A new vision for Southgate town centre

Enfield Council's recently published vision for the future of Southgate town centre outlines proposals that, when implemented, will greatly improve the "liveability" of the area around the iconic underground station and nearby shopping streets, potentially boosting their commercial viability and creating a pleasanter and healthier environment.

Chase Side re-imagined: an illustration from the Southgate Masterplan Vision web page

On the basis of public responses to a consultation held in late 2024, Enfield Council's Journeys & Places team has published an "accessible summary" of its "masterplan vision" for future improvements to Southgate town centre, to be implemented in stages as and when funding becomes available.

The masterplan vision is not expected to lead to any immediate changes to the town centre, but will feed into the development of a Town Centre Place Plan for Southgate, due to be published in 2026. Each of the incremental improvements that the plan envisages will require more detailed design work and will be subject to community engagement and consultation at the appropriate time.

The pubilcation of the masterplan vision follows the completion over the past couple of years of a number of fairly minor, but undoubtedly positive changes to the public realm in Southgate town centre. These include, along Chase Side, the installation of rain gardens and the creation of an art trail consisting of mosaics hung from lamp posts that celebrate aspects of Southgate's history, and, in Ashfield Parade, the installation of two "parklets".

The "vision" for the Transport Interchange - the area around Southgate Station

The area around Southgate Circus is currently an unfriendly and unwelcoming environment for people on foot, whether they are passengers using the tube and bus station, or customers of shops, cafes and pubs. Anyone navigating the area is repeatedly confronted by roads which are difficult and dangerous to cross, narrow pavements and parked cars - not all parked in legally permitted places. Not only is there too little space for walking and for stopping to pass the time with friends and neighbours, but there is a shortage of the trees and green spaces that are vitally important for good psychological and physical health.

This is reflected in two of the published aims of the project:

• Working with residents and businesses to enhance places including town centres and high streets to support commercial viability and vitality, strengthen local communities, and enhance the environment with greenery and art
• Making neighbourhoods safer for all road users to walk, wheel and cycle to and around including at our local schools, with lower levels of motor traffic, lower speeds of motor traffic, and cycle parking for residents.

The Vision proposes a pedestrian first approach to promote active travel and reduce vehicle dominance, focusing on the four key areas of Ashfield Parade, Crown Lane, Chase Side and the Station Interchange. These public spaces are unified in appearance via the introduction of "paving mats", inspired by existing heritage patterns found on-site.

The plan identifies four key public areas requiring improvement:

• Ashfield Parade, which would become a new civic culture space, with wider pavements, less car parking, avenues of trees and weekend road closures to make space for public events.
• Crown Lane, where the carriageway would be narrowed to make it safer for pedestrians.
• The "Station Interchange", where raised crossings and measures to slow traffic would make it safer for people to move around on foot, while further changes to the road layout could create a new public space, with the existing planters helping to provide a buffer from the busy road.
• Chase Side, which would made a more active and welcoming street by providing places for people to sit, rest and play and reductions to the width of the carriageway and parking restrictions would make it a safer environment for pedestrians as well as supporting local business.