Enfield's Cabinet decides on Wednesday whether to demolish Walbrook House, a 23-storey block of 126 homes in Lower Edmonton, and to use compulsory purchase powers on the last three leasehold flats.

Enfield Council intends to demolish Walbrook House, the 23-storey tower of 126 homes on the Bounces Road Estate in Lower Edmonton, and to use a compulsory purchase order to buy out the last three leaseholders if negotiation fails. Cabinet is asked to approve both on Wednesday 9 September. (Enfield Council, Cabinet report KD 6097)

The report concludes that refurbishing the 1960s block is no longer viable. The latest estimate, from consultants Martin Arnold in August 2026, put the cost at £36.6m, and even that would extend the building’s life by only 20 to 30 years. Demolition would start “as soon as vacant possession, funding and the necessary approvals are in place”.

Why the council says the block cannot be saved

Walbrook House was built using Large Panel System construction, a 1960s method the report says has “inherent structural vulnerabilities”, particularly around disproportionate collapse. The evidence it cites has stacked up over five years:

  • a 2021 structural assessment by Hydrock identified collapse risks and led the council to remove the piped gas supply
  • a 2025 review by Ridge and Partners found the planned strengthening works “may not fully address all of the vulnerabilities” of the original construction
  • the Building Safety Act 2022 leaves the council, as Accountable Person, carrying ongoing monitoring and compliance duties for as long as the tower stands

Selling the block, approved as an option in 2023, is also dead. Savills advised in August 2026 that there is now “very limited market interest” in a high-rise Large Panel System building needing this much investment.

Almost empty, still expensive

Graphic of key numbers: 23 storeys and 126 homes; all 112 secure tenants rehoused; 11 of 14 leaseholds bought, 3 outstanding; £36.6m refurbishment estimate; £289,983 council tax on the empty flats plus about £375,000 in security and statutory testing in 2025-26; up to 127 new homes possible on the site.
The decision in numbers, from Cabinet report KD 6097. Graphic by Enfield Today.
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The decant has been running since April 2023. All 112 secure tenants have been rehoused, and 11 of the 14 leasehold flats have been bought by agreement. Three leasehold interests remain.

An almost-empty tower still costs serious money. In 2025/26 the council paid £289,983 in council tax on the empty flats, an average of £2,417 per property, plus around £375,000 for the on-site concierge and security service and the statutory testing the block still requires: a combined bill of about £665,000 in one year.

The remaining leaseholders have been offered independently assessed market value plus statutory home loss and disturbance payments, and the council says lease swaps and hardship support have also been considered. The CPO, made under section 17 of the Housing Act 1985, would run in parallel with continued negotiation. There are also two telecoms mast leases on the roof, dating from 2004 and 2008, which need 12 months’ notice to end and where operators commonly resist.

What would replace it

An initial feasibility study says the site could take up to 127 new homes, a net gain of one home but 42 more habitable rooms, built to modern safety and energy standards. The number, size and tenure mix would be settled through design work, planning and consultation with residents of the surrounding estate. The council says it will chase external funding for both demolition and rebuilding, including the Greater London Authority’s affordable homes programmes.

What it means for you

  • Nothing changes on the estate this week. Demolition needs vacant possession, funding and further approvals first.
  • If a CPO is made, affected parties can object, and unresolved objections would go to a public inquiry or written representations before the Secretary of State decides. The council expects confirmation during 2027 and acquisition of the last interests in 2028 if an inquiry is needed.
  • Residents around the tower get a say on what replaces it. The report delegates authority to consult on the estate before development proposals are progressed.
  • The financial appendices, including what the council is paying for the remaining flats, are exempt from publication, but the public report and the Cabinet agenda are online. Cabinet meets at 7pm on Wednesday 9 September.

Sources