Government approves £170m grant for Meridian Water scheme

The government has agreed to pay for £170m of infrastructure needed to kick-start the 10,000-home Meridian Water development in Enfield.

The £170m is to be provided in grant funding via the Housing Infrastructure Fund to enable to construction of parks, rail and road infrastructure as well as cycle links, bridges, flood alleviation and utilities.

The £6bn scheme, which is being developed by Enfield Council, is designed to create a huge new mixed-use development on the site of the Ikea in Edmonton, north London, close to the Lea Valley Park. A new station was built last year, and Vistry Partnerships has been appointed to deliver the first tranche of homes.

The development is designed to ultimately provide 10,000 homes and space for 6,000 jobs. The council said it has already secured planning permission for the infrastructure works and approved a framework contract with three major contractors to deliver them.

Enfield Council leader Nesil Caliskan, said approval of the funding was a “vital stage” in the delivery of Meridian Water. He said: “This latest announcement marks a further step towards the creation of a special development in our borough.”

Housing minister Christopher Pincher, said the grant funding for Enfield Council would ensure Meridian Water was “served by the cycle links, roads, and utilities needed to create a new thriving community in North London.”