Policy information sourced from the Waltham Forest Local Plan

10 Central Waltham Forest

As the civic and creative centre of the borough, proposals will be supported where they:

A. Contribute to the delivery of a minimum of 8,700 new quality homes and jobs across the Central Area comprising of:

  1. 1,850 new homes in the Walthamstow Town Centre Strategic Location;
  2. 1,470 new homes in the Forest Road Corridor Strategic Location;
  3. 3,090 new homes in the Blackhorse Lane Strategic Location;
  4. 400 new homes in the Wood Street Strategic Location; and
  5. 1,890 outside Strategic Locations;

B. Promote and support the delivery of at least 3,000 new jobs in Central Waltham Forest;

C. Promote Walthamstow Town Centre as a major creative and economic hub of the borough, in accordance with its status as a Major Centre in the London Plan by;

  1. Supporting proposals that seek to expand the current town centre offer, particularly the retail mix and quality, flexible workspace, cultural infrastructure and supporting the developing evening economy and associated hospitality sector;
  2. Supporting proposals that seek to establish and consolidate the development of a cultural quarter and evening economy at the eastern end of the High Street and a residential neighbourhood, with retail, leisure, evening economy and community and health infrastructure as part of the emerging St James Quarter at the western end of the High Street, whilst preserving or enhancing the St James Conservation Area and recent heritage shopfront and public realm investment; and
  3. Encouraging proposals that seek to consolidate the role and function of Walthamstow Central transport hub as a key transport interchange in outer north London, whilst supporting its potential for development and enhancement;

D. Enable investment and the regeneration of the Wood Street District Centre and Blackhorse Lane Neighbourhood Centre;

E. Support the Blackhorse Lane Creative Enterprise Zone in line with Policy 37 ‘Blackhorse Lane Creative Enterprise Zone’;

F. Enable delivery of Fellowship Square as a new multi-purpose hub and liveable neighbourhood with supporting community, social infrastructure and retention of existing civic functions, whilst conserving and enhancing the significance of the listed buildings on the site;

G. Support proposals for new visitor attractions and related developments in the Walthamstow Town Centre Strategic Location, to complement existing cultural assets and emerging opportunities that the launch of Soho Theatre Walthamstow and London Borough of Waltham Forest Local Plan Local Plan (LP1) - Adoption Version 47Central Waltham Forest investment in Hatherley Mews, Vestry House Museum and Chestnuts House in Hoe Street will generate in the local economy from 2024 onwards, increasing dwell time for residents, tourists and visitors to the borough and building on the legacy of being London’s first ‘Borough of Culture’ in 2019;

H. Protect, promote and enhance Walthamstow Market as a unique community asset of Walthamstow Town Centre;

I. Preserve or enhance the heritage significance of the Lloyd Park, Walthamstow Village, Orford Road, Walthamstow St James, Leucha Road and Forest School Conservation Areas, in line with Policy 72 ‘Conservation Areas’;

J. Contribute to the management of and mitigation of the impact of development on the Epping Forest Special Area of Conservation (EFSAC) (see Policy 81 ‘Epping Forest and the Epping Forest Special Area of Conservation’) and the Lee Valley Special Protection Area (see Policy 82 ‘The Lee Valley Regional Park’); and protect and enhance the Green Belt and Metropolitan Open Land (MOL) (see Policy 77 ‘Green Infrastructure and the Natural Environment’), improving access where appropriate.

For more information please see the Waltham Forest Local Plan