WALTHAMSTOW: Group set up to fight high-rise

8:48am Wednesday 26th March 2008

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A CAMPAIGN group has been set up to fight high-rise developments in Walthamstow.

Residents concerned about a future of looming buildings have established Fight the Height (FTH), and are encouraging others to join.

"If normal residents don't get involved now then when the planning application lands in the bottom of their back garden it will be too late."

Caramel Quin

The group was born out of the fight against the proposed development on the council-owned Arcade site, on the corner of High Street and Hoe Street, Walthamstow.

The council's preferred bidder for the land, St Modwen, wnats to build an 18-storey high tower on the site, next to a low-rise residential street, Cleveland Park Avenue.

Meanwhile the council's consultation about the future of Walthamstow town centre, in collaboration with the Prince Charles' Foundation for the Built Environment, excludes this site.

Co-founder Caramel Quin, chairwoman of the Cleveland Park Residents' Association, said: "We are trying to appeal to people to realise that every bit of disused land could easily be turned into tower block if we start having precedents like this.

"It's all about building what councillors and St Modwen call a landmark development. But people don't want to live in some steel tower block, 18 storeys would be insane."

Ms Quin said Fight the Height is urging people to have their say on the council's Draft Interim Planning Policy Framework (IPPF), which is open for consultation only until April 4.

The IPPF is a masterplan which has emerged from Walthamstow's town centre consultation and will influence town planning policy in the future.

As well as creating what the council calls "a sustainable community" the IPFF will need to map out how councillors can meet new home targets set by London Mayor, Ken Livingstone.

According to FTH, it proposes unlimited housing, does not include infrastructure like extra schools and does not properly plan for a good mix of housing and commercial property.

The group believes overcrowding and homelessness can be tackled with well-designed low-rise developments instead of skyscrapers.

Ms Quin said she accepted it was hard to get people interested in the issue, but influencing documents like the IPFF was essential.

"If normal residents don't get involved now then when the planning application lands in the bottom of their back garden it will be too late," she said.

To comment on the IPPF, sign up to the group's mailing list or for more information, visit fighttheheight.co.uk