Planning committee backs 19-storey scheme near North Circular in New Southgate, reports Simon Allin, Local Democracy Reporter

The vision for the new tower block in New Southgate (credit pH+) — *How the proposed tower blocks in New Southgate could look when built (credit pH+)*

A plan to build two tower blocks on the site of a former gasholder has been approved by councillors.

City and Suburban Homes won permission to build blocks up to 14 and 19 storeys high at the site in Station Road, New Southgate. The scheme will provide 182 homes – 30% of which will be classed as ‘affordable’ – and 371 square metres of commercial floorspace.

The site, which is currently vacant, lies at the junction of the busy A406 North Circular Road and Station Road. It previously contained the last remaining gasholder that once formed part of New Southgate Gas Works.

The plans for the site were unanimously approved by members of Enfield Council’s planning committee at a meeting on Tuesday. According to the report presented to the planning committee, the council received 23 objections to the towers and one letter in support.

The height of the scheme, its potential to add to “overdevelopment” in the area, and increased air pollution were among the concerns raised by opponents. Neighbours also warned over a loss of privacy and noise disturbance.

But planning officers recommended the scheme for approval, saying the council needed to “optimise development on brownfield sites” and claiming the proposals were in line with local, regional and national policies.

The council’s failure to meet government housing targets, meaning councillors now have to give more weight to applications that are in line with planning policies, was also cited in the report.

Officers claimed the blocks would be “set away from existing housing so far as possible” to minimise overlooking and overshadowing.

Six blue badge car parking bays were included in the plans, and this could be increased to 18 spaces. The report states that 334 cycle spaces will be provided for residents, and the site was deemed to be “well connected in terms of public transport”.

Almost a quarter (23%) of the homes will have three bedrooms, 38% will have two bedrooms and the rest will be one-bedroom units, according to the report. Some 70% of the affordable homes will be for social rent and 30% for intermediate rent.

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