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WALTHAMSTOW: Controversial station plans submitted

2:05pm Wednesday 8th September 2010 in


CONTROVERSIAL plans for the £15 million redevelopment of Walthamstow Central station have been submitted to Waltham Forest Council.

The proposals include creating a landmark station, 85 new homes, five new shops and an 88-bed hotel.

Construction of the high-rise element of the development on the station car park, in Hoe Street, could begin next Spring, if plans are approved.

Peter Hughes from developers Solum Regeneration said: "The proposals present an opportunity to provide a quality place in which to live, work and visit that is a catalyst for future economic regeneration in Walthamstow town centre.

"A new station square, public space and improved station access are core parts of the plan, which will also provide new homes to meet local needs. The new shop outlets and a hotel will help to strengthen the town centre, providing an extra £1 million local investment and 150 new job opportunities.

“We have consulted with local residents throughout the development of the proposals and have made a number of improvements since our exhibition in May.”

Solum Regeneration is a partnership between Kier Property and Network Rail and the plans are part of a £500 million scheme to develop seven train stations in London.

Plans for the project were put on public display in April.

Residents living nearby said the development, which will be of varying heights but include a 12-storey tower, will be out of keeping with the surrounding area and not benefit the local economy.

But Simon Rutter, director of Solum Regeneration insists the development will increase commercial spending in Walthamstow by £1million.

After residents raised concerns, the company reduced the scale and mass of the hotel building and the neighbouring residential block.

The plans also include more trees on the edge of the site neighbouring Priory Avenue.

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Comments(10)

Helen, Walthamstow says...
2:30pm Wed 8 Sep 10

I do wish developers would stop using that word "landmark" for buildings merely because they are tall or on a central site.

A landmark building is something which is outstandingly good and brings people to view it just for the sake of it. That is definitely not the case here.

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Sam Hain says...
5:15pm Wed 8 Sep 10

The Gherkin it ain't, that's for sure, Helen. In Walthamstow we hope for a Shard of Glass but usually get a Pile of Poo.

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Tom Thumb says...
6:04pm Wed 8 Sep 10

Don't burst a blood vessel, Helen.

The hotel is urgently needed, because people from all over the world want to come and stay in legendary Walthamstow.

Also that attractive colour scheme, reminiscent of the putrefying fruit you can buy in the market, is perfect for this locality.

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rubberneck says...
11:26pm Wed 8 Sep 10

Having lived here all my life this must be the 5th time the sation has been regenerated and it seems to get worse everytime they do it. I note that the EMD is not in any regeneration plans despite Mick Jaggers support and the Dalek parades of recent years.

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md-j says...
12:41am Thu 9 Sep 10

'“We have consulted with local residents throughout the development of the proposals...'
I went to the session at the Central Library, held at short notice for a very short time. The 'consultants' couldn't get out of the place fast enough, having had a unanimous ear-bashing from the public that the scheme was poor, and designed only to the parameters of off-the-shelf-develo
pment, having no relation to what would be good specifically for Walthamstow.
It's interesting to observe how the country's most corrupt company seems to have a particular homing instinct for this Borough: why might that be?

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Pamella says...
11:07am Thu 9 Sep 10

this si such a lot of eyewash, will it ever in a million years get built...the council couldnt sort out the arcade site what chance does this have.

in anycase there is no way that a hotel is required what are they thinking?

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Riche17 says...
12:10pm Thu 9 Sep 10

Are we able to have a look at the submitted plans now that the 'improvements' have been made?

I went along to the consultation which was p*** poor. Even the architect admitted the elevation of the hotel on Hoe Street was bland and of no architectural merit. Couldn't quite believe he said this but he did.

Any highrise in walthamstow will become a slum of the future - end of. The Tower Mews tower already looks run down and the cheap UPVC windows don't help.

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Silent Majority 2009 says...
2:20pm Thu 9 Sep 10

The only acknowledgement of the public's discust of this project is to remove a storey or 2 and reduce the bedrooms from 99 to 88. The whole scheme is poorly designed and does not attempt to deal with the issues created by this enclosed site. Any self respecting architect should have had nothing to do with this scheme. The danger now is that Solum plc has Network Rail money to build this scheme so there is no doubt it will go ahead unless our councillors on the planning committee or the GLA refuse it. This is going to be a very important test of this council. They can either lay down and say there is nothing they can do or fight the scheme all the way to a public enquiry. If we loose at that then there is no hope for Walthamstow as the last council ditched the Prince's Trust materplan and it will show that any rubbish can be built in Walthamstow. Come on Cllr Robbins let's see some leadership from you and stand up and say it should not be allowed. At least Tony Buckley stood up and said the UKCG should not get planning permission for the EMD and that situation still exists today.

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Sam Hain says...
3:30pm Thu 9 Sep 10

And Mussolini made the trains run on time, Silent Majority - so what?

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steverbuckley says...
10:47am Fri 10 Sep 10

The problem with Walthamstow is the residents reluctant to the past! Fight the heights, etc... Endless campaigns to stop this and to stop that! What people need to realise is that Walthamstow needs urgent regeneration. It needs to attract more professionals to the area and reestablish itself as a place to visit. I had been a resident for the past 12 years but could no longer stay as out priced in the property market for the type of home i want. I've now been able to buy in a NEW (yes, Walthamstow, NEW) apartment in a 'landmark' building in Barking. Yes, not as affluent as Walthamstow- or so we're led to believe. I often wonder where these campaigners and complainers live in Waltham Forest that object to all the plans. Do they not read the news? Gangs on the numerous estates, knife crime, gun crime.... we need to regenerate... and if building a bigger, better station sets the ball rolling then so be it!

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