Policy information sourced from the Waltham Forest Local Plan

38 Hierarchy of Centres

The borough’s network of designated centres, as identified below, will be protected and enhanced in order to provide a sustainable distribution of town centre facilities and services to support local communities and deliver 15 Minute Neighbourhoods. The borough’s designated town centre hierarchy is as follows:

A. Major Centre - Walthamstow Town Centre. This is the borough’s principal and economic hub. The role of Walthamstow Town Centre will be reinforced by focusing investment in major comparison retailing activities, leisure, cultural and tourist and other main town centre uses including offices, workspace and complementary evening and night-time uses;

B. District Centres - North Chingford, South Chingford, Highams Park,Wood Street, Bakers Arms, Leyton, and Leytonstone. District Centres will be the primary focus for development and investment in shops, services, leisure and complementary community uses. A mix of uses will be supported to ensure the development of vibrant centres which meet the needs of the local communities that they serve;

C. Neighbourhood Centres - Sewardstone Road, Hatch Lane, Chingford Mount Road, Forest Road, Blackhorse Lane, Markhouse Corner, Francis Road, and Thatched House. These centres will be the focus for smaller scale retail and town centre services and facilities appropriate to their role and function, which is to serve the everyday needs of local communities;

D. Local Retail Parades - These form the lowest tier in the hierarchy and consist of small clusters/parades of shops containing at least five units which serve their immediate catchment area for local convenience shopping needs. These are defined on the Policies Map. Their role in providing local neighbourhood shopping and supporting facilities will be protected.