WALTHAM FOREST - ONE COMMUNITY This Blog provides information about our Community in the London Borough of Waltham Forest. Please send your contributions to wfoc10@gmail.com
Monday, 18 September 2023
Wilko Redevelopment
The Local Plan has identified the Wilko store in Walthamstow High Street as a possible development site. Until the decision is finally made it is impossible to know what will happen, but if a developer buys the site the council will welcome them with open arms and this brief:
Local Plan Inquiry - Outcome Updates
Despite the Civic Society's best efforts at the recent Public Inquiry our objections were ignored and the Local Plan goes ahead with the higher housing target of
27,000 over the next 15 years!
This decision ensures higher and higher blocks all along the Lea Valley (Blackhorse Lane) and on the Whipps Cross Hospital site to say nothing of Spitalfields and Leyton Mills.
The council has very few options as the Government expects all its policies to be adehered to as the structure below shows, but it did not need to find land for 27,000 new flats when the Government target, as applied by the GLA to the Borough, was only 18,960
TALL BUILDINGS POLICY 15 Page 158
As defined by the council a tall building is one over 10 storeys (30m). But the revised plan indicates the following criteria will have to be applied to the Visual Impact a planning application for a tall building makes:
i. Impact on the existing character and townscape of their surroundings considered in
long-range, mid-range and immediate views;
ii. Impact on the existing streetscape, including the provision of active frontages and
sufficient, high quality public realm at ground level;
iii. Impact on the existing, and where relevant emerging, skyline;
iv. Contribution to existing and proposed spatial networks and hierarchies, wayfinding,
and legibility;
v. Impact on heritage assets, their settings, and views to and from them including the
background zones of views identified in the London View Management Framework
(LVMF) (41)
; and
vi. Exemplar quality of architecture and design with careful attention paid to form and
proportionality, materials, finishes, and details,
I doubt if this means much as their own Lea Bridge Station tower blocks fail these criteria as do the 18 storey blocks at Whipps Cross Hospital site and their plans for Leyton Mills and Spitalfields. The current application for the car park by Leytonstone station fails miserably, but the planners will not admit to it. These days it is all about moneyitisation of land owned by the council and developers. Not about creating pleasant places for residents to live in.
Uplands Business Park (Blackhorse Lane) redevelopment
Can the road network in Blackhorse Lane, let alone the North Circular manage all the traffic this proposal will generate over many years! Get your objections in NOW!!
LBWF Planning Search for 222739
Applicant: (BNP Paribas Depository Services (Jersey) Limited and BNP Paribas Depository Services Limited as Trustees of the BlackRock UK Property Fund and NEAT Developments Limited)
RE-CONSULTATION - CHANGE TO DESCRIPTION OF DEVELOPMENT HYBRID PLANNING APPLICATION for the phased demolition of all existing buildings and structures (excluding Uplands House), site preparation works, and comprehensive industrial-led mixed-use redevelopment of parts of UPLANDS BUSINESS PARK AND FOREST TRADING ESTATE, BLACKHORSE LANE, WALTHAM FOREST, LONDON, comprising:
DETAILED planning application for the construction of two buildings (Blocks A1 and A2) comprising flexible industrial floorspace (Use Classes B2, B8, and E(g)(ii and iii)) and one mixed-use building (Block B) comprising residential dwellings (Use Class C3) and flexible industrial floorspace (Use Classes B2, B8, and E(g)(ii and iii)), as well as ancillary yard areas; car/cycle parking; amenity; plant; public, communal, and private realm; soft/hard landscaping; infrastructure, access, and highway works; and other associated works;
OUTLINE planning application (with all matters reserved) for the construction of up to eight development plots (with maximum building heights of up
(NOTE: Walthamstow Tower Centre tower is 137m and that is 34 storeys!)
up to 22.6 m A.O.D. (Plot C),
up to 145.0 m A.O.D. (Plots D and H), (2 well over 34 storeys.)
up to 110.2 m A.O.D (Plots E and J),
up to 72.4m A.O.D. (Plot F),
up to 51.0 m A.O.D. (Plot G), and
up to 40.5 m A.O.D. (Plot K))
comprising up to 167,398sqm (GEA) residential floorspace (Use Class C3), up to 15,006sqm (GEA) of flexible industrial floorspace (Use Classes B2, B8, and E(g)(ii and iii)), and up to 5,000 sqm (GEA) of Classes E and F and Sui Generis (Drinking Establishment/Bar) floorspace, as well as ancillary yard areas; car/cycle parking; amenity; plant; public, communal, and private realm; soft/hard landscaping; infrastructure, access, and highway works; and other associated works.
