Agenda for Environment Forum on Thursday, 2nd March, 2023, 7.00 pm

Agenda and minutes

Venue: Conference Room, Civic Centre, Silver Street, Enfield, EN1 3XA. View directions

Contact: Email: Democracy@enfield.gov.uk 

Items
No. Item

1.

Welcome and Apologies

Minutes:

The chair welcomed everyone to the meeting and introduced the agenda.

 

Apologies for absence were received from Neil Paddon-Smith (Meadway Conservation Area Study Group). Juliet Barnett and Carol Davidson Cragoe were substituted by Carol Fisk (Trent Park Conservation Committee) and Mustafa Ibrahim (Enfield Town Conservation Area Study Group) respectively.

 

2.

Declarations of Interest Declaration of Interests

Members of the Forum are invited to identify any disclosable pecuniary, other pecuniary or non-pecuniary interests relevant to items on the agenda.

Minutes:

There were no declarations of interest registered in respect of any items on the agenda.

3.

Agree minutes of meeting held on the 26th January 2023 pdf icon PDF 122 KB

Minutes:

The minutes of the previous meetings held on the 26th of January 2023 were agreed as an accurate account of the meeting. Some additional points were noted:

·         With regards to item 3 of the agenda Dennis Stacey pointed out that no update had been provided despite another telecom mast falling in Southgate. The committee agreed this was something for the planning team to follow up with. ACTION Chris Heather.

 

·         With regards to item 4 of the agenda David Cockle asked why no feedback had been received on the action to speak to TFL, to which Doug Wilkinson provided the update that the council had been in contact with TFL but no feedback had been received.

 

4.

Air Quality pdf icon PDF 29 KB

To receive an update on Air Quality.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

RECEIVED an update on the Air Quality Action Plan in the Borough.

 

NOTED that the plan has 27 actions listed in the new document. The Consultation period has now elapsed and the GLA have approved the final document. The new AQAP is a living document, with the annual implementation to be reported as part of the Air Quality Status report submitted to the GLA, the next one due in the Summer 2023.

 

IN RESPONSE the following comments/questions were received:

 

Q.        Regarding the consultation process, were primary and secondary schools’ part of the engagement process

A.        The Council’s Traffic & Transportation team are working with schools on anti-idling, speaking to parents at primary schools, as this fits in with the Environment curriculum on primary schools. There was no interest from secondary schools regarding anti-idling events at present.  It was encouraging to see young people speaking to drivers, asking them to switch their cars off and explaining the reasoning behind air pollution damaging health.  This was a very powerful message, the outcome of which was used in the consultation results.

 

Q.        Can newly introduced cyclists be directed to specific service providers to build up confidence of cycling on public roads.

A.        Enfield provide a cycle service and there are also new ability cycling classes.  There is one running at present in Bush Hill Park on Monday lunchtimes and outside working hours.  More information can be obtained from Richard Eason.

 

Q.        Good news regarding the Public Transport Network being accessible, although at the east of the borough there are some lovely paths that are not signposted, such as Millmarsh Lane and Mossops Creek.

A.        The Council will look into signage requirements in these areas.

 

 

 

Q.        An update was requested in respect of the key access at Gordon Hill Station, lifts or ramps required

A.        Funding from the TFL is required as part of an ongoing programme running over the last few years to improve station access and the Council are pushing TFL to do so at all Enfield stations.

 

Q.        An update on limiting school runs was requested.

A.        School Streets are continuing to be rolled out but there is a funding issue at present. The Council are supporting schools through the Starts Programme, 10 have been successful in this financial year.  There are currently reviews and revisions of those in place to get them sustainable.  Air quality outside schools has greatly improved.

 

Q.        How widespread was the consultation and how did the Council engagement the public.

A.        Consultation took place on the website and interested groups took part.

 

Q.        Wren Academy were interested in a School Street, can you please engage with them?

A.        Wren Academy are very strict with parents and do not allow them to drive up to the school.  The teachers do not have time to monitor this issue.

 

Q.        The culture in Enfield regarding School Streets and air pollution needs to be changed. Further discussions are needed with the young people, parents, and teachers.

A.        The Council now  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.

5.

Edmonton Centre pdf icon PDF 97 KB

To receive an update on Edmonton Centre.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

RECEIVED an update report on Edmonton Green Shopping Centre.

 

NOTED that planning permission was granted on the 22nd November 2023 for the redevelopment of the Edmonton Green Shopping Centre and adjoining land, which is bounded by Fore Street, The Broadway, Hertford Road, Monmouth Road and Plevna Road. The applicant is Crosstree.  The said report lists developments.

 

Since approval, legal action has been sought by Asda, the outcome of which will be seen after 27 June 2023, which is the formal date for the hearing.

 

In respect of timescales, not all developments will be delivered at once. There is a 12 year forward time and timings in the report have already slipped.

