Enfield Planning Committee approved proposals to provide a new women’s and girls’ football training complex (Sui Generis) and the restoration of the parkland (Class F2), with enhancements and refurbishments of footpaths; the part demolition of the Southern Café to allow for refurbishment works and a new community hub facility, with public realm improvements. 

A historic carriageway will be reinstated for pedestrian use, and there are other improvements to parking facilities, security and the management of the parkland proposed, as well as significant tree planting and enhancement works at the former Whitewebbs Park golf course.

The site is in the Green Belt, an area of Local Open Space and partly within a Site of Importance for Nature Conservation (SINC). The southern part of the site, around the river course, is a Flood Zone 2 and 3.  There are 16 heritage assets (non-designated, designated and a registered scheduled ancient monument) within the application site. 

The applicant presented Very Special Circumstances, required to outweigh the harm caused by the inappropriate development in the Green Belt, which Officers (KEW Planning) robustly assessed as meeting the tests and planning policy.  

The new facility will help facilitate the growth and improvement for women’s football; provide community access to football, with community and education programmes to encourage girls and women into sport, delivering a vast range of health and social benefits. Furthermore, the community benefits resulting from the restoration of the parkland, with new public routes, over 2,000 new trees being planted, a refurbished Southern Clubhouse with café and community room, will benefit the local community and all users of the parkland. 

KEW Planning (Kathryn Williams) supported Enfield planning team, providing dedicated officer support acting as the planning officer.  The team worked diligently to fully assess the proposals over the past 11 months during application stage, and for 12 months prior to that at pre-application. The submission has been independently reviewed and information verified, with amendments to the design where there was the potential to have a negative impact.

Kathryn commented “it has been a journey working with the applicant, to ensure the public, environmental, health and well-being benefits are delivered, and fully comply with planning policy. The proposals will hopefully contribute in attracting young girls and women, spurring them on to become active and maybe become the future England Football Captain!”