FAQs

Local authorities have a statutory right under the Town and Country Planning Act, as amended, to prepare local development plan for their area. This is a Local Plan. Decisions on planning applications should be taken in accordance with the policies set out within the local development plan, unless material planning considerations indicate otherwise. The NPPF is a material planning consideration.

Having a new Enfield Local Plan will shape the growth needs of the Borough while being flexible enough to respond to future changes.

The borough’s existing Local Plan is out of date. As a result, it does not have as much weight in taking decisions and so policies on topics such as the environment and design cannot be applied as rigorously.

Without a new Local Plan in place, development will happen in a piecemeal way without the necessary infrastructure to support the development.

The NPPF requires councils to up-date their plans every five years.  

The government could decide to intervene and have a Local Plan prepared for the Council, limiting local involvement and decision-making as well as incurring extra expense.

The government has also introduced a number of tests relating to housing delivery and supply. If a new Local Plan is not prepared in a timely manner, existing policies relating to housing will likely not be applicable. This increases the risk of planning consents being granted by appeal and development occurring in more random locations.

The Enfield Local Plan must align and be in 'general conformity' with the London Plan and need to be consistent with National Planning Policy. 

The consultation starts on the 21 June 2021 and will end 11:59 on 13 September 2021.

Spatial issues are the specific economic, environmental and social issues affecting the Borough.

A spatial portrait describes the geographical characteristics of the Borough, setting out where things are located in Enfield. A spatial vision describes how the borough will be like in 2039 if the policies set out in the plan are enacted.

1. You can either download a print a copy from here;

2. Copies will be also be placed in libraries, please check for opening times here; or

• Edmonton Green Library, 36-44 South Mall, Edmonton N9 0TN
• Enfield Town Library, 66 Church Street, Enfield EN2 6AX
• Ordnance Unity Centre Library, 645 Hertford road Enfield, EN3 6ND
• Palmers Green Library, Broomfield Lane, Palmers Green, N13 4EY 

https://new.enfield.gov.uk/services/libraries/contact-information-and-opening-hours/ 

3. Email us at localplan@enfield.gov.uk.

The consultation responses will be used to inform the development of the new draft Enfield Local Plan, which should be compiled over winter 2021/22.