SEGRO Park, Blackhorse lane
SEGRO are proposing to redevelop the Delta Industrial Site in Blackhorse lane by updating it to a modern industrial park.
Whipps Cross Hospital Update - NAO Report
Highlights a range of issues.
Whipps Cross is in Cohort 3 of the 40 hospitals that were annouced a few years ago.
Proposed car park - Phase 1 and funded
Bin Collection - new strategy
A new bin strategy is being develpoped by Cllr Loakes and he will shortly be presenting it to the Cabinet. Basically black bins will be his latest target with collections being reduced to once a fortnight.
From Cllr Loakes:
I just wanted to let you know about some exciting and positive developments in local recycling initiatives over the last couple of weeks.
Waltham Forest Recycling Strategy
Last night I took our proposed 'Recycling Strategy' to our Climate Scrutiny Committee, for views, comments and recommendations, before taking it to Cabinet in a couple of weeks' time.
The discussions were extensive and I'm really grateful to Labour Cllrs on the Committee for the depth and range of questions and issues they raised. In fact, I'd suggest in my 20+ years of taking issues to scrutiny in Waltham Forest, it was probably the most comprehensive and professional session I've ever had the experience of taking part in.
Why was that so important? Well the Recycling Strategy contains, amongst other things, our proposals to roll out across the borough weekly, separate food waste collections and move to fortnightly collections for residual waste for street-based properties only. This move is designed to increase our recycling rates as per the Environment Act 2021 - with the introduction of separate food waste collections - and reduce our residual waste tonnages. It will also be one of the biggest universal service changes we have introduced in the borough for well over 20 years. You may also remember this initiative from our manifesto. Delivering this change to recycling in the community is something we deeply believe in, and with our huge success in 2022, we know it matters for residents too.
We still have a lot of work to do and a huge amount of engagement and communications with residents is planned, as clearly this is not something that can be rolled out overnight.
Following Cabinet approval - I hope - in a couple of weeks' time I'll send out further details.
You can read the Cabinet Report and the 'Recycling Strategy' here and even more information on it here.
Disposal Vapes
You can read my letter as Chair of the North London Waste Authority, to DEFRA Secretary of State Therese Coffey on disposable vapes here. It calls for a ban on them rightly on environmental grounds. Since my letter was sent it appears speculation is mounting that a ban is set to be announced, probably on health grounds. To be honest whether it's environmental or health grounds as long as they are banned I consider that a clear 'win'!
So fingers crossed for some positive news in this space over the coming week or two!
Hard Plastic Recycling
In a 6-month trial the NLWA has recycled over 40tonnes of ‘hard plastic’ at two of its ‘Recycling & Reuse Centres’ (RRC), across the North London area. As a result of this huge and unexpected very early success, we’ve now rolled out this opportunity to recycle ‘hard plastic’ to South Access Rd RRC in Walthamstow!
This kind of plastic 'hard plastic' refers to includes plant pots, garden furniture, children's toys etc. So please spread the word amongst friends and neighbours!
DIY Reuse
Just an update that so far South Access Rd RRC and a RRC in Barnet have together saved 25tonnes of DIY building materials from the 'hardcore skip' so far this area. This again is exceeding expectations.
This is an opportunity for residents to drop off those extra 8 tiles, 6 bricks, 2 slabs etc from a domestic DIY project, so that someone else can use them to finish off their DIY project. All DIY materials are available to collect for free.
We are looking at how we can roll this out further and how we can promote what is available for residents to take.
Again, spread the word!
Polystyrene Recycling
In the last 18 months the NLWA has recycled, with resident's help, polystyrene the equivalent in volume of 5 double decker buses from its network of public RRCs! Thank you!
Carpet Recycling
The NLWA with Waltham Forest clear support has begun to investigate whether we have the capacity and opportunity to now consider providing carpet recycling. This is a really exciting development and I'll keep you informed as to how that starts to look and feel, over the coming months.
Blister Pack Recycling
I have again written out to all pharmacies in Waltham Forest with an offer to request they begin to offer blister pack recycling opportunities in their shops. To help encourage and incentivise, this time the Council has indicated it will help fund the required infrastructure to help deal with the recycling of this light, but difficult to recycle packaging.
I'll keep you posted on developments.
