£1.3bn Meridian Water plans launched

The planning and urban design masterplan for a major project that will give a £10.7 billion boost to the UK economy by 2031 has been unveiled by Enfield Council.  

Meridian Water is a new £1.3 billion eco-development that will provide up to 5,000 new homes and create up to 3,000 new jobs.

The masterplan for the regeneration of the 200 acre (82 ha) area alongside North London’s Lee Valley Regional Park was created by design, environment and energy consultancy LDA Design. It was launched at City Hall in late July, alongside the Mayor's Opportunity Area Planning Framework for the Upper Lee Valley, which includes Meridian Water.

The masterplan has waterfront living with open spaces, leisure facilities and a new high street that will offer community shopping, health facilities, a library, three schools, a technical college and a police presence.  This all sits within a beautiful parkland setting and a site layout that improves connectivity with the surrounding area, opening up access to the wider Lee Valley and its facilities.

Enfield Council Leader, Cllr Doug Taylor, said: "The Meridian Water masterplan, developed by the Council in consultation with the GLA and landowners, is a deliverable framework that will guide and enable the private sector to invest with confidence.

"Not only will we be providing high quality waterfront living for families in a fabulous setting but we are also working closely with a number of partners to improve the infrastructure around this project to make sure the education, transport links and leisure infrastructure necessary for a development of this size are provided at the right time.

"Not only will Meridian Water provide thousands of new homes and jobs, but the better rail links Enfield Council has successfully lobbied for means that we're protecting or creating 45,000 jobs throughout the

Lee Valley and adding billions to the UK economy by 2031. This is a tremendous achievement and shows the benefits that councils can bring if they bring organisations together and co-ordinate their efforts for the wider good."

Bernie Foulkes, Partner at LDA Design, said: “This masterplan is the first step towards bringing forward Enfield Council’s vision for creating new high quality, energy efficient housing and breathing new life into employment areas.

“We have taken inspiration from the waterways of the Lower Lee Valley as the plans have developed, and the aim here is to give people the experience of waterside living and working while being in easy reach of the rest of the city through better transport links.”

Supporting the Meridian Water development is investment of £74 million from Network Rail and the Mayor of London to fund the creation of a third rail from Stratford to Angel Road Station, which will serve Meridian Water, the upgrading of Angel Road to improve access for passengers, and the provision of a four train an hour service along the line. The cash was earmarked for the project after extensive lobbying by Enfield Council, supported by MPs and local businesses.