Housing association set to convert new Enfield Town development into 100% social housing

All 78 newly-completed homes at the former Metaswitch site have been purchased by Metropolitan Thames Valley Housing using City Hall cash, reports James Cracknell

New homes constructed on the former Metaswitch site at 100 Church Street

A newly-completed development previously slammed for not including enough affordable homes is now set to be converted into 100% social housing.

In a surprise move, Metropolitan Thames Valley Housing (MTVH) confirmed to the Dispatch this week that it had agreed a deal with private developer HPJ 11 Developments to buy all 78 homes recently completed at 100 Church Street.

The site was previously occupied by now-defunct technology firm Metaswitch, which moved to a new office block in Enfield Town before being taken over by Microsoft.

A plan for the Church Street site’s redevelopment in 2021 was strongly criticised for not coming anywhere close to meeting the council’s 40% affordable housing target. Instead, it proposed affordable units of just 9%, but this was rejected by councillors – before the planning committee was later persuaded to grant approval for a small increase of up to 11.5%.

Now, with the new homes finally completed, MTVH has swooped in using cash from the Greater London Authority (GLA) to purchase the entire development and offer it as social housing.

Chatinder Bal, MTVH’s director of land, planning and partnerships, said: “In line with our commitment to providing much-needed affordable housing in London, we are finalising contracts to acquire the development at 100 Church Street. This planned development will provide 100% social rent properties.”

The move comes in stark contrast to previous difficulties developers in Enfield have faced in recent years finding buyers for their affordable housing allocations.

Less than 18 months ago, Bellway Homes complained that it had been unable to sell the new affordable homes it had built at its Old Royal Chace development in The Ridgeway, with many housing associations said to be struggling financially at the time.

However, since then, the Labour government has provided extra funding through its Social and Affordable Homes Programme 2026-2036, with additional money for the GLA being passed on to housing associations such as MTVH.

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