A 'new vision' for an Enfield Town shopping centre: Have your say

The public are being invited to put their views to the team that will be taking a 'fresh approach' to redevelopment of the Palace Gardens shopping centre in Enfield Town

In a change from earlier proposals, redevelopment is now envisaged for only part of Palace Gardens and none of the somewhat newer Palace Exchange shopping centre, located to the east of Palace Gardens. The Waitrose and Marks & Spencers buildings are unaffected, while improvements have already been made to the main entrance from Church Street and to the Pearsons department store.

The owners of Palace Gardens, DWS (Deutsche Bank), are running two consultation events in December:

• When: Thursday 11 December, 3–7pm
• When: Saturday 13 December, 10am–2pm
• Where: Hatton Walk, between Three and Rituals

There is also a chance to comment online - use the link below.

Further consultation is planned for next spring - "to show how feedback from this initial stage has informed the next phase of the plans" - and the aim is to submit a planning application in Summer 2026, "informed by what we hear from the community and local stakeholders over the coming months".

Among the benefits which AWS say the redevelopment will bring are:

• Improved layout of the shopping centre to create units that meet the needs of modern retailers
• Bringing new activity and life to Cecil Road and the south of the centre, supporting the wider local economy
• Improved connectivity, by creating a new north-south route through the shopping centre to Cecil Road
• Delivering much needed new homes on a brownfield site in the town centre

While the shopping centre owners are now proposing a significantly smaller redevelopment than they were five years ago, the Enfield Society remains concerned that the new housing element of the scheme will still involve high-rise buildings that will negatively impact the designated heritage buildings in Enfield Town. 

For more information and comment, see the links below.