Southgate Town Centre

Following walkabouts and engagement sessions which took place in Southgate Town Centre in 2022, the Pocket Park near the Bus Station was identified as a priority site for public realm improvements in Southgate.

In the last few months, Jan Kattein Architects have been working on a concept design for the meanwhile improvement of this area based on the feedback they received from the public, focusing on enhancing the green space and the seating areas while creating a space where families and kids can gather and spend time together. By 'meanwhile' improvement we are referring to a project which will be on site for a few years to test new potential uses of the space and to inform a more radical transformation of the area in the future.

The design for this space celebrates the history of Southgate as the southern gate to the Enfield Chase between the 12^th and the 19^th centuries. It also links to the major landscape recovery scheme the Council is currently delivering in Enfield Chase with the aim of restoring rivers, wetland and create publicly accessible woodland.

Natural oak felled trees with carved seating and sculptural qualities will encourage visitors to explore and meander through the site along an interactive ‘trail’ that teaches them about the history of Enfield Chase. It will celebrate the significance of Enfield Chase to the history of Southgate Town Centre, while enhancing existing seating areas and green space.

Jan Kattein Architects presented the design during the 90^th Anniversary Celebration of Southgate Station in March 2023, receiving positive feedback from the local community and Transport for London.

The project will be delivered in the first half of 2024.

The Place Shaping Team in Journeys and Places has been working in collaboration with Jan Kattein Architects to develop a proposal for public realm meanwhile improvements in Ashfield Parade, to introduce greenery and public seating.

This design proposal follows an engagement process with Ashfield Parade businesses which begun in December 2022. During the engagement sessions, business owners shared their ambition for Ashfield Parade to become greener, more attractive and safer particularly for families and women.

The design proposal introduces greenery and public seating to improve the quality of public realm along a key route into the town centre to welcome more diverse customers on Ashfield Parade and to test the potential for reducing traffic congestion on a small scale.

The project will be delivered in March 2024 via an 18 month long Experimental Traffic Order, with an initial 6 month statutory consultation for local people to provide their feedback.

The delivery of these interventions is an opportunity to continue the conversation with the local community, to develop forms of stewardships of the public realm and to inform wider future plans for Southgate Town Centre.

The next meeting to present a detailed proposal to residents and businesses will take place in October 2023.

Enfield Council has installed a parklet seating area on the footway on Chase Side, as part of a wider effort to encourage sustainable transport and protect the environment. Enfield Council’s Healthy Streets team and Town Centre Development team created the parklet outside 56/58 Chase Side in Southgate which will serve businesses by creating space for people to rest and relax while shopping or dining in the local area.

The parklet provides a public space that encourages social interaction and promotes walking and cycling. They aim to revive retail areas by engaging the local community and supporting the local economy.

The timing of the installation coincides with the post-COVID-19 re-opening of town centres in the borough; and compliments the support the Council has provided to local businesses during the pandemic. The Council’s objective is to support local businesses, increase footfall, promote sustainability and enhance the five priority town centres in the borough by introducing more green, welcoming spaces.

The parklet is just one of many initiatives to be launched in the area. The Southgate Task Force has been established with the support of local volunteers, and will focus on making the town centre cleaner, safer and greener. Dionne John from The Southgate Task Force said: “The new parklet increases the green space in Southgate and is a great place for the community to connect with each other.”

Information from other trials suggest that the delivery of a parklet boosts trade to local businesses such as coffee shops, cafes and restaurants by 30%, by attracting people to the area by creating a seating and social setting.

Parklets are becoming popular around London and the world as they provide a space for people to stop and rest while visiting an area, somewhere to have lunch or meet a neighbour, combined with plants or trees for shade and to make the space more inviting to spend time.

Click here for further information and to make suggestions for future locations for parklets in the borough.

Two of five new pedestrian crossings designed by local Enfield artists have been revealed as the finale of the Enjoy Enfield Summer of Arts programme. Enfield Council commissioned the artists to create colourful, playful designs to appear in Angel Edmonton, Edmonton Green, Enfield Town, Palmers Green and Southgate, as part of the celebration of the arts and culture in the borough and also as a long-term initiative to see how art can transform public spaces.

The first crossing to be revealed was in Enfield Town, designed by Hasan Bölücek, a member of the British Alevi community who is a visual artist, illustrator and art teacher. The second crossing was designed by Dan Maier, a resident of Enfield who has worked in venues such as Harvey Nichols and the National Theatre and who also launched the much-loved Art Trail event in Southgate and Palmers Green.

Commenting on her Southgate pedestrian crossing, Ms Maier said: "Southgate has a huge amount going for it but the high street needs help more than ever…I wanted to create something bright and cheerful, introducing the essence of nature and its vibrant colours into our urban landscape. The colour scheme references the rainbows that have been so prevalent during lockdown, symbolising peace and hope for the future. I've abstracted elements from the natural world to create a striking artwork which I hope will bring some joy, spark imagination and once again put Southgate on the map."

Learn more about the artists here.