Gas storage in Enfield that was demolished in 2014 poised for new homes

Residential lead redevelopment plans for the former site of the Leeside Road gasometer (gas storage) in Enfield.

The gasometer in Upper Edmonton which was built at some point during the inter-war years, by the early 1990s the area was in industrial decline mainly due to the closure of the area’s gasworks in 1972 and the demolition of several industrial sites such as the Leeside chemical works and it’s railway siding.

This cumulatively resulted in decommissioning commencing in autumn 2014, forming part of the multi-billion 25-year delivery timeline Meridian Water residental lead master plan.

The masterplan would deliver new walking and cycling routes, the aforementioned railway station was opened in June 2019 and is on the safeguarded route of the proposed southwest to northeast railway line Crossrail 2.

The most optimistic projections suggest that the scheme may not open for revenue services until the arrival of the 2040s when you consider the 15-year eventual delivery timeline as seen with the Elizabeth Line.

The reserved matters plans have been produced by architects Patel Taylor on behalf of the client the London Borough of Enfield, and Vistry Partnerships, with the scheme when completed due to owned and operated by Metropolitan Thames Valley Housing.

The site is 0.77 acres with access from Leeside Road to the south, with the site up and until recently used as a car park for those enabling performances at the meanwhile use music venue The Drumsheds which itself is slated for residential lead development.

Occupying a prime position overlooking Pymmes Brook the four new buildings would deliver 274 new homes with 95% of these new flats being dual aspect, all of which surrounds an internal residents exclusive courtyard.

Landscaping proposals suggest that the scheme would contribute albeit in a limited and piecemeal manner, towards opening up the Brook to make it more accessible for walkers, runners, and cyclists.

Of the 274 new homes, 131 of these would be London Affordable Rent, which is up to 80% of local market rents and is deemed to be affordable which means technically it delivers 53% affordable housing by habitable room.

Furthermore, the remaining 143 are to be delivered as intermediate tenure, which is split between 48 for Shared Ownership and 95 for London Living Rent (LLR).

LLR differs from London Affordable Rent, as the former is a housing savings product that offers lower rents it is speculated that residents save for the deposit on a Shared Ownership property with the same housing association with occupants not allowed to purchase the flat that they initially reside in.

The application has an internal determination deadline of the 8th of September, with a decision on whether to give planning consent likely to be given in early 2023.