Work to convert The Station Tavern into residential accommodation appears to be taking place without planning permission, reports James Cracknell

Enfield Council is investigating a Brimsdown pub where work to convert it into housing appears to have taken place without planning permission.

The Station Tavern in Green Street, next to Brimsdown Station, has been closed to the public for eight years, with plans to knock it down and build an “unsafe” tower block in its place finally rejected at the fourth time of asking last year.

This summer, fresh plans were submitted to convert the derelict pub into a house of multiple occupation (HMO), but this plan was also rejected by the council – this time, much more swiftly – over the “absence of an adequate flood risk assessment”.

The site is very close to Brimsdown Ditch, a watercourse which flows alongside the railway line.

However, since the rejection of the HMO was confirmed on Wednesday, 30^th July, the Dispatch has witnessed work commencing to install a new roof, double-glazed windows and fire exits, all suggesting the building is being converted into residential accommodation.

At the current time, it does not appear that the building is being lived in.

Asked about The Station Tavern and whether an illegal HMO might be being created there, an Enfield Council spokesperson said: “Our teams are investigating this property, and we will determine the appropriate next steps.

“Planning permission related to this property was refused in July as the applicant failed to address flood risk requirements.

“We are unable to provide any further information as this property relates to a live investigation.”

The applicant is named on the council’s planning portal as ‘Mr Tepe’. This is the same surname as the man behind the proposed unsafe tower block that was dubbed ‘Tepe Tower’.

Tepe Tower was finally rejected by councillors in November 2024 after previous planning committee chair Sinan Boztas – an enthusiastic advocate of a proposed tower which council planning officers described as “dangerous” – was removed from his role and asked instead to sit on the board of North London Waste Authority.

Neither Mr Tepe nor planning agent Ivan Chonkov could be reached for comment.

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