Enfield Council is in talks with Tesco and Ikea over plans to build on some of the land they occupy at the Meridian Water site.
The council is planning to construct a boulevard that runs from Meridian Water train station east towards the River Lea and Harbet Road and connects with a new park.
Meridian Water station is due to open in May and will replace the existing Angel Road station.
The total Meridian Water regeneration area covers 210 acres, which includes the Tesco and Ikea stores by Angel Road station as well as rail lines, roads and waterways. The total developable area is 136 acres and the council owns 87 acres or 64% of the land.
Council leader Nesil Caliskan (pictured) said: “Ikea and Tesco are big landowners. We are talking to them about the projects we have in mind for the land. We would like to build a boulevard in some of the space they occupy.
“They are keen to utilise the land they have got and recognise the potential to increase the number of customers near their stores.
“We want them to be at the heart of it. Since our early designs, we have wanted to have a boulevard but, at the same time, ensuring that our two major landowners can position themselves will be crucial. We are having discussions about working together in partnership.”
Partners for development
The £6bn Meridian Water project was first mooted in 2011, when Enfield began seeking investment partners to build 5,000 homes.
In 2015, it changed tack and started to look for a master developer. However, the scheme struggled to take off after Hong Kong’s Pacific Century Premium Developments walked away, with Barratt Developments – one of the UK’s largest housebuilders – having also turned down the partnership for the 10,000-home site in late 2017.
After the loss of potential master developers, the council changed tack again last year and opted to look for multiple partners to deliver the overall site. It has also upped its housing provision aims to 10,000.
In November, it confirmed a shortlist of four developers and housing associations for its first Meridian Water housing site. The shortlist includes Galliford Try, L&Q, Peabody and Redrow. In total, the project attracted interest from around 14 parties.
Commenting on the change in tack, Caliskan said: “Meridian Water was never just about housebuilding – if it was just about bricks and mortar we would have gone with a master developer. It is also about creating sense of place.
“We have spent huge amounts of money buying land. We are keen to explore ways we can income generate from some of this land but we also want to think about the placemaking opportunities. We want to create a sense of place, particularly as the train station is set to open soon.”
Earlier this month, Enfield Council announced plans to seek partners to take over two sites in the area, which make up 0.83 and 7.5 acres.
In November, the council confirmed Field Day festival will relocate to Meridian Water this year. The festival has traditionally been held in East London’s Victoria Park.
Ikea declined to comment. Tesco did not respond to requests for comment.
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