I hope this substantial round up on a range of recycling initiatives that we are leading on or closely involved in has been useful. What it clearly does show is that Labour-led Waltham Forest is continuing to push the boundaries, pioneer and provide the leadership whilst the Tory Government continues to dither and delay on a range of waste and recycling related policies, that it has been sitting on for years.
With best wishes,
Cllr Clyde Loakes, Deputy Leader and Cabinet lead for Climate and Air Quality
Hurst Road Redevelopment
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Hurst Road, opposite Fellowship Square, has been a Health Centre which was closed awhile ago. The Walthamstow Toy Library moved in after being moved out of Comely Bank in Walthamstow Village. A decision has been made to sell the site and the Toy Library has to move again to the old Limes building in Somers Road.
So what does the Local Plan tells us about the future of the Hurst Road site - well obviously even more housing!
Banbury Reservoir Park
The CPRE has suggested 10 new parks for London and this one has just gone out for consultation. It is a good idea as MERIDIAN WATER is just starting to be constructed on the other side of the River Lea from Waltham Forest providing at least 10,000 more homes. Read about it by following these links.
Town Centre fun pics
Here are a few of the fun pictures created by the Walthamstow Life Facebook Group! Some pretty impressive imaginations around in E17!!
Hylands Road - completed
The council's Hylands Road estate is slowly being redeveloped and the first phase is now complete with 120 flats on the edge of Epping Forest. Some blocks are 8 storeys and peep over the top of the forest, which is a shame as it spoils the open aspect of the forest. If the 18 storeys at Whipps ever go ahead they will tower over the forest, which will be much more dramatic. Whether this is what the council's Local Plan refers to as "exemplary architecture" is doubtful!! This is what Hylands now look like:
Friday, 11 August 2023
LEYTON MILLS and SPITALFIELDS REDEVELOPMENT
Waltham Forest Civic Society has arranged a walkabout of the potential development area for SUNDAY DAY 29th OCTOBER 2023 - meet at 11am at the bus stop opposite Leyton Station by the staircase to Leyton Mills shopping centre. This is not a history walk, but one to explain the issues this development raises and the political way forward.
The City of London, who own Spitalfields, are planning to move the market to Dagenham, but no firm date is available. Once that happens LBWF intend to redevelop the site for housing, including the Leyton Mills site. Now is the time to campaign for low rise development to stop the views from the Lee Valley Park and marshes being spoilt. As the Spitalfields site is in the Lea Valley flood plain should it be reverted back to open space? These are the arguments to be fought over for the next 10 years.
COMMENTS FROM DR. ROBERT GAY and the WALTHAM FOREST CIVIC SOCIETY
1. The title of the consultation is misleading: I (and
probably many others) thought it was only about the Leyton Mills Retail Park
site, but in fact it covers four sites including the very sensitive
Spitalfields Market site. If you have not received comments from Save Lea
Marshes, it is likely to be because they were misled by the title of the
consultation.
2. When the presentation speaks about "examplar
design" it defines it in terms of the four principles on the cover slide.
None of these four principles speaks about the architectural design of
buildings (what the Secretary of State calls "beauty" and so it seems
that the SPD is going to leave this out. In particular, on slide 02
"designed to exemplary standards" may have nothing to do with the
architectural design of buildings so as to be good to look at. Looking at the
image at the top of slide 06, it looks pretty well the same as the images of
the development at the Homebase site in Walthamstow. It seems all the Council's
proposed developments will look the same.
3. The presentation speaks about protecting the biodiversity
of Hackney Marshes but it says nothing specific about protecting particular
species and in particular nothing about the bats which are a protected species
and would suffer from light pollution from tall residential buildings.
4 . Slide 03 reports comments under "Biodiversity and
Climate Resilience" about protecting the Marshes and River Lea, but the
skyline from the Marshes would be adversely affected by any buildings exceeding
six storeys on the Spitalfields Market site (four storeys on the side nearer
the Marshes) and similarly for Temple Mills Bus Garage and Eton Manor, or
exceeding about 8 storeys on the Leyton Mills Retail Park site.
5. Slide 03 also reports comments that "height and
density of development is a key concern" but slide 04 only offers "take a considered
approach to the location of tall buildings" and so takes it for granted
that there should be tall buildings on these sites. We consider that an
adequate contribution to housing need could be built without tall buildings,
and any tall buildings on these sites will interfere with the enjoyment of the
Marshes and also with the townscape of Leyton Town Centre including the
settings of listed buildings and of a conservation area.
