Enfield Council Shifts Meridian Water to Private Developers 

Key Points

• Enfield Council is set to end its role as master developer of the Meridian Water housing scheme in Edmonton, North London.
• An independent report by Savills warns of significantly diminished demand for residential sites in London.
• The scheme, aimed at building 10,000 homes, has only delivered 301 homes despite nearly £500 million in council debt for land purchases and enabling works.
• Challenges include unexpected delays, such as a water main discovery, and rising costs, like an avoidable mistake on a bridge design costing up to £11 million.
• Savills report highlights “nervousness from some residential developers” due to poor public realm around Meridian Water Station and lack of amenities.
• Some first flats for private sale remain unsold more than three years after marketing began; small land parcels also struggle to attract buyers.
• Recommendations include selling larger land parcels to major developers for better long-term placemaking and value creation, avoiding a piecemeal approach.
• Council should balance landowner control in future agreements to protect commercial positions while facilitating partner investment.
• Shift focus to strategic role and external investment, away from master developer duties like land assembly and infrastructure.
• Council has reduced its Meridian Water team from 26 to 16 staff in anticipation of the change.
• Council leader Ergin Erbil emphasises flexibility in a tough market, noting council’s past role in buying land, securing permissions, and funding infrastructure.
• Strategic infrastructure works, led by Taylor Woodrow and funded by a £195 million government grant, include new roads, bridges, cycle lanes, and parks, nearing completion.
• Original reporting by James Cracknell of Enfield Dispatch, with Savills report published January 2026 via Enfield Council’s ModernGov portal.

Edmonton, North London (North London News) – February 7, 2026 – Enfield Council appears poised to abandon its position as master developer for the ambitious Meridian Water housing project, following stark warnings in a new independent review about waning demand for homes in London. The flagship scheme in Edmonton, intended to deliver 10,000 new residences, has faltered amid mounting debts and delays, prompting a strategic pivot towards private sector leadership, as detailed in a Savills report released this week.​

The council has shouldered almost £500 million in debt to acquire land and fund initial works since assembling industrial sites in Edmonton’s south-east corner over the past decade. Yet, only 301 homes stand complete, a fraction of the promised total. As reported by James Cracknell of Enfield Dispatch, the project underwent a “comprehensive review” by real estate experts Savills, whose long-awaited findings underscore developer hesitancy linked to inadequate public spaces near Meridian Water Station and scant local amenities.

Why Has Demand for Meridian Water Sites Plummeted?

Savills’ report explicitly cautions of “nervousness from some residential developers” amid broader market pressures. It points to “significantly diminished” appetite for residential plots across London, exacerbated locally by the “poor public realm” surrounding the station and “very few amenities to draw people in”.

James Cracknell of Enfield Dispatch notes that some of the initial private-sale flats, first marketed over three years ago, remain unsold, while small land parcels the council hoped to divest have similarly failed to entice buyers.​

This sluggish uptake reflects a decade of hurdles, including unexpected delays from discoveries like a water main that dampened hopes for rapid delivery of 10,000 homes, as covered by Enfield Dispatch. Rising costs have compounded the strain, with an “avoidable mistake” in the Meridian Water bridge design projected to cost the council up to £11 million, according to further reporting from the same outlet.

What Challenges Have Hindered Meridian Water’s Progress?

Enfield Council’s dual role as landowner and master developer has proven burdensome, as the Savills analysis outlines. The report, accessible via Enfield Council’s ModernGov portal, critiques the current “piecemeal strategy” for risking a

“fragmented (and potentially competing) approach to delivery, and the dilution of value”.

It advocates bundling land into “much larger areas” to empower major brownfield developers in crafting a “long-term pipeline that creates value and placemaking over time”.​

The council’s heavy involvement – from land assembly and planning policy to infrastructure delivery – is now deemed unsustainable post its substantial investments. Savills urges Enfield to

“consider the level of landowner control it requires in future land agreements to achieve a balance between protecting the council’s commercial positions and facilitating partners to invest and take development risk”.

How Will Enfield Council Shift Its Role at Meridian Water?

The recommended transition marks a clear departure from the master developer model.

“The council will need to continue to have a strategic role in the project but, having invested significant funds to date, facilitating further external investment will be the focus for the coming years,”

states the Savills report. It stresses building “strong strategic relationships” to draw in partners capable of accelerating delivery.

In line with this foresight, Enfield Council has already trimmed its in-house Meridian Water team at the Civic Centre, slashing dedicated staff from 26 to 16. This downsizing signals readiness for private developers to assume greater control over long-term phasing.

Council leader Ergin Erbil commented on the pivot, as quoted by James Cracknell in Enfield Dispatch:

“Meridian Water is about building quality homes and creating jobs local people need. To make this happen in a tough market, we have to stay flexible and respond quickly to changing conditions.”

He defended the council’s interim stewardship:

“That’s why Enfield Council stepped in as master developer when the market stalled. Buying land, securing planning permission, funding infrastructure and kick-starting delivery.”

Erbil highlighted tangible gains:

“We’ve already helped build a new station, the first homes, new parks and roads, and we’re close to completing the strategic infrastructure works, which will help unlock the site’s full potential for future developers. Now is the right moment to bring larger parcels of land to market. This will help us explore attracting private investment and experienced development partners who can speed up the delivery of desperately needed homes.”

Who Is Delivering Meridian Water’s Key Infrastructure?

Taylor Woodrow currently heads the strategic infrastructure phase, encompassing new roads, bridges, cycle lanes, and parks. This £120 million effort draws on a £195 million government grant, positioning it near completion to pave the way for broader development, per Enfield Dispatch coverage.​

James Cracknell reports that these works represent a critical enabler, addressing foundational barriers that have stalled residential progress. The contractor’s appointment underscores the council’s prior commitment to unlocking the site’s potential despite fiscal pressures.

What Does the Savills Report Recommend for Future Land Deals?

Beyond larger parcels, Savills emphasises calibrated control in agreements. The report warns against over-retention of oversight, which could deter risk-taking by partners.

“A more piecemeal strategy runs the risk of a fragmented (and potentially competing) approach to delivery, and the dilution of value,”

it cautions, advocating a model where private entities drive sustained placemaking.

This approach aligns with Erbil’s vision of flexibility, positioning Meridian Water for private-led acceleration in a challenging housing market.

How Has Enfield Council Responded to Past Setbacks?

The council’s interventions – such as land acquisition and infrastructure funding – mitigated earlier market stalls, delivering milestones like the Meridian Water Station and initial homes. However, the £500 million debt burden and meagre 301-home output have necessitated this review, as Savills confirms.

Ergin Erbil’s statement reaffirms these as necessary steps:

“We’ve already helped build a new station, the first homes, new parks and roads,”

framing the master developer phase as a bridge to private involvement.

What Lies Ahead for Meridian Water’s 10,000-Home Ambition?

With infrastructure nearing readiness, the focus shifts to marketing larger sites. Savills’ insights suggest this could revitalise interest, countering low demand through developer-led strategies. Enfield’s reduced team size prepares it for oversight rather than execution.

As James Cracknell of Enfield Dispatch observes, the scheme’s foundational works now position it for unlockage, though success hinges on attracting “experienced development partners” amid London’s softened residential appetite.

This strategic realignment, rooted in the Savills review published January 2026, aims to salvage Enfield’s vision for Edmonton. By ceding direct control, the council seeks to harness private capital for the bulk of the 10,000 homes, jobs, and amenities promised since the project’s inception.