Broomfield House

Latest news

January 2024

We received funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund for the development phase of the project ‘Unlocking Broomfield Park for the Community'. This is a 2-year project running from February 2024 to November 2025.

During this period we will:

work with the local community to produce a shared vision for the memorialization of Broomfield House, and its integration back into the historic park
establish a permanent home for material salvaged from past fires
run a range of activities with stakeholders, residents and project partners
secure planning and statutory consent for future works

Project progress will be added to this page.

A further application (Round 2) to the National Lottery Heritage Fund will be required in 2025 to deliver the vision onsite.

June 2023

We are currently preparing a grant funding application to the National Lottery Heritage Fund for improvements to the heritage parts of Broomfield Park which includes proposals on the House ruins.

If successful in obtaining funding, this project will kick-start the rejuvenation of Broomfield Park by dismantling the unsafe parts of the derelict shell of Broomfield House, and reconnecting the park and house through memoralisation, interpretation and landscaping.

This application is due to be submitted in August 2023 and we will be notified by the National Lottery Heritage Fund of whether our bid has been successful in the first quarter of 2024.

If successful, we will receive an initial award to resolve on a shared vision for the house and landscape around it in consultation with the local community and determine the project costs, required resources, and timeline for its delivery.

To secure funding to implement the works to the house and park necessary to deliver this vision, another funding application will be made to the National Lottery Heritage Fund in 2025. If that final stage is successful, works to the house would commence in 2026.

In the lead-up to submitting a bid, we are testing some initial ideas and a programme of activities with residents and park users. We would welcome your ideas and feedback by completing a short survey by Sunday August 6 2023.

Complete the 'Unlocking Broomfield Park for the Community' survey.

May 2019

We are carrying out feasibility work to see if reconstruction of the external shell of Broomfield House can be funded by the disposal of the fire damaged stable block/yard (formerly used for staff accommodation).

For more information view the council statement (PDF, 42.82 KB).

September 2018

We have been working with the Broomfield House Trust to explore a resolution for the longstanding case of fire ravaged Broomfield House and its associated Stable Block/Yard. As part of this process we are required to put the site on the market.

We have been working with Historic England to ensure the marketing exercise is as robust as possible and gives the best possibility to find interested parties. It will be launched on Saturday 15 September and remain on the market until at least December 2018. View our marketing brochure (PDF, 522.33 KB).

Drone footage shows the surviving remains of Broomfield House:

August 2018

An exhibition exploring the history of Broomfield House will run from 28 July 2018 to 6 January 2019 at the Museum of Enfield. The exhibition called 'Hidden Treasures - Revealing Broomfield House and Park', includes a restored piece of the C18th Lanscroon mural.

January 2018

We will soon begin marketing the House and Stables to see if there are any privately funded options for the site. This work is required by Historic England, in accordance with government guidance.

Broomfield House Partnership Board - 2014 to 2018

A Partnership Board was set up in October 2014 to explore options for the House and Stables to be restored with lottery funding, to provide public access and a viable future use. The Board has representatives from the council, Historic England, Broomfield House Trust and Friends of Broomfield Park. If the board were unsuccessful, an application to the Secretary of State for the demolition of the remaining structure would have to be considered.

Documents have been prepared to provide information on the importance of Broomfield House, Stables and Park and explore options for its development.

These show that restoring Broomfield House will cost approximately £5 million, with the restoration of the Stable and Bothy buildings at approximately £2 million. Even with beneficial new uses, such as a café/restaurant in the House and offices and residential or arts studio in the Stables, a cross-subsidy, grant or other funding is needed.

The Conservation Management Plan (PDF, 6030.96 KB) and Gazetteer (PDF, 11028.08 KB) provide a detailed assessment of the House, Stables and Park.

Options appraisal reports

The options appraisal includes the following documents:

Previous restoration attempts

Heritage Lottery Fund application

In 2012 the council, working with the Broomfield House Trust and Friends of Broomfield Park submitted a bid to the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) to transform the House into a heritage and learning centre.

Under these proposals, the restored house would include a cafe on the ground floor with a patio overlooking the gardens. The house would also become a community hub with a rolling programme of events and learning opportunities including volunteering, training and apprenticeships in activities such as heritage restoration.

The total cost of the restoration of the house and the Lanscroon murals was estimated to be £6.7 million. This included £4 million from the HLF and the remainder coming from the council, a Greater London Authority grant, and fundraising. Further details of the bid can be found in three documents:

The council's bid to the HLF (for £4,175,000) was not approved by the HLF Board of Trustees, as they were concerned with the amount requested.

Since this time, the council have been continuing to support the Trust and Friends in evolving their proposals, in an attempt to address the HLF's concerns and pave the way for a more successful proposal.

Sheltered housing

In 2009 a study by heritage specialists showed that much of the fabric could still be saved and a further report recommended the development of the house, stables and yard as sheltered housing in partnership with a Registered Social Landlord.

While preparing these reports with Historic England, we made a successful bid to the London Development Agency, supported by the Mayor of London, for £5.9m of core funding for the restoration and conversion to homes for older people.

Conservation architects prepared a Feasibility Study that confirmed that we could restore the house, put back the much-missed hall, cafe and meeting room, all while providing up to 20 homes for older residents within the House, converted the stable block and the kitchen garden.

An initial £500,000 was received in April 2010 to start design work and consultants were appointed to take this forward. Unfortunately because of government cuts, the Greater London Authority confirmed in September 2011 that it was unable to grant the £5.5 million necessary to restore the building. Without substantial public funding the project isn't possible, and there are few alternative options.

Broomfield House Taskforce scheme - 2003 to 2005

A Broomfield House Taskforce was established as a voluntary partnership of council and community organisations to seek a self-sustaining solution for the full restoration of the house and stables area. Solutions required amendment to the covenant but failed to win public support. At this time Broomfield House was also featured as a nominee on the BBC Restoration series, but was unsuccessful in the public vote.

Radiomarathon proposal - 2003

A proposal for the restoration and reuse of the stable block as a day centre by the charity Radiomarathon did not proceed. Radiomarathon found alternative premises.

Bass proposal - 1999

Bass made an offer for Broomfield House to be used as a family restaurant. This option would have provided separate free community access to first floor rooms from the original grand staircase hallway. The proposal would also have facilitated the mural reinstatement. Bass decided not to proceed with this.

Broomfield House Community Group 'Prometheus' scheme - 1998

Enfield Council allocated a grant of £10,000 to Broomfield House Community Group (later to become Broomfield House Trust) to engage consultancy and support Prometheus to come forward with a solution.

Whitbread - Chef and Brewer family restaurant proposal - 1998

This scheme proposed the full house restoration, public use of the upstairs rooms on a fee paying basis and customer parking in the stable yard. The council considered this as match funding for an HLF bid for landscape works and restoring the Lanscroon mural. Planning and listed building consent was achieved but Whitbread withdrew for commercial reasons. (1998)

Chicken Shed Theatre

The theatre negotiated for the site but the scale of new build requirements to the rear lawns of Broomfield House for a large theatre were prohibitive and they dropped the proposal.

Royal Church School of Music

The school considered terms with the council for moving to Broomfield House with an extension on the rear lawns. RSCM relocated elsewhere.