Preserving and improving Firs Farm for the benefit of present and future generations
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Registered Charity 1177069
Love your green space

Preserving and improving Firs Farm for the benefit of present and future generations


Latest News


Having Our Say: Proposed Traveller Site Near Firs Farm

Enfield Council has just completed a 6-week public consultation on its Traveller Local Plan. One proposed site is a transit site near Firs Farm Wetlands — and Friends of Firs Farm (FOFF) are very concerned about the impact this could have.

Our key concerns are:

  • The proposed Transit Site is near our vulnerable ecosystems and we believe that the proposal is likely to have an adverse impact on this fragile environment, and potentially will cause irreparable damage.
  • It will adversely affect existing commercial activities at Firs Farm and the surrounding areas and may lead to a reduction in the facilities and amenities available to the local community.
  • The site is designated as Metropolitan Open Land (MOL), and this proposed use is contrary to the policies set out in the London Plan and the New Enfield Local Plan.
  • The location of the site on the A10, and the noise and air pollution resulting from this makes it an unsuitable site for a residential location for Travellers, as it may have an adverse effect on their health.
  • The access to the proposed site is unsafe because of its location on the Great Cambridge Road (A10) and its proximity to the nearby signalled junction and bus stop.

Deadline to respond: 5pm, Wednesday 5th November 2025

Submit your views online: https://enfield-consult.objective.co.uk/kpse/event/DE705FC6-A466-4017-B003-8C8CBE72E95C

Note: Responses from last year do not count — you must respond again. Also, please don’t express political opinions, or make defamatory, offensive or discriminatory remarks. This will allow the Council to ignore your objections if you do.

FOFF have submitted a full response, which can be found here: Traveller Local Plan Reg 19 objection.



Firs Farm Winter Trail Wrap-Up

Highlights included:

  • A magical visit from Santa and his reindeer, with plenty of photo opportunities.
  • The sound of live music filling the air, thanks to our talented musicians who are already eager to join us again.
  • An exciting raffle with fantastic prizes, bringing the community together in support of Firs Farm.

Funds Raised:
We’re thrilled to share that, thanks to everyone’s generosity, we raised over £1,000 (after expenses) with contributions from the Boys’ Brigade (£260 + Gift Aid). This means we can now purchase and install a defibrillator in the new year, along with rolling out life-saving training for our community.

Looking Ahead:
The feedback has been incredible, with many expressing interest in having a market stall next year. To make this happen, we need more committee members to help us plan and grow these events. If you’d like to get involved, please email us at friendsoffirsfarm@gmail.com.

Event Photos:
Santa’s Grotto photos were beautifully captured by Andy (contact him at alexkren10@gmail.com for copies). You can also find pictures of the day on our Facebook page:

A massive thank you to everyone who helped make this year such a success! We couldn’t do it without the amazing support of our volunteers, musicians, and community members. Here’s to an even bigger and better 2025!

 


Response to Enfield Council’s consultation on their Draft Traveller Local Plan

On 23rd September 2024, Enfield Council invited communities in the borough to submit comments on the content of their Draft Traveller Local Plan, and its supporting documents. Today, Friends of Firs Farm (FOFF) have responded to this to express our concerns about what the Council is proposing.

In summary, FOFF objects to the draft Plan’s proposal to locate a Traveller Transit site on the A10 near to Firs Farm Park. The grounds for our objection are:

  1. The site is designated as Metropolitan Open Land (MOL), and this proposed use is contrary to the policies set out in the London Plan and the New Enfield Local Plan.
  2. The site proposed is inadequate for the number of caravans which the Council indicates that it is intended to accommodate.
  3. The access to the proposed site is unsafe because of its location on the Great Cambridge Road (A10) and its proximity to the nearby signalled junction and bus stop.
  4. The location of the site on the A10, and the noise and air pollution resulting from this makes it an unsuitable site for a residential location for Travellers, as it may have an adverse effect on their health.
  5. The proposed Transit Site is in close proximity to the vulnerable ecosystems of Firs Farm Wetlands. We believe that the proposal is likely to have an adverse impact on this fragile environment, and potentially will cause irreparable damage to this important local resource.
  6. The proposal will adversely affect existing commercial activities at Firs Farm and the surrounding areas, and may lead to a reduction in the facilities and amenities available to the local community.

Follow the link below to see the document submitted to the Council setting out our objection and the grounds for this in full, which we trust they will take into account in revising the Traveller Local Plan prior to its adoption.

Traveller Local Plan Objection by FOFF