6. Slide 03 also reports comments in favour of B&Q as
"really useful and well used" but there is nothing in the
presentation about reserving a site for a DIY store/builder's and decorator's
merchant.
7. Asda and B&Q (or whoever replaces them) will need
car/van parking for customers to take away a week's groceries or buildings
supplies but the presentation says nothing about providing decks of parking
above the stores and below the housing and we suspect that the council is just
wishing for people's actual transport needs to go away.
8. There is also a need to improve the exit for vehicles
from the Leyton Mills Retail Park site, as the present jams at the roundabout
where Marshall Way meets Orient Way are very bad for air quality.
9. Slide 03 reports comments in favour of family homes with
gardens but the presentation says nothing about these or where they will go.
10. We support de-culverting the Dagenham Brook as far as
possible and improving buffers between the A12 and the Leyton Mills Retail Park
site and between the Spitalfields Market site and East Marsh. But these are not
a substitute for keeping the developments low/medium rise as explained above.
11. We do not consider the proposed green spaces within the
developments "large" or "generous". They are little patches
of green. We wish to see the whole North half of the Spitalfields Market site
"re-marshed" in accordance with Government guidance.
12. There should be a "green bridge" over Eastway
between the Spitalfields Market site and Eton Manor.
13, It is a mistake to rely on a new station at Ruckholt
Road to provide an adequate Public Transport Accessibility Level for
developments, because of the lack of capacity at Stratford station. There is
also a limit to capacity on the Central line, which will not be improved by
improving Leyton tube station.
14. The Council's plans seem overall to disregard the
desirablility of using existing buildings (such as the Leyton Town Hall annexe,
now the Legacy Business Centre) and such as existing churches and church halls
for cultural and community uses and instead have new (smaller) buildings for
such uses built as part of new developments. This is contrary to the
desirability of reusing existing buildings and so reducing carbon outputs.
RUCKHOLT STATION
WALTHAM FOREST TRANSPORT CONSULTATIVE GROUP MINUTES 7th June 20234. National Rail
a) Ruckholt Road/Meridian Line
CB: Last time CB came to PTCG to investigate possibility of station at Ruckholt Road and Hall Farm Curve (Chingford to Stratford line). LBWF commissioned a study, limited to timetable monitoring i.e., is it safe to run those additional services? Conclusion of study is that there are significant challenges for both. To run two additional services an hour between Chingford to Stratford, particularly in terms of dwell time at Stratford station, would require re-timetabling other services. The impact on passenger and freight trains wouldn’t be acceptable to external stakeholders. This work was exclusively limited to modelling the timetable, so NR still looking at taking this forward with LBWF through an economic case. This would work to justify spending more money to introduce those services.
RG: Is the timeframe of the study looking at the next five years? Are NR taking a long-term view in terms of movement of people (particularly in terms of people going back to work in The City) and are you just doing simple cost-benefit studies or looking at the social and environmental value of train travel?
CB: Funding for enhancements is not tied to five-year periods. Five-year periods are for operations, maintenance and renewals (OMR) to keep the trains running and in a steady state. In terms of enhancements/significant changes (new bridges, stations, lines), these can be brought forwards outside of the set five-year period. A local authority recently used development contributions to support creation of a new station outside Chelmsford, to serve new development there. Still need to secure funding from somewhere to do it.
In terms of assessing future demand, strategic planning teams look at what might be needed 30 years in advance. They factor in housing plans of local authorities and demographic change. Still don’t know what post Covid picture will look like. It is especially difficult to understand what will happen while we have been in a period of industrial action.
BCR (Benefit Cost Ratio) hasn’t been put together for this study. It has just been about how you could run the services. BCR means you can go to the Treasury and for every £1 you spend you get X back. The BCR would consider environmental impact. For example, a freight scheme would consider how many lorries you’re taking off the road and therefore improvements to air quality and congestion. A BCR is less relevant if a project is funded outside the DfT process. If you had a developer who was happy to fund it, you wouldn’t necessarily need one.
RG: Local Plan is forecasting 27,000 new homes and many of them are clustered around the stations on the Chingford Line. What is the longer-term view (heard about in the press) about restructuring at Stratford?
CB: If there is lots of new housing then we may be able to build the economic case. Strategic Outline Business Case is being submitted about Stratford within a matter of weeks to restructure the station.
