Enfield Withdraws from New Town Programme, 21K Homes Blocked, Enfield, 2026

Key Points

• Enfield Council’s new Conservative-led administration has formally withdrawn from the government’s New Towns programme
• The withdrawal specifically concerns the Crews Hill and Chase Park scheme, which proposed up to 21,000 new homes on Green Belt land in north-west Enfield
• Council leader Cllr Alessandro Georgiou wrote to Housing Minister Matthew Pennycook at the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) on Thursday 28 May 2026
• Planning experts warn that London Mayor Sadiq Khan must intervene to prevent the development process from being undermined
• The Conservative leadership campaigned on a clear commitment to oppose the new town proposals and protect Enfield’s Green Belt
• Despite withdrawal, the council reaffirmed its commitment to addressing the borough’s housing shortage and supporting economic growth
• The proposal would have built on large swathes of Green Belt land in the north-west Enfield borough
• Backlash has emerged from Sadiq Khan and leading business groups over the council’s decision
• The Telegraph reported this as a “blow to Labour’s housebuilding hopes”
• The decision follows Cllr Georgiou’s election as Leader of Enfield Council under the new Tory administration

Enfield (North London News) June 3, 2026, has become the latest battleground in London’s housing debate after the newly-installed Conservative leadership at Enfield Civic Centre told the government it would be withdrawing from the new towns programme. As reported by the Enfield Dispatch, Council leader Alessandro Georgiou wrote a letter to housing minister Matthew Pennycook at the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) on Thursday 28 May 2026, declaring that the local authority would no longer support plans that could see up to 21,000 new homes built on large swathes of Green Belt land in the north-west of Enfield borough.

In the letter, Cllr Georgiou stated:

“We have been elected on a clear mandate to protect Enfield’s Green Belt, and today we are honouring that commitment by formally withdrawing from the new town process”.

The Council issued a statement explaining:

“The new Conservative leadership campaigned on a clear commitment opposing the new town proposals. While withdrawing from the new town programme, the council has reaffirmed its commitment to addressing the borough’s housing shortage and supporting economic growth”.

Why are planning experts calling on Mayor Khan to intervene immediately?

Planning experts have warned that the whole new town development process may be undermined if London’s mayor doesn’t step in to prevent Enfield’s withdrawal from The Crews Hill and Chase Park scheme. As reported by Property Week, experts caution that Enfield council’s decision to withdraw a local scheme from the government’s new town programme risks “undermining the” entire development process.

The backlash has come from multiple quarters. As reported by the Enfield Dispatch, there has been

“backlash from Sadiq Khan and leading business group”

over the council’s new town withdrawal. Speaking previously at City Hall about the Enfield New Town plans, Mayor Khan had set out “big issues to be addressed before the government taskforce’s recommendation can be put into effect”, noting there was “a long way to go” before the new town could materialise.

What exactly was the Crews Hill and Chase Park scheme?

The controversial proposal centred on the Crews Hill and Chase Park scheme, which would have delivered up to 21,000 new homes across large swathes of Green Belt land in the north-west of Enfield borough.

The Telegraph described it as a “21000-home plan” that Enfield Council has now withdrawn support for “over green space impact”.

The scale of the proposed development made it one of the most significant housing proposals in North London.

The injection of 21,000 new homes would have substantially altered the demographic and physical landscape of north-west Enfield, transforming protected Green Belt land into residential development.

How did the new Conservative leadership come to power in Enfield?

The withdrawal follows the election of Cllr Alessandro Georgiou as Leader of Enfield Council under the new Tory-led administration. As reported on Twitter by Alex King,

“Enfield Council’s new Tory-led administration has told the government that it has ‘formally withdrawn’ from the New Towns programme”.

The Council’s Facebook page confirmed that the withdrawal came “following the election of Cllr Alessandro Georgiou as Leader of” the council.

In the Council’s official statement, Cllr Georgiou added:

“We have been elected on a clear mandate to protect Enfield’s Green Belt, and today we are honouring that commitment by formally withdrawing from the new town process”.

This suggests the new town proposal was a key election issue that helped bring the Conservative leadership to power.

What does the Telegraph say about the impact on Labour’s housebuilding ambitions?

The Telegraph reported the development as a significant political setback. As reported by The Telegraph on 29 May 2026, the withdrawal represents a

“blow to Labour’s housebuilding hopes as council rejects new town scheme”.

The newspaper’s headline emphasised that

“Enfield Council withdraws support for 21000-home plan over green space impact”.

This framing suggests the withdrawal has broader political implications beyond Enfield, potentially affecting the Labour government’s housing delivery targets and its new towns programme across England.

What is the Council’s official position on housing after withdrawal?

Despite withdrawing from the new town programme, Enfield Council has not abandoned housing development entirely. In a statement, Enfield Council said:

“The new Conservative leadership campaigned on a clear commitment opposing the new town proposals. While withdrawing from the new town programme, the council has reaffirmed its commitment to addressing the borough’s housing shortage and supporting economic growth”.

This position attempts to balance the Conservative leadership’s Green Belt protection mandate with the acknowledged need to address housing shortages in the borough.

Background: The Development of Enfield’s New Town Proposal

The Crews Hill and Chase Park scheme emerged as part of the UK government’s renewed focus on new towns to address the housing crisis.

The proposal would have transformed protected Green Belt land in north-west Enfield into a major new residential development capable of houses up to 21,000 new residents.

The scheme gained momentum under the previous council leadership but faced consistent opposition from residents and environmental groups concerned about Green Belt loss.

Mayor Sadiq Khan had previously indicated at City Hall that there was “a long way to go” before the government taskforce’s recommendation could be implemented, highlighting “big issues to be addressed”.

The proposal became a central issue in the recent local elections, with the Conservative leadership campaigning explicitly on opposing the new town plans and protecting Enfield’s Green Belt.

This political positioning proved successful, resulting in Cllr Alessandro Georgiou’s election as Council Leader and the subsequent Tory-led administration.

The withdrawal letter sent to Housing Minister Matthew Pennycook at MHCLG on 28 May 2026 formally ended the Council’s participation in the government’s new towns programme for this scheme.

Prediction: How This Development Will Affect North London Residents and the Housing Market

The withdrawal is likely to affect North London residents in several significant ways. For those seeking affordable housing in Enfield, the removal of 21,000 potential new homes means the borough’s housing shortage will persist longer than previously projected, potentially keeping prices elevated and reducing availability for first-time buyers and renters.

Environmental groups and residents in north-west Enfield who opposed Green Belt development will view this as a victory, preserving protected countryside from residential construction.

However, housing advocates and business groups have already expressed concern, with the Enfield Dispatch reporting backlash from “leading business group” over the decision.

The broader North London housing market may experience ripple effects as demand that would have been absorbed by the new town shifts to other areas, potentially increasing competition and prices in neighbouring boroughs. The Telegraph’s characterization of this as a “blow to Labour’s housebuilding hopes” suggests the withdrawal could impact housing delivery targets across the capital.