Policy information sourced from The Waltham Forest Local Plan Core Strategy

CS1 - Location and Management of Growth

In planning for growth, the Council will seek to achieve an appropriate balance between physical, social and economic development and environmental protection. Growth will be distributed and managed by:

A) focusing regeneration activities in the key growth areas of Blackhorse Lane, Northern Olympic Fringe, Walthamstow Town Centre and Wood Street. In these areas, the Council will seek to accommodate growth primarily in housing and jobs, especially for local people. The Council will seek to provide growth in these areas as follows:

  • Blackhorse Lane - up to 2500 new homes, about 1000 new jobs,
  • Northern Olympic Fringe - up to 2500 new homes,
  • Walthamstow Town Centre - up to 2000 new homes,
  • Wood Street - up to 1000 homes;

(see policies CS2, CS8 and CS10 in particular).

B) directing additional growth in main town centre uses(10) in the designated town centres (subject to available capacity in individual centres) and maximising residential opportunities. These centres are shown on the key diagram and include the designated centres in and outside the key growth areas (see policies CS8, CS10, CS11 and CS14 in particular);

C) encouraging development that will benefit the wider community including housing, employment, leisure and community uses at sites including Walthamstow Dogs Stadium, Chingford Municipal Offices and underused land at Whipps Cross Hospital. Sites to be taken forward will be selected from the Site Opportunity Locations shown on Figure 8 by Area Action Plan and Site Specific Allocations DPDs. Precise boundaries and details of the proposals planned will be set out in those DPDs;

D) outside the identified growth areas and within the Borough generally, protecting and improving character areas, ensuring that proposals contribute positively to urban quality (see policies CS2, CS5, CS11, CS12, CS13, CS15 and CS16 in particular);

E) accommodating growth on previously developed land by:

  1. using land more efficiently (see Policies CS2 and CS8 in particular);
  2. protecting designated sites and areas (Green Belt, Metropolitan Open Land, Special Protection Areas, Ramsar sites, Conservation Areas and Listed Buildings) (see policies CS5, CS12 and CS15 in particular);
  3. safeguarding land for housing and employment use (see Policies CS2 and CS8 in particular);
  4. using redevelopment opportunities to improve the quality of the public realm (see policies CS5, CS7, CS13, CS15 and CS16 in particular);

F) tackling climate change (see policies CS4, CS6 and CS7 in particular);

G) ensuring the timely delivery of essential infrastructure to support growth (See Policies CS3, CS7, CS9 and CS10 in particular);

H) applying a comprehensive set of actions to implement the plan strategy including:

  • resisting any proposed development that will prejudice the future development of a neighbouring site and or prohibit the comprehensive development of a larger site,
  • cross borough working to promote and maximise funding opportunities available to the Council and its partners through planning obligations, a tariff charging schedule, bidding and funding regimes,establishment of Business Improvements Districts and
  • where necessary, use of compulsory purchase powers to tackle land issues which inhibit regeneration.

For more information please see the Local Plan Core Strategy