TB: TB’s understanding is that the timetable modelling has come up with the problem of resilience – we can increase resilience with the Meridian Line. It has been a productive process talking to Officers but is it worth involving the Deputy Mayor at the GLA? Could influence Cambridge to Stratford Line.
CB: If you are asking if the Meridian Line gives you more timetable leeway, then no as Stratford has no more capacity. For example, we need to build in dwell time for each train at the station to give the timetable some resilience. Running more services would remove the dwell time for many services, increasing the chance of disruption across the network. If the train comes in late, it will impact a huge number of trains. That is the resilience issue for freight trains going to the north or trains going to Cambridge.
TB: But if the station is being redesigned can it facilitate more trains?
CB: There is potential for private sector money to come into scheme but funding is mostly from DfT. NR have looked at varying levels of redesign/interventions, including shifting walkways and adding platforms - currently testing appetite at DfT to provide funding. In terms of a new platform, you might not get anything done if you ask too much/can’t build a strong enough business case. It will still be a very congested station.
TB: Is another problem that it would be difficult to get an operator? Could TfL take it on as an operator?
CB: Too early to consider an operator given the constraints but if there is a workable way to deliver the scheme you could consider it. Need to build economic case to take it forwards.
TB: Has TfL been involved at all?
CB: Currently NR are the guiding mind for operating services – balancing everyone’s competing demands. We would be ones to do timetable modelling to decide what steps industry takes next.
JJ: Stratford redevelopment is priority with partners, NR, LLDC etc. Firstly need to get to other side of this step with NR.
RG: If there is a change of government there might be a change in funding for TfL.
TB: Can there be regular meetings with NR and LBWF officers?
Leytonstone - Church Lane Car Park
The council want to build on the Church Lane car park with an enormous development of 4 blocks of flats up to 14 storeys high. The planners allowed the Travelodge in Walthamstow to be built with 12 storeys and shortly after that tall buildings were deemed to be the standard for the Town Centre development and now a 34 storey plus a 27 storey block is under construction. The Church Lane development will be the starting point until over 30 storeys get proposed for the Tesco and Matalan sites! It has to be stopped!
This is the latest damage being done to Walthamstow Town Centre
Below is the response from Waltham Forest Civic Society.
From: Jane
Sterland
21 July 2023
For the attention of the Church Lane Car
Park project team
I am responding
to the initial proposals for the Church Lane car park site in the centre of
Leytonstone.
I attended one
of the drop-in sessions held last week and have an interest both as a local
Leytonstone resident and as chair of the Waltham Forest Civic Society. It was
good have a chance to meet members of the team and discuss the early-stage
proposals, however while some of the ideas are welcome others appear very
concerning.
The Civic
Society agrees that the site is under-used and could be put to better purpose
in providing homes, particularly genuinely affordable / social rent homes
suitable for families rather than one or two bed units. The site’s proximity to
services and transport links means it could be suitable for relatively dense
housing.
However we
believe this should not be built to extremely high density, to the detriment of
future occupants and nearby residents. The proposal for a wall of flats in four
blocks, ranging from 6-14 storeys in height, would have a severe impact on the
skyline and block out sunlight from the west for 100 or more houses for much of
the day, especially in winter. The flats and their proposed outdoor space on
the top of the blocks would also cause significant overlooking and loss of
privacy for nearby existing residents in low-rise homes.
Currently there
are no significantly high buildings in the centre of Leytonstone other than the
local landmark of St John’s church tower, which the highest block of flats
would exceed in height. The proposals would destroy the present character of
Leytonstone, and provide very little additional amenity space for the 100 or so
new homes which would be squeezed onto the site.
We believe a
good (and dense by normal standards) development could be created on the site
with at most 3-4 storeys topped by a mansard roof, as has been successfully
done elsewhere close to the centre of Leytonstone, and hope a scheme of this
nature can be developed.
Regarding other
aspects of the initial proposals, we would like to see as many of the existing
mature trees as possible retained on the site to preserve their huge
biodiversity value, alternative play and games spaces provided for children and
young people while any construction work takes place, and safe pedestrian
access to the M11 Link Road overpass from Harold Road maintained throughout
future building work.
We hope these
points can be taken into account as plans for the site are developed over the
coming months, and that a high quality scheme can be created which provides
housing for families while complementing, rather than fundamentally changing,
Leytonstone’s unique character.
Yours
sincerely,
Jane Sterland
Chair, Waltham
Forest Civic Society