A friends group says Enfield Council needs to ensure the works are “fully remediated”, reports Joe Ives, Local Democracy Reporter

The manholes at Arnos Park (left) and (right) persistent flooding (credit Friends of Arnos Park) — The inspection covers at Arnos Park (left) and (right) persistent flooding (credit Friends of Arnos Park)

Enfield Council has been accused of neglect by a local group which claims Arnos Park has been left “waterlogged, unsafe and unusable”.

The criticisms come from the Friends of Arnos Park group of volunteers, which argues the council has taken no action to fix flooding issues that came after Thames Water finished its work in the park last year.

They say “poorly designed and inappropriately located” inspection covers installed as part of the works are still causing “extensive” flooding in the park and rendering parts of it unuseable.

A senior Labour councillor in Enfield has said the council is “working closely with Thames Water to resolve this”.

However, the friends group says it’s the council’s responsibility to protect the park in Arnos Grove and to ensure any works that occur there are “fully remediated”.

“This is not a weather issue – it’s a design and oversight failure,” said former councillor Daniel Anderson, who is co-ordinating a campaign through the Arnos Park Preservation Society and Friends of Arnos Park.

“A public park should not flood in this way,” he added.

Friends of Arnos Park chair Kevin Croft said: “If this had happened in other flagship parks, there would already have been action.

“Arnos Park should not be treated as second-class public space.”

As well as immediate remedial actions to stop the flooding, campaigners are calling for the full disclosure of approvals and risk assessments taken by the council before the works started. They’re also asking for a pause “on further interventions until safety, legality, and long-term viability are properly demonstrated”.

Sabri Ozaydin, the council’s cabinet member for environment and placemaking, said: “I have visited Arnos Park, and I share our resident’s concerns.

“Thames Water recently installed a new, large water main through Arnos Park, which includes several inspection covers, or drain covers, in the grass and play area.

“We are working with our land agents to make sure Thames Water raise and level the ground around these covers so our grass‑cutting machinery can work safely.

“We are also asking them to improve the surface around the covers in the play area. It is important to us that works by utility companies are carried out to a high standard.

“The inspection covers themselves are not causing the waterlogging, but the wider area is currently experiencing flooding. We are working closely with Thames Water to resolve this.”

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