Political parties at Enfield Borough Council tonight united to protect the future of Trent Park mansion.

The grade II-listed mansion, in Snakes Lane, Cockfosters, was sold by Middlesex University in August 2013 to Malaysia’s Allianze University College of Medical Sciences for £30.9 million along with surrounding buildings.

However, plans to build a new university on the site foundered as the university went into liquidation last May – leaving the site almost totally abandoned but for two security guards hired by the company.

Cllr Jason Charalambous founded the ‘Save Trent Park campaign’, which generated enough support in an online petition to trigger a debate with the council.

The petition called for the site to be made an asset of community value, grant permanent public access across the grounds, encourage long term public use and re-evaluate the vision of Trent Park as a whole.

Cllr Charalambous gave a brief history of the mansion when the council met at the Civic Centre tonight.

He said: “The site has suffered a fate of neglect and decay. I am moving this motion and I hope that this should not fall to party-politics.

“I am asking the council to take simple steps to help save this important part of the borough. Someone could fence off the site tomorrow.

“This council has a real opportunity to lay the right sort of ground work to protect the site, there is no time to lose and I urge this council to come together tonight.”

The councillor also added that English Heritage has deemed the site ‘high risk’ and has made an assessment of the site, making it one of the highest priority sites in the country.

Making the site an asset of community value would mean community group's would have six months to come up with a bid to buy it if it was put on sale.

An amendment to Cllr Charalambous's proposal was made, proposing a working group with equal representation from both political parties.

It added: “the council will look for a positive future for the heritage assets at the site that will protect and promote their historic value.”

Leader of the council, Councillor Doug Taylor said: “It will be considered for the asset of community value. Trent Park is a significant value to the borough. What this amendment is to set up a working group with equal representation.

“Access of the public needs to be carefully managed, we cannot give unfettered access depending on the new buyers business.

“We will do our best to ensure that in the powers we have can reach a sensible solution. It would be extremely unfortunate if the historic site was to simply crumble.”

The council agreed the amended motion, causing Mayor of Enfield Ali Bakir to state he was “shocked” to see both sides support a motion in his final full council as Mayor.

The number of people or members of the working group has yet to be agreed.