New Avenue Estate is in the process of being redeveloped as part of a joint venture between Enfield Council and developer Countryside Properties, reports Grace Howarth, Local Democracy Reporter

Work is continuing at the New Avenue Estate redevelopment (credit Google)

Enfield Council is looking to purchase 159 new homes on a Southgate regeneration site to boost its social housing stock.

New Avenue Estate in Welham Road has been demolished as part of a joint venture between the council and developer Countryside Properties UK to help regenerate the run-down area.

Planning consent was granted in 2018, with a revised application approved in 2022 increasing the number of new homes planned from 408 to 502.

Set to be delivered in three phases, work is currently underway to complete the second phase. In 2021, the first phase was completed, with a community centre delivered along with 127 homes, of which 71 are affordable rent.

For the second phase, 156 homes are set to be delivered, comprising 99 private homes and 57 affordable rent. This phase is targeted for completion in the coming months.

The third phase is undergoing a redesign due to new fire safety requirements for second staircases in tall buildings but will eventually deliver 219 homes.

The council now says it is negotiating with Countryside on the acquisition of 159 new homes previously earmarked for private sale, with plans to convert them into social-rent homes. This would be funded with a grant from the government’s Affordable Homes Programme (AHP).

If Countryside agrees an offer, a revised planning and development programme will be drawn up. The start date for the third phase is set for March 2026 and the completion date for the whole project is March 2028.

At a housing and regeneration scrutiny panel on Tuesday (4th), Conservative councillor Edward Smith raised concerns with having one type of accommodation on a scheme be a “large majority” as well as a clarification on the strength of the funding.

In response, the council’s director of housing and regeneration, Joanne Drew, said: “Over the last few decades we’ve seen a decline in social rent and a huge increase in the private rented sector and it needs rebalancing.”

Explaining the council’s prioritising of social rent and shared ownership homes, cabinet member for housing Ayten Guzel said: “If we don’t buy and put our tenants in there, a landlord will buy them and put a private tenant in there.

“We can’t have control over the whole scheme, but we do have a mandate to house about 4,000 on the register for housing so this is why we’re here, that is the ultimate priority.”

She added: “I wouldn’t say we see homes and just buy them, that’s not the case, we are looking at what we need, what the housing register needs. Where there’s one- and two-beds there’s a wider strategy to that, so we look at buying those. We’ve got a variety of needs in the borough.”

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