A redevelopment project that will bring hundreds of homes and a wide range of new facilities to the Borough of Waltham Forest has been given the green light.
The joint planning application from Taylor Wimpey East London and Waltham Forest Council to revitalise The Score Centre in Leyton was approved by the Council’s planning committee on Tuesday 31 March 2020.
The proposals for Coronation Square include 750 new homes, of which 50 per cent will be affordable, as well as a new health hub and sports centre, pre-school nursery and a vibrant new civic square enclosed by retail and commercial space for existing and new start-up businesses. The development will also include a new District Heating Network and other measures to help reduce the impact of the climate emergency.
As part of the planning agreement an additional £5m will be put into improving local infrastructure and facilities, including approximately £486,500 towards Transport for London (TfL) bus services, over £400,000 towards local education and hundreds of thousands of pounds towards improving neighbouring highways.
Architects Pollard Thomas Edwards (PTE) designed Coronation Square to suit the local context and yet be distinctive, using robust materials to reflect the character of Leyton’s stone and brick civic buildings. Pink London brick gives warmth and a rough texture, combined in striking contrast with precise precast concrete balconies. Communal entrances will feature blank concrete walls acting as a canvas for local artists.
High-quality new green spaces are also key to the design, with homes arranged around shared garden courtyards that include lawns for recreation, play space for all ages and productive gardens.
A full programme of community engagement was carried out prior to the submission of the application, with feedback from Waltham Forest residents used to help shape the final proposals.
The project team will now begin the process of preparing to start work on site, taking full account of Government guidelines in relation to the COVID-19 crisis.
Waltham Forest Council Cabinet Member for Economic Growth and Housing Delivery, Councillor Simon Miller, said: “This is the largest home building scheme in the Council’s current programme, and we are pleased that it now has conditional planning permission and is able to move forward. As well as providing much needed new homes, including affordable ones, the scheme also boosts the health care and child care facilities in Leyton as well as providing many other benefits for the wider community, including local jobs for local people both during and after the construction work.”
David Pelle, Land and Planning Director for Taylor Wimpey East London, said: “We are thrilled that this major application has been approved and would like to thank councillors for taking the time to fully consider the many benefits that the development will bring to Waltham Forest.
“We have been working closely with the team at Waltham Forest Council in order to develop proposals that truly meet the needs of the entire community, bringing together a mix of high-quality housing to suit a wide range of buyers and vital new facilities that will cater to all ages.
“We are also pleased to confirm that the development will create approximately 200 long-term full-time jobs across a range of sectors, as well as construction jobs for the area including 38 training placements.
“It was particularly important that we aligned our vision for the Coronation Square development with the Council and neighbourhood objectives, and we would like to thank all those who gave feedback on the early proposals, including local residents and key community stakeholders. We believe this development will provide a positive legacy for the Borough and we will continue to engage with local people as work progresses.”
Justin Laskin, Associate Partner at PTE, said: “We are delighted with the planning committee’s decision. Coronation Square – which blends much-needed housing with carefully thought-through social infrastructure – is crucial to Leyton’s future.
“This is sustainable city-making in the truest sense: creating a new mixed-use quarter for a diverse community on brownfield land, with excellent transport links and amenity space for people of all ages. And significantly, its centralised district heating network has the capacity to power all of the new homes planned for the area in the years to come.”
The new Coronation Square development, on Council-owned land, will provide:
- 750 new homes contributing to meeting the borough’s housing need, with 50 per cent of them affordable
- Around 170 new trees
- An attractive civic square with retail outlets and cafes,
- Commercial space for existing and start-up businesses
- A health centre including a pharmacy
- A pre-school nursery
- A new sports and leisure complex for indoor sports with community facilities including, flexible use and meeting room spaces
- High-quality landscaping, public open space and play areas including a large water feature
- A District Heating Network energy centre
- Enhancements to the transport and cycle network networks
Further details of the proposals can be found at http://walthamforest.gov.uk/ScoreCentre where residents can also sign up for an email newsletter and be the first to get updates on the development.
Existing facilities will continue to operate until they move to their new location when the development is completed. The whole project is due to be completed by 2027.