OBJECTIONS TO: dmconsultations@walthamforest.gov.uk
and your Councillors and the Mayor.
Come and JOIN the Protest against this out of date badly designed scheme
TOWN SQUARE 1pm Saturday 24th OCTOBER
wear masks and keep socially distanced
while we have the space to do so!!
In 2018 C&R were granted planning permission to build 4 towers on the Mall site rising to 29 storeys, and fell 80 trees, including most of the avenue of lime trees. In July 2019 the fire broke out and we are still waiting for the whole site to re-open. In October 2019 they said they were going to modify the scheme and reduce the tower blocks from 4 to 2 and move them away from the underground tube lines to reduce construction costs. They appointed new architects and tried fiddling it through the planning process by using a Section 73 process, but they quickly changed their mind and said a new planning application would be coming in early 2020.
Covid struck and retail changed dramatically so it made it even more important for C&R to find another way of keeping the company afloat. They did a deal with TfL to enable a second entrance to the tube station, and to move the tower blocks further down Selborne Road creating 2 separate blocks, one 34 storeys (5 more than the consented scheme) and the other of 27. This creates space for 495 flats with another 43 above the expanded shopping centre. Just 45 less than the Homebase site in Forest Road which is only 18 storeys!!
The avenue of lime trees have been saved but the Town Square is squeezed out and is split by the extension to the shopping centre and the 43 flats above. As they say a picture is worth a thousand words so take a look at the future...........
Aerial View of Proposed Development
Build the tower blocks on top of the mall, don't destroy the tiny patch of green space with more buildings.
ReplyDeleteI like it 👍👍
ReplyDeleteThe height of the two tower blocks are grossly out of place when compared to the surrounding buildings. This is a pre-COVID 19 design which doesn't represent the current need for open space (be that communal areas or private balconies). They need to significantly reduce the height of these tower blocks if they're so intent on destroying the town centre.
ReplyDeleteIt's horrible. It looks like Stratford and the City of London. Walthamstow is a place where people live. Buildings should be of human dimensions, not monstrous blocks like these. It just makes me want to cry.
ReplyDeleteMe too.
DeleteWhat I do t understand is why we need more retail space given that casual dining has collapse, chain shops are falling like dominoes and the high street is full of empty units already. I simply don't understand.
ReplyDeletelow quality planning, total lack of placemaking. London Borough of waltham forest need to learn to be more demanding in terms of quality toward the developers! they should not fall into the trap of 'unviablity'. the square how it is at the moment is not functional and in the new design even less. Stop building bad infrastructure Waltham Forest. This HAS to be improved. Saying that the council needs money is not good enough! Design a square that works!!!
ReplyDeleteLooks really good actually. Not perfect but a great improvement. I think the benefits outweigh the losses.
ReplyDeleteThe height of the tower blocks are out of proportion to the surrounding area. The height needs to be significantly reduced. I cannot see that Walthamstow has the infrastructure to support this amount of new homes all bunched together. Surely smaller, more spaced-out housing across the borough would make more sense. These are unattractive and dominating - I see no gain for current residents.
ReplyDeleteReply