Hundreds of homes are to be built on a Tube station car park after Transport Secretary Louise Haigh lifted a ban on the development imposed by the previous Tory government.
Transport for London had secured planning permission from Enfield council for the 351-home scheme beside Cockfosters station but had its plan vetoed in 2022 by the then Transport Secretary, Grant Shapps.
City Hall announced on Tuesday that Ms Haigh had lifted the veto – the Secretary of State’s approval is required because the car park is classed as TfL operational land – and that the development can now proceed.
It could prove a landmark decision in the debate about whether Tube station car parks in outer London should be used for housing or to encourage suburban or out-of-town motorists to “park and ride” rather than driving into central London.
There are currently about 320 spaces beside the Grade II listed station, which sits at the northernmost end of the Piccadilly line.
This will be reduced by the development to 47 spaces – 35 that will be generally available, plus 12 for drivers with “blue badges”. There will also be seven drop-off/pick-up spaces.
The housing will be provided in four tower blocks of up to 14 storeys in height.
Last year Theresa Villiers, then the Tory MP for Chipping Barnet, described the scheme as “massively overbearing” and compared it to East Germany.
She told The Times last year: “If we turn [our suburbs] into East Berlin, with a whole load of tower blocks like the ones proposed for Cockfosters station, I don’t think that would be positive for the environment or for social cohesion.”
Mr Khan said: “After the previous government refused to approve the plans, I’m delighted that the new government has given us the green light to progress exciting plans for new homes at Cockfosters station.
“Building homes right next to public transport connections is a key part of our plans to deliver the high-quality homes Londoners need.
“This important project will deliver new commercial space, increase green space and, most importantly, it will provide the affordable housing that I have pledged to deliver for Londoners.”
The 1.36 hectare development is part of the portfolio of Places for London, TfL’s arms length property firm which aims to start 20,000 new homes by 2031.
The Cockfosters development will provide 40 per cent affordable housing, commercial space, improvements to the public realm, and new operational space for TfL.
The new homes will be a mixture of one, two and three-bedroom properties. They will be marketed as being “car free”, with no parking spaces for residents.
The scheme can proceed as the Government has agreed to allow TfL to grant a 250-year lease for the land.
Ms Haigh, who granted approval on August 15, said: “This Government is committed to getting Britain building and working with local leaders to boost regional growth.
“I’m delighted to finally unblock this important project to kickstart the development of hundreds of much needed new homes in Enfield.”
TfL first requested permission in 2021 to sell the land currently used for car parking by the station.
The designs also improve public access to Trent Park and the London Outer Orbital Path and have been designed to provide around 4,200 sqm [one acre] of open space for the local community, with new trees and greenery replacing much of the car park.
The scheme will begin “in the coming years” as the plans will have to be updated to meet the latest fire safety requirements.
Graeme Craig, chief executive of Places for London, said: “We are delighted that we are now able to make progress with our plans at Cockfosters now that we have the green light to release the land.
“We look forward to working across the capital with the Government and the Mayor as we progress the plans to deliver the homes that London urgently needs.”
