The borough only managed to hit three quarters of its three-year housing target despite seeing an improvement in 2022/23, reports Grace Howarth, Local Democracy Reporter

Housebuilding in South Street, Ponders End

Enfield Council is facing mounting pressure from the government to make up a shortfall on its long-term housing supply target.

The council has only met 75% of its three-year housing target after 894 homes were built in the borough in 2022/23, although this number was an improvement on the 755 homes delivered in 2021/22.

But because the target is still not being met, the council has been tasked with making up the shortfall of its five-year housing supply requirement, or face having to deliver 20% more on top, a measure called a ‘buffer’.

Speaking at a housing scrutiny panel yesterday (Tuesday 12th) Amena Matin, head of regeneration and growth at Enfield Council, said the buffer measure meant “catch up, plus”.

She said the council needed to deliver on its five-year target of 6,230 homes, scheduled between 2022/23 and 2026/27, at a yearly rate of 1,226 homes per year.

Amena explained this meant around 3,000 more homes were required over the next three years, otherwise they’d have to deliver another 20% more.

Asked how the council planned to meet targets to avoid this, Amena said: “It’s catch up, it’s more action planning, ‘the presumption in favour of development’ is the worst penalty, we haven’t seen any local authorities fall into a worse category.”

The presumption in favour of sustainable development which the council has been placed under in recent years means the planning authority must give more weight to plans for new homes, making it easier for developers to have applications approved.

Discussion of the council’s various ongoing housing projects ensued. Conservative councillor Edward Smith asked whether the long-term aim to build 3,500 affordable homes, as part of a Greater London Authority (GLA) programme, was feasible given the council’s deadlines and financial pressure.

Joanne Drew, strategic director of housing and regeneration, said: “We remain committed to the 3,500 GLA programme, but it may be that we have to deliver it over a longer period of time then our original estimations.”

In terms of finances, Joanne said they would approach the cabinet with proposals for rent increases come next year, but these would be informed by “government framework” and in relation to “inflationary cost”.

Joanne said the council’s Joyce and Snells estates regeneration programme remained a “top priority” and represented a segment of the 3,500 affordable homes negotiated for delivery with the GLA.

She said: “We will be progressing with the first phases of that scheme [Joyce] imminently, [doing] enabling works and design of the first block, putting us on course. We would have been there earlier if the regulations around the secondary staircase had not been changed for the second time.”

The secondary staircase issue refers to a new variation of government fire regulations, creating a delay in the planning process.

Representatives from Metropolitan Thames Valley Housing (MTVH), a housing association which manages around 3,000 homes in the borough, attended the meeting to comment on their partnership and delivery plans with the council.

In relation to the housing association’s capacity to deliver new stock in Enfield, reducing the council’s burden, Chatinder Bal, a residential development director at MTVH, said: “We will continue to develop, perhaps not at the size that we once anticipated, but we still believe we will do the best part of 11,000 homes over the next ten years. There is still that capacity.”

Labour councillor Eylem Yuruk also asked the housing association how it would improve its duty of care to residents having recieved a report from a tenant with a leaking roof who had not heard back from the housing association “for months”.

Chatinder put it down to a communication issue given the number of parties involved. He said: “Quite often these complaints get stuck in our system because its either freehold or lease hold ownership, management companies, and or reliant on third parties, that doesn’t make it acceptable for the resident but it does make it harder to unlock.”

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