Construction deal agreed for major Enfield project

A major project has been agreed between the mayor of London Boris Johnson and the Homes and Communities Agency for a major upgrade of houses in an area in Enfield.

The £54.4 million project will see 400 dwellings adjacent to the A406 brought up to scratch, with many of these having been left derelict since their compulsory purchase by the Department of Transport in 1971.

Renovation work will be carried out after Transport for London decided last year they did not need to be demolished to make way for a new road improvement scheme.

Notting Hill Housing Trust will take over the running of the homes and it is investing £35.6 million in the project.

Describing the residences as a "blot on London's landscape", Mr Johnson declared: "Hundreds of Londoners and their families will now benefit with new affordable homes," adding that this was part of his plans to lower the number of empty homes in the capital.

Last week, Empty Homes Agency chief executive David Ireland said there should be tax relief on the owners of empty dwellings for a finite period of time to encourage them to carry out work to make them habitable.