SQUATTERS BOATS have held-up a 6bn housing project.
As well as costing the cash-strapped Enfield Council £300,000, reports Kelvin Alexander-Duggan.
The council had to pay a contractor at least £300,000 in compensation after it was unable to carry out works as part of a £6 billion major housing development, because of a group of illegally moored narrowboaters.
Stopping work
This massive project was by the Lea with work due to begin to reconstruct the riverbank on the river as part of the Meridian Water Regeneration Project, but five people were found to be living on their narrowboats in the area, stopping the work from proceeding.
The housing development was one of the most ambitious in the capital and is due to bring around 10,000 homes to Edmonton in the next 20 years.
Enfield Council told the Evening Standard it was forced to take action against people 'who were illegally mooring boats, setting up unauthorised dwellings, and allowing dangerous and neglected stray dogs' on its land at Meridian Water.
High Court
High Court documents show that a father and son, both named Charles Snell, had been living on a narrowboat on the Lea for several years where part of the development is due to take place.
Steven May and Abdellah Tayeb also had narrowboats moored on the same section of the river, which is owned by Enfield Council.
A fifth man Michal Wujek was also discovered to be living in a shed nearby and told the council he had been there for at least eight months..
Notices were issued against the group to attempt to move them in early February 2024 but they did not move away.
It was a month later the council’s contractor, Taylor Woodrow, warned that it was being prevented from carrying it works due to boats and structures in the area, warning Enfield Council that under its contract it would have to pay up to £142,000 a week in compensation if it couldn’t carry out the works, that it did.
Injunction launched
An injunction was launched against all of the men blocking the works, instructing them to leave by 12th June, with the court being told they left shortly afterwards.
It is not known what action is being taken against the boaters that were illegally moored and prevented work being undertaken and causing such huge losses.