CPRE London online meeting: Smoke and mirrors - Enfield 'new town'

The government's New Towns taskforce identifies Enfield's Green Belt as a location for one of the first 'new towns' - saying it is poor quality land (not true), hosts unimportant nursery businesses (not true) and is well connected (not true). How, then, did the taskforce come to select this site? Why is the new town not planned for Enfield's extensive brownfield land - like other proposed 'new towns' in Manchester and Leeds? Or in nearby Stevenage with its vast quantity of brownfield land?

And why does the government continue to rely on housebuilding as the answer to homelessness and rent and mortgage poverty, without ever giving a coherent explanation as to how it can solve these spiralling crises?

The site in Enfield identified by the government taskforce for a new town is in fact Enfield's historic landscape, productive farmland, a successful heritage golf course with large and diverse membership, and the 'golden mile' of garden centres making a major contribution to the local economy.