 

The following comments/questions were received:

 

Q.        Please clarify Phase 1 75% savings on CO2.

A.        The savings use the building regulations 2013 as a baseline. Carbon savings in addition to this are in accordance with the London Plan and local plan where developments are required to be constructed to save carbon. The use of insulation, window heat retention and pv panels form the basis of the savings.

 

Q.        Does the carbon footprint calculations quote savings on new buildings during the life of the building or CO2 during construction.

A.        The calculations do not include every element, but the planning application can be provided for interest. Action Chris Heather: estimates of CO2 generated during development to be circulated.

 

Q.        Regarding point 4.2 of the report, 861% increase in habitats and 96% increase in hedgerows, where are these increases coming from?

A.        The percentages are so high as the starting point is relatively low.  There are opportunities throughout the development for areas of landscaping and park areas. There will be planning and local resident consultations to provide sufficient areas of use for all as part of future Reserved Matters applications.

 

Q.        Please update on green roofs, sports pitches and activities.

A.        There is no space for sports pitches but there will be play spaces which cater for various ages.

 

Q.        Is the second staircase now required to make the building more environmentally friendly?

A.        One staircase is sufficient in line with GLA policy for Phase 1 of the development (as this has been granted in full) but the later phases will need to consider two staircases for taller buildings.

 

Q.        In respect of commercial aspects, 12 years is a long programme, how does the Council ensure the programme gets delivered on time?

A.        Phase 1 includes 31% affordable housing.  Later stages include positives too.  The expectation of the developers has been honest and upfront with the Council.

 

 

 

 

6.

Update on Parks Management and Maintenance pdf icon PDF 318 KB

To receive an update on Parks Management and Maintenance.

Minutes:

RECEIVED a progress report on Parks Management and Maintenance.

 

NOTED the details of the update published with the agenda.

 

IN RESPONSE the following comments/questions were received:

 

Q.        How long with the trialled recyclable bins be in force?

A.        This is an ongoing project, being checked monthly, working jointly with the waste team. By mid-summer we will compare data with our neighbouring boroughs, working with Goodparksforlondon.

 

Q.        Are there specific days where the surgeries will take place?

A.        Surgeries take place Thursday afternoons once a month.  There are only 8 being offered at the moment but are due to increase later in the year. Invitations are sent to all the Friends of the Parks Groups.

 

Q.        Does the 4-week work programme – one size fit all, in relation to the vastness of Trent Park?

A.        This is specific to the landscape.  The data for the work programme for Trent Park has been in place and is independent of the others.

 

Q.        Please clarify the specific habitat maintenance?

A.        Proposals are being considered by the Council. There is a specific conservation supervisor and a stand-alone team, holding an “at risk” register.  The Council is audited by Natural England and given a rating of performance. There is an expectation to deliver to that legal agreement directly by our work force over a 4-week period, with a stronger focus on Trent Park.

 

Q.        Is Mossops Creek in the east of the Borough a park, as fencing is an issue?

A.        Yes, it is with works included in the work programme.

 

Q.        How are the solar panel bins going? Are they in parks and green spaces?

A.        These are being trialled at Town Park presently.  They work better in areas of high footprint and would not work in parks such as Trent Park. These should reduce the frequency of waste collections.

 

Q.        Update on Beavers please?

A.        2 new beavers have been introduced before Christmas, Sonny & Cher and they have settled well. A press release will be prepared once they have fully settled into their new habitat. These are two new beavers as one of the previous pair died and they had to remove the remaining one due to aggressive behaviour.  The two new beavers are doing well.

 

Q.        How is the Recycling Park going, how is waste collected and vehicles used etc?

A.        There are presently only 8 recycling bins installed in 4 parks. They are collected by a lorry once a week.  This is working well.

 

Q.        What is the cost analysis of the bins against benefit?

A.        Data has only just been collated in Summer 2022 to be able to provide a true comparison.

 

Q.        Later collections are better as a early morning collections give a bad impression of rubbish being left.

A.        Some bins do not have lids and current later collections work well in line with park closing times, running from now until the end of September.

 

Q.        Please update on the overgrown state of the New River.

A.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

7.

Date of Next Meeting

To agree the date of the next meeting.

Minutes:

NOTED the date of the next meeting as follows:

·         Tuesday the 25th of April 2023

The committee agreed to carry the work programme over so that items due to have been considered on Tuesday the 28th of March 2023 (a meeting which will no longer take place), namely: Green and Blue infrastructure, Rewilding and Heritage (to include TFL heritage sites and historic buildings “at risk” register), will be moved to Tuesday the 25th of April 2023, and the items that were due to be considered then (namely, Carbon Offsetting, Local Plan Update and Round up to date, and Green Belt), will be reconsidered for the work programme in the new municipal year.

 

The chair thanked everyone for their time and brought the meeting to a close.