Enfield Council in legal dispute over Southgate Police Station occupation
Owner lost planning appeal last year, with enforcement notice deadline now passed.
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Enfield Council is reportedly in a protracted legal dispute with the owner of Southgate Police Station, located on Chase Side. Residents continue to occupy the former police station despite the expiry of an enforcement notice that mandated the site's clearance.
Planning appeal and enforcement notice
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Last year, the owner of Southgate Police Station lost a planning appeal against Enfield Council. This decision followed an earlier enforcement notice that required the site to be cleared of residents who had been moved in without planning permission for its use as a residential building. The deadline for complying with this notice was May 2026, but individuals are understood to still be living at the property three months later, as reported by the Enfield Dispatch.
Councillor Stephanos Ioannou acknowledged a commitment made by ward councillors prior to the May local elections to address the occupation of the former Southgate Police Station. He stated that due to undisclosed legal issues, the council could not comment further on the current situation. However, he assured that Conservative councillors are working with the council's legal team on a weekly basis to resolve the matter and remove the tenants as swiftly as possible.
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Southgate Police Station was acquired by DN Property London Limited for £4.1 million in February 2022, according to Land Registry records. In May 2024, a planning application was submitted on behalf of DN Property to convert the building into 65 rooms intended for temporary accommodation. Enfield Council rejected this proposal, citing concerns over antisocial behaviour and safety.
Despite the council's rejection, individuals began residing in the building from October 2024. The council issued an enforcement notice in December of that year, which was subsequently appealed by DN Property to the government's Planning Inspectorate. The appeal was dismissed last summer, and May 2026 was set as the deadline for residents to be relocated.
A spokesperson for Log Creation Ltd, Sajad Al-Hairi, who lodged the rejected planning application, stated in January 2025 that the police station was providing essential housing for vulnerable groups, including single mothers and the unemployed, and preventing the building from becoming derelict. Attempts by the Enfield Dispatch to contact Al-Hairi and DN Property for comment on the current situation were unsuccessful.
The council has stated that the building remains under investigation. The precise circumstances of the ongoing occupation are unclear, though a number of people are understood to continue living at Southgate Police Station.
Questions this report answers
+What is the current legal situation at Southgate Police Station?
Enfield Council is involved in a legal dispute with the owner of Southgate Police Station due to its ongoing occupation by residents. The owner lost a planning appeal last year, and an enforcement notice requiring the site to be cleared has expired.
+Why was the plan to convert the station into temporary accommodation rejected?
A planning application to convert Southgate Police Station into 65 rooms for temporary accommodation was rejected by Enfield Council in May 2024. The council cited concerns regarding antisocial behaviour and safety as reasons for the refusal.
+When was the deadline for the site to be cleared?
An enforcement notice requiring Southgate Police Station to be cleared of residents had a deadline of May 2026. However, individuals are understood to still be living at the property three months after this deadline passed.
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