L&Q submits Walthamstow Stadium plans

Published by Ross Macmillan for 24dash.com in Housing and also in Local Government

London and Quadrant (L&Q) has submitted plans to Waltham Forest Council to turn the famous ex-greyhound racing stadium in the borough into 300 new homes.

The application follows much hype about the future of Walthamstow Stadium. L&Q has turned down bids for the site from greyhound enthusiast Bob Morton, who wants to restore dog racing and add affordable family homes at the venue.

The housing association has also become embroiled in a bitter war of words with local MPs Stella Creasy and Iain Duncan Smith over the future of the site.

The planning application follows months of community consultation including public events in March, said L&Q, which has seen it amend its plans in response to feedback from local communities.

Mike Johnson, Development Director at L&Q said: “We are very pleased to have delivered our application and look forward to continuing our community consultation as the application process takes place. To date our community consultation has included surveys, one to one meetings with local people, residents’ focus groups as well as meetings with students, local businesses, organisations and resident associations.  As a result of this ongoing consultation we have revised our plans to incorporate some of the feedback we have received and we are committed to continuing this work.

“We have conducted a lengthy consultation process.  The results from the most recent completed comments cards following the public exhibition and consultation in March 2011 show that 58% of respondents liked our proposals.”

Lee Davies, Director at Conran & Partners - the architects behind the scheme - said: “These exciting proposals will see this iconic heritage asset preserved and brought back to life for the wider community and future generations to appreciate and use.  The plans provide much needed new homes, public spaces, pedestrian connections through the site, a riverside walk and variety of leisure and community uses. Our aim has been to create a vibrant new place to work and somewhere people will choose to live.”

L&Q’s plans include:

• A new leisure centre offering a range of activities for all ages

• Children’s nursery with the capacity to provide between 60 and 80 places

• 301 new homes for local people

• Pocket allotments

• New public spaces

• £50m regeneration of the site

• Up to 250 new jobs, including local labour opportunities

• Bringing the heritage of the site into long-term use for the whole community