Waltham Forest Council is determined to “build its way out of” the recession caused by coronavirus and will soon restart building work.
Work on the Juniper House site on Hoe Street will restart later this month, with contractors observing social distancing rules.
At a virtual meeting on April 23, the cabinet agreed to proceed with the “comprehensive redevelopment” of the Avenue Road estate in Leytonstone.
A report prepared for the cabinet also estimated the redevelopment of the town hall campus could be delayed by as little as three months.
Cllr Simon Miller, who is responsible for economic growth and housing development, said building would be one of the “key means of recovery from coronavirus and its economic impact”.
Juniper House, Hoe Street
The Juniper House regeneration, which will provide 91 homes and a 53-place nursery in the centre of Walthamstow, will continue from May 11.
In a newsletter to residents, the council said: “Protecting the workforce and neighbouring residents and minimising the risk of spread of infection is our number one priority.
“As we start the site up again, we will be adhering to the social distancing recommendations published recently by the Construction Leadership Council. We will not undertake any activities that cannot safely take place.”
However, they apologise that there may be some “noise or inconvenience” and encourage residents to contact the contractor or, if necessary, the council with any concerns.
Town Hall Campus
A report prepared for cabinet describes the Town Hall regeneration as a "once in a lifetime opportunity to create a new neighbourhood in the heart of the borough."
The project intends to coalesce council workers from ten older buildings around the borough into office space on the campus, freeing up more space for housing.
The Magistrates building adjacent to the town hall will also be demolished so that housing can be built.
Cllr Miller (Lab, Leyton) told the cabinet that the town hall campus redevelopment was “absolutely critical” to the borough’s economic recovery.
He said: “We are confident that as soon as the crisis is over, we will be able to move ahead quickly.”
The project’s estimated end date is now March 2021, just three months later than the original date.
Avenue Road estate, Leytonstone
The regeneration of Avenue Road estate is one of the “central pieces” of rebuilding work in the south of the borough, according to Cllr Miller.
The council rejected alternative options, such as extensively refurbishing the existing buildings, in favour of a total redevelopment.
Cllr Miller said: “Full-scale redevelopment and reprovision of stock there is by far the most effective way of dealing with the urgent need to reprovide housing on that estate and deal with long-standing issues around maintenance and the historic fabric of the existing buildings.
“This will be the first balloted estate regeneration project in our borough and it’s absolutely important that we get it right.
“We know there are real sensitivities around how this work is taken forward and we are absolutely clear that we have the right team doing the right work to deliver this successfully.”
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