A major development on a town centre car park looks set to go ahead as the council faces ongoing pressure to boost its income.

Communications firm Metaswitch is expected to get the green light for a new headquarters on the site of Genotin Road car park, having outgrown its current premises.

A larger headquarters would enable the multinational company to expand its Enfield-based workforce, which currently numbers around 400 employees.

Speaking at a cabinet meeting last night (Wednesday, July 25), cabinet member for property and assets Cllr Ahmet Oykener said: “This comes through desperation in some sense.

“Policy changes from the government mean millions of pounds have been lost but requests for services have increased.

“We need to increase the council’s income. This report seeks to retain a key employer in the borough.”

Plans to build on Genotin Road car park, which has space for 123 vehicles, have led to fears it could harm small businesses in the town centre.

It was deemed the town’s “most well-used car park” in the council’s 2017 Enfield town centre draft framework masterplan.

But Metaswitch plans to allow members of the public to use employee parking spaces during evenings and weekends.

The council, which is currently working on a car parking strategy, is also looking at expanding parking provision at the Civic Centre at weekends and during “seasonal periods”.

The report states that maintaining and creating high-skilled jobs is a “key priority”, as the borough has the lowest median gross weekly pay level for full-time workers in London.

Property revenues are a vital source of income for the council, which has been forced to make £161 million-worth of cuts since 2010.

Developing the car park and leasing the building to Metaswitch will generate more than £10 million over the next 42 years.

The council’s deputy leader, Cllr Daniel Anderson, said the report showed the Labour administration was “committed to the value of industry”.

Councillors agreed the report’s recommendations to allow the executive director of place to enter into an agreement to lease the land to Metaswitch.