Two town centres have been earmarked for significant investment as part of an on-going regeneration project. 

The £600,000 investment for Highams Park and south Leytonstone was approved today (March 17) by Waltham Forest council's cabinet. 

Both areas did not see any funding from the council's £9m better high street project, which resulted in over 250 shop fronts being renovated across nine shopping areas. 

The funding from the New Homes Bonus (NHB) will be spent in making the areas more "vibrant" by cleaning up public spaces and supporting local businesses through shop front improvements. 

Cabinet member for economic growth, cllr Clare Coghill said: "We first implemented shopfront improvements on Leyton High Road in the run up to the Olympic and Paralympic Games. 

"That particular scheme won the council a London Planning Award and since then we have rolled out similar projects at nine high street locations up and down the borough, spending £9million in making our town centres more vibrant and vital.

"This latest funding will allow us to apply the same principles to two areas of the borough that I believe will really feel the benefit."

Reports have been commissioned to identify where the money can be invested and the council has said it will work alongside the Highams Park Planning Group (HPPG) to ensure the best possible outcome. 

The £500,000 investment in South Leytonstone will focus on the 'southern gateway' junction of Cann Hall Road, High Road and Crownfield Road and will include restoration and conservation, improved shop signage and temporary pop-up shops at vacant retail units. 

Chairman Gordon Turpin of the HPPG said: "The group now has 750 members and we have identified around 34 priority projects that we want to pursue, so there are lots of great ideas for ways to make the most of Highams Park and a real groundswell of support for positive change."