BetterHomesEnfield

Enfield Council approves 30-storey tower block with single staircase betterhomes-enfield.org/2022/09/29/enf…

Construction of affordable housing in London plummets by 88% Some boroughs saw just one new affordable property begin construction in the space of a year, with Enfield starting three enfielddispatch.co.uk/construction-o…

@EnfieldDispatch Good article. Also, worth noting that "starts" can be as little as digging a hole or demolishing something (including existing social rent homes), actual "completions" will probably be far lower.

Enfield's poor performance is unsurprising, only one of Enfield’s parks holds a Green Flag Award, a stark contrast to other boroughs such as Hillingdon, which boasts 66, and Lewisham, with 23. This is also a significant decline from the 10 Green Flag Awards Enfield held in 2016

Concerns raised as another large office block set to be converted into flats The Grange in Southgate will retain offices on its ground floor but convert five floors above into flats with no affordable housing included enfielddispatch.co.uk/concerns-raise…

@EnfieldDispatch If Cllr Susan Erbil has concerns about these developments then she should instruct officers to enact an Article 4 Direction. Blaming the last government doesn't excuse the council's own failings.

@michaellondonsf The planners stood their ground under huge pressure from several sides. They remained professional and explained very complex planning issues clearly and calmly. Really respected the way they dealt with it.

@BetterEnfield Some brave planners and councillors refusing to be steamrolled by a greedy developer in Enfield?

Plans for a Brimsdown tower block that councillors had been repeatedly urged to throw out for safety, design and financial reasons has finally been refused at the fourth time of asking. enfielddispatch.co.uk/plans-for-unsa…

London Assembly calls for more cash to help replace dangerous cladding National Audit Office warns up to 60% of buildings with dangerous cladding have still not been identified by the government enfielddispatch.co.uk/london-assembl…

The JRF estimates a freeze will leave private renters who get housing benefits £243 per year worse off on average and said renters would feel "let down" by the move. Over 80% of private renters in Enfield receive housing benefits. bbc.co.uk/news/articles/…

Construction set to restart on Arnos Grove Station housing site Planning permission has now been granted for fire safety upgrades to the original scheme enfielddispatch.co.uk/construction-s…

@ricardo10101994 It's a good question. One possibility is that they could be be purchased by one or more large landlords and rented out as temporary accommodation.

@BetterEnfield How will people get a mortgage? I can’t think of any High street lender that would want to lend as they don’t think commercial properties, converted into residential properties, are suitable security.

Plans approved to convert Southgate office block into 90 flats, housing roughly 190 people (18 x studio, 46 x 1-bed, 26 x 2-bed). No affordable housing, amenity space or S106. All single aspect + some without openable windows (plans don’t say how many).

Ponders End mother forced to delay cancer surgery amid housing shortage Landlords tell desperate mum Chantel they can't "take the risk" with her while current housing association cites "limited availability" as she seeks flat without stairs enfielddispatch.co.uk/ponders-end-mo…

Your regular reminder (from today's FT - £). 'Can the private sector deliver Labour’s housebuilding boom?' on.ft.com/48kkIlX via @FT

'... more than 200 local authorities in England have a policy which disqualifies prospective tenants from bidding on social housing if they have rent arrears. Others deprioritise prospective tenants on bidding lists if they have rent arrears.' inews.co.uk/news/housing/h…

Plan for six-storey block of flats proposed in Edmonton – but no affordable homes The proposed site has been vacant for a number of years and is described as “currently unusable” enfielddispatch.co.uk/plan-for-six-s…

@PeteApps @jules_birch Very powerful graph - the result of short termism in politics?

Such an important graph in answering the commonly asked question "how the UK fucked up housing policy so badly" (From the CIH's UK Housing Review, via @jules_birch) insidehousing.co.uk/comment/do-sig…

@EnfieldDispatch The meeting also discussed the delays to the plan caused by the council overlooking/losing thousands of consultation responses.

Enfield's new council leader defends Green Belt housing plan as public inquiry looms An independent planning inspector is due next year to hear the arguments for and against building nearly 10,000 homes on Green Belt land enfielddispatch.co.uk/enfields-new-c…

Today’s @thetimes . We @Shelter our partners & campaigners have argued long and hard for a new generation of social homes - the only answer to the chaos that housing and homelessness are in. We have everything crossed for the budget. Full story here (£): thetimes.com/article/ffa143…