Council leader Ergin Erbil says the Labour administration has “listened to feedback from the community” following a backlash this summer

Enfield Council has announced a U-turn on plans to sell a car park in Southbury.

The Labour administration says it has “listened to feedback from the local community” in its decision to retain Glyn Road Car Park, which will now remain open and free of charge for the public.

The car park is popular with people visiting Ponders End High Street or using Southbury Station, as well as being used by teachers at Southbury Primary School and Kids Inc nursery, visitors to a care home, and workers from the nearby Arriva bus station.

The sale of Glyn Road Car Park was originally proposed by the council as part of a long list of asset disposals in March 2024, with those on the list said to be “underperforming” or “not fit for purpose”.

But in response to strong negative feedback during a public consultation this summer, council leader Ergin Erbil said this week: “First of all, we are a listening council, and that means listening to our residents when they give us feedback.

“The feedback we got from the local community was that Glyn Road Car Park was well used and was the only free parking available when visiting the local shops and faith centres.

“The feedback from the local community was that we should be looking to build homes in places like golf courses, car parks on the outskirts of the borough and other ‘grey belt’ land that has been mislabelled as Green Belt.

“We shouldn’t be building homes in already built up areas where there is already issues relating to overcrowding.”

He added: “I want to thank our local residents, schools, nurseries, faith centres and businesses for their feedback. I want to reassure local residents that Enfield Labour will always listen and always stand up for our residents.”

No news is bad news

Independent news outlets like ours – reporting for the community without rich backers – are under threat of closure, turning British towns into news deserts.

The audiences they serve know less, understand less, and can do less.

If our coverage has helped you understand our community a little bit better, please consider supporting us with a monthly, yearly or one-off donation.

Choose the news. Don’t lose the news.

Monthly direct debit

Annual direct debit

£5 per month supporters get a digital copy of each month’s paper before anyone else, £10 per month supporters get a digital copy of each month’s paper before anyone else and a print copy posted to them each month. £50 annual supporters get a digital copy of each month's paper before anyone else.