Boundary Brook Park is set for a new, more welcoming entrance, landscaping, flood alleviation and better access to welcome visitors.
The newly extended entrance will connect from the main road, transforming a small car park to a safer, visible and vibrant main entrance at Hertford Road.
As part of the improvement project, supported by the Greater London Authority’s Grow Back Greener Fund along with developer contributions, Enfield Council aims to enhance residents’ well-being and experience of the park. The improvements will encourage visitors whilst benefitting local businesses.
Enfield Council’s Cabinet member for Public Spaces, Culture, and Local Economy, Cllr Chinelo Anyanwu commented: “We know how much our parks mean to the residents in Enfield, particularly those that do not have access to gardens – which is why we want to breathe life back into Boundary Brook Park.”
“With more amenity features such as improved footpaths and seating, the park will be focused on encouraging vibrant connections between its biodiversity and the residents.”
This area is at risk of flooding – the Hertford Road has been flooded in the past and on some occasions the water has come very close to flooding nearby homes, shops and businesses. The sustainable drainage measures at the entrance are cleverly designed with a depression to allow storage of excess rainfall. Once calm, the innovative system will release the accumulated rainwater back into the park, creating a healthy ecosystem and protecting residents, businesses, and help protect properties from flooding.
Cllr Rick Jewell, Cabinet Member for Environment said: “Recent periods of heavy rainfall have caused a significant impact on the borough, especially in urban areas. To reduce any further impact of flooding in the borough, we are working to implement innovative approaches, like new wetland habitat and river restoration that are also beneficial to our climate.”
“This brings us another step closer towards fulfilling our Enfield Climate Action targets in protecting, maintaining, and enhancing Enfield’s network of blue and green assets for future generations.”- Ends
These proposals are the second of three phases for Boundary Brook Park.
Footpath improvements and Sandhurst Road entrance works were completed in 2022/23 and have already led to a significant increase in people using the footpath.
Phase 3 will deliver additional improvements to the river, and reduce flood risk further, by restoring natural features to the channel and creating an additional flood storage area in the form of a wetlands area at Cuckoo Hall Recreation Ground.
A funding contribution of up to £80,000 towards Phase 3 is sought from the Environment Agency but is yet to be confirmed.
Boundary Brook was formerly known as Boundary Ditch. The name change aligns with other watercourses around Enfield such as Salmons Brook and Pymmes Brook. The park will also be renamed, henceforth known as Boundary Brook Park.
