In 1931 an enlightened council purchased Whitewebbs Park, 240 acres of ancient woodland and parkland for the benefit of all Enfield people. It is part of London’s Green Belt and is  used as open space  for public recreation. Enfield Council wants to dispose of nearly 60% of this land to Tottenham Hotspur Football Club and its multi billion dollar offshore owners. In an effort to protect this beautiful community resource we need to raise approximately £40,000 to finance a Judicial Review. The initial target of £18,000 will finance and launch the first stage of the process. We will then seek funding for the next stage.

The Council’s proposal

Enfield Council’s proposal is to lease approx. 60% of the park (the old public golf course, the lake area and some woodland to THFC. This would end nearly 100 years of the Park being public trust land.

At the moment the Council claims that some  40 acres of this beautiful, cherished parkland will be levelled for plastic and hybrid football pitches. These pitches will be part of the elite THFC academy, for its exclusive use. The rest, about 100 acres, will be controlled, managed and developed by THFC. This area includes all the entrances and car parks.

We do not have details of what they plan to do, only vague “indicative proposals” – we have not seen the substantive planning application or a draft of the terms of the lease.

There is the underlying question – If THFC want only  40 acres for their plastic and plastic-reinforced pitches, why do they need control of an additional 100 acres of public open space? THFC has no record or experience of managing public open space for the community.

The supporters of Whitewebbs Park have been working with CPRE London, Enfield RoadWatch and the Friends of Whitewebbs since summer 2021 to object to Enfield Council’s proposal to dispose of about 60% of Whitewebbs Park to Tottenham Hotspur Football Club. We have told Enfield Council that the Park should be used for public recreation only. Sadly, they have not listened.  There has been no meaningful consultation, petitions have been ignored, protests and letters have been dismissed.

Thanks to generous donations totalling £2,664 from local residents we were able to seek legal advice. Following that advice CPRE London, Enfield RoadWatch and the Friends of Whitewebbs wrote to Enfield Council setting out why the whole proposal is unlawful.

The Council responses indicate that it plans to ignore all objections and  proceed with the disposal to THFC. The club already has an extensive training ground adjacent to our park.

I have decided to challenge this decision in the courts and am raising funds to seek a judicial review. I do not believe it is lawful for the Council to dispose of a large portion of Whitewebbs Park to a private company and put access to community open space at risk.  We all know how important such spaces are to the environment and to the  mental and physical wellbeing of all communities. Please support Whitewebbs Park by pledging whatever you can.

More information about Whitewebbs can be found here: https://whitewebbspark.org.uk/ or https://www.facebook.com/<wbr>fowwp

Thank you

Sean Wilkinson