Enfield Council's Cabinet has approved plans for the Enfield Chase Landscape Recovery Scheme (ECLRS) to move forward, following a decision to dispose of and partially surrender land essential for the project's delivery. The scheme, which has secured £38 million in funding from the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA), aims to enhance climate resilience, restore biodiversity, and implement natural flood management across the landscape.

Map showing land parcels related to the Enfield Chase Landscape Recovery Scheme.
Map of land parcels for the ECLRS

The approval, granted at a Cabinet meeting on Wednesday, September 9, 2026, allows for the sale of approximately 54.77 hectares of agricultural land situated south of The Ridgeway and north of Hadley Road. The remaining land will be surrendered back to the Council.

This land reconfiguration is a crucial step for the ECLRS, a significant environmental programme designed to deliver substantial public benefits. The project is expected to create a more resilient landscape, improve water quality, and enhance biodiversity. Specifically, the ECLRS aims to restore 1,500 hectares of farmland into publicly accessible nature spaces. It also involves the re-naturalisation of watercourses and floodplains, creating wetland, woodland, grassland, and floodplain mosaic habitats, and establishing a strategic biodiversity network. The scheme is also intended to deliver net gain in biodiversity and carbon sequestration, contributing to the A Greener Enfield section of the Council Plan 2026-30.

Artist's impressions of the 'Unlocking Broomfield for the Community' project, showcasing heritage preservation and public space.
Artist's impressions of the 'Unlocking Broomfield for the Community' project

The natural flood management aspect of the scheme will be implemented by re-naturalising watercourses and floodplains. This will include creating space for meandering channels, flood storage areas, wetlands, riparian woodland, and attenuation features.

Authority has been delegated to the Executive Director of Housing and Regeneration to finalise terms and enter into necessary agreements for the sale and surrender of the land. The specific terms and conditions of these agreements are detailed in the Part 2 Confidential Appendix of the report on the Enfield Chase Landscape Recovery Scheme proposed disposal and part surrender.

See 'A Greener Enfield' section of the Council Plan 2026-30 and the report on the Enfield Chase Landscape Recovery Scheme proposed disposal and part surrender.