Located in the London Borough of Enfield, this area was a major production ground for some of Britain’s biggest industries, including the first mass- produced Hotpoint dishwashers and Ferguson colour televisions. Although many of these industries have since departed, their factories still stand today as listed buildings – albeit with modern refurbishments. This lends a unique aesthetic to the neighbourhood that blends the charm of old architecture with contemporary design. The A10 is the lifeblood running through the centre of this neighbourhood, which presents a thriving range of modern attractions to its visitors and residents, with many opportunities for work and play in its variety of shopping and leisure centres, cinemas, and restaurants.

Initially beginning as a small market town on the edge of a forest, this neighbourhood area has enjoyed a history of commerce for thousands of years dating back to the Roman era, when it was connected to York via a great Roman Road! As London expanded during the Industrial Revolution, this neighbourhood area became a major site of production, with a focus on the manufacturing of armaments for the British Army. This more than doubled the population of the neighbourhood over the next 50 years, cementing this area’s reputation as a prime location for industry. This remains visible today in the active electrical manufacturing and precision engineering factories in this area.

One of the British Army’s most popular infantry weapons was invented in this neighbourhood. The Lee Enfield Rifle was created and mass- produced in the historic Royal Arms Factory, and was used by almost all British soldiers in World War I.

This neighbourhood area, like many others throughout London, has a severe housing shortage and ranks fifth in the UK for the number of households it has in temporary accommodation. The local council, however, is trying out radical new policies to deal with the problem by placing properties back into state-owned hands. James Rolfe, the director of finance for this area has stated that “it’s cheaper to own these properties than to rent them from the private sector or to work in partnership with housing associations”.

The local council recognises the importance of the industrial estate as one of the main employers in this neighbourhood area and plans to continue to invest in its growth and development whilst also continuing to invest in local businesses that seek to expand onto the London road network. In combination with a package of transport improvements to the A10 and the connected A406, this means that the local area is likely to see additional private investment in the future. One example is the Colosseum Retail Park redevelopment located to the north of this neighbourhood on Dearsley Rd. This 600 million pound project will create 1,800 homes in buildings of up to 29 storeys, a crèche, GP surgery, commercial work units and 182,000 sq ft of well-planned open space. Meanwhile, Grange Homes are in the process of building 8 period conversion flats on Queen Anne’s Place close to Bush Hill Park Overground Station.