This largely residential neighbourhood is situated between New Barnet and Underhill. The majority of houses in this area are modern, detached builds interspersed with thickets of trees which create a charming atmosphere that is quite unlike that of inner London. With a wide variety of shops situated along East Barnet Road and an extremely generous array of green spaces, this area combines both the benefits of city-living with those of countryside-dwelling.

New Barnet station and Oakleigh Park service the north and south-eastern sides of this neighbourhood with trains to Central London every 30 minutes, making this a fantastic commuting spot for those who prefer to live in a quieter and green space. With Brook Farm Open Space located to the west and Trent Park to the east, outdoors types are able to get their fill in practically any outdoor activity at these centres be they runners, cricketers, horse riders or anglers. For those looking for a more spectacular encounter with nature, Lea Valley and Epping Forest can be reached by car or public transport in just under an hour.

This section of Enfield was largely rural for most of its history, populated by farmers who grazed sheep and lambs on the open landscape. The name ‘Enfield’ is derived from Enefelde which literally means ‘land where lambs are reared’. The area began to make its mark on the local map in 1304, when Edward I granted a royal charter to the area, giving license to Humphrey and Elizabeth de Bohun to hold a weekly market on Mondays, as well as two annual fairs. These markets ebbed and flowed over time, until the 18th century when the growing population afforded by the Industrial Revolution created a new ‘garden market’ culture throughout Enfield. Here, farming grew exponentially, with farmers selling their harvests on a daily basis in the spring and summer seasons. The connection to Central London was completed in the late 19th-century, which ushered in an unprecedented amount of population growth, along with the development of industry within the area. Today, this long history can be glimpsed within the borough’s parishes, which were the primary governing and unifying institutions for much of this area’s history.

John Dalton once lived in this area. He was a famous English chemist, physicist and meteorologist. He was propelled into international fame when he published his proposal for the modern atomic theory, as well as his research into colour blindness.

One of the downsides of this neighbourhood area is that being just inside the boundary of London quite significantly increases the cost of living, as compared to living just a little further out. This was justified to residents, however, who noted that even in some parts of Enfield, it could take several buses to reach the tube station and get into Central London. Living even just a little bit further out would “make their commute way more difficult.”

With the connection of this neighbourhood area to the upcoming Crossrail 2 service, this area’s economy is expected to continue to grow in the future. The council is proactively investing in strategic growth areas, with a particular focus on small and medium sized enterprises in order to enable residents to capitalise on the growing population as well as the anticipated influx of visitors to the area. For example, on nearby Hera Avenue, the Brook Valley Gardens residential development is currently underway. Built in five phases over seven years, the development will create 600 high-quality new homes by completion in 2025.