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CHINGFORD: Campaigners form residents' association to fight Stow plans

4:14pm Thursday 26th January 2012 in News By Joe Curtis

CAMPAIGNERS have formed a new residents’ association to fight plans to build a housing estate on the Walthamstow Stadium site.

Neighbours of the Chingford Road site are against London & Quadrant’s (L&Q) bid to build 294 homes and leisure facilities, with many voicing their opposition at a meeting last week.

The Walthamstow Stadium Residents’ Association is set to back an alternative proposal for the site from businessman Bob Morton, who hopes to return dog racing to the iconic stadium alongside housing.

Gail Penfold, 47, of Empress Avenue, is encouraging the community to unite against L&Q’s plans.

She said: “It will help us fight the developer together and hopefully it will give us a boost to kick-start our fight against what is just a concrete jungle.

“It will show the council it’s not just a few people who are opposed to this development – the feeling against it is widespread.

“We have a wonderful community around here and if this is built, it will land right in the middle of us: it would tear us apart.”

Mrs Penfold claims that a survey of she conducted in roads close to the stadium showed 96 per cent were against the L&Q proposal, which is due to be considered by the council in March.

Martin Sabar, 39, of Nelson Road, Chingford, has vowed to join the resident’s association.

He said: “Nobody wants to see the stadium become a housing estate, they should bring the dogs back – it really brought the community together, while the estate would drive it apart.

“The association is a great way to bring everybody’s concerns together and it will unite us. We’re much stronger together.”

An L&Q spokesman said: "A number of changes have been made following feedback from local residents and the council, including reducing the heights of some of the buildings and moving some these further away from neighbouring homes.

"The proposals, which have been submitted to Waltham Forest Council, will deliver a £50m iconic development and will preserve the heritage of the site. It will also provide 294 new homes for local families, a modern sports centre run by the community, a children’s nursery and allotments, as well as over 250 local jobs.”

People interested in joining the association can contact Mrs Penfold on 07852 544 910 or visit the Facebook page: facebook.com/pages/Walthamstow-Stadium

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Comments(5)

Stow Residents/Community Association says...
9:13am Fri 27 Jan 12

Unfortunately due to faulty SIM we are currently unable to answer calls. This should be rectified in the next few days. You are welcome to leave a message.

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Mrs Penfold says...
9:20am Fri 27 Jan 12

A little correction, All 176 forms were objections against the proposals and a total of 344 objections/comments/
signatories relating to the amended plan have been handed in by me, including those collected at the meeting

The 176 forms collected from five local roads, with calculations done on a property basis, not an individual basis, showed 96% of the properties I consulted were against the proposals.

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Stow Residents/Community Association says...
1:20pm Sat 28 Jan 12

Our telephone number is 07852 544 910 and is now activated and fully welcome.

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T.Baker says...
2:05pm Sat 28 Jan 12

No one is against a dog track if the welfare of the animals can be guaranteed.
Trudy Baker

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bishbosh says...
12:10am Sun 29 Jan 12

L and Q are disgraceful... No return of the Stow means a concrete jungle it is as simple as that despite what the L and Q pr machine try to say. They have land banked the Stow for nearly four years which provides them with substantial tax breaks. They submit spurious planning applications knowing they will not get planning permission so they can at a later date submit altered applications claiming they have listened to local residents and respected what has been put forward. Its total rubbish. The longer this goes on the more the Stow deteriorates and more apparent pressure goes on the local council to do something about a derelict site. The council knows this so does L and Q. The council will benefit from increased council tax income matched by the government New Build Bonus scheme for six years. Waltham Forest will receive circa £500,000 pa out of this development plus a minimum of £2 million under S 106 nagreements. L and Q and the council do not care about local opinion that is why the Residents Association is so important. I spent 30 years working in local government it is obvious what is happening.

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