elements, the project will need additional investment from Transport for London (TfL). More certainty on funding from TfL is expected in Autumn 2022. Once this is known the Council can look to make decisions on the overall scope of the project. This would involve a formal approval process which would include a statutory consultation likely to occur in 2023. The consultation will include a final opportunity where anyone can object or make representations to the proposed traffic orders associated with the project.

    We would like to thank everyone who has been involved in the engagement process so far, and we welcome further community and stakeholder involvement in this project. We invite you to take part in a survey to gather your comments on the following:

    • How does the proposed plan for Enfield Town respond to the Design Principles?
    • What would you like to see as part of the sensory garden proposed in the Library Green?
    • What are your suggestions for the name of the proposed new public square at the junction of Church Street and Little Park Gardens (near Nationwide Building Society)?

    By suggesting a name for the proposed new public space (via the survey), you could win £300 to spend locally in Enfield. The winning name will be selected by the Cabinet Member for Public Spaces, Culture and Local Economy.

    You can take the survey by 25th September 2022 via the project page at https://letstalk.enfield.gov.uk/EnfieldTown, by going to the Surveys & Forms tab of the project page. You can also visit Enfield Town library for a paper copy or request a paper copy by contacting as by email healthystreets@enfield.gov.uk, phone 020 8132 1789, or writing to us at ATTN Healthy Streets, Enfield Council, Silver St, Enfield, EN1 3XA..

    Come and speak with us

    There are a series of pop-up stalls being held across the Town Centre as well as an online webinar. Please come along to speak with the project team, hear more about the project or share your design ideas for the Library Green sensory garden at the following:

    • Pop-up stall at Fountain Island on Sunday 31 July 2022 from 12pm – 6pm
    • Online webinar on Tuesday 2 August 2022 from 6 – 7.30pm to be held on Microsoft Teams via the link: https://tinyurl.com/EnfieldTownwebinar
    • Sensory garden drop-in at the Library Green on Tuesday 9 August 2022 from 10am – 1pm
    • Pop-up stall at the Market Square on Friday 9 September 2022 from 1pm – 4pm
    • Sensory garden drop-in at the Library Green on Saturday 10 September 2022 from 10am – 1pm

    There is also a permanent exhibition in the Enfield Town Library which can be viewed in person during the library opening hours until the engagement period ends on 25th September 2022.

    Thank you for your involvement so far and we welcome your input as we continue this project for Enfield Town.

Page last updated: 06 Mar 2024, 05:02 PM