Planning and Design Brief - Waltham Forest · Introduction to the planning and design brief Urban...

Blackhorse LaneStation Hub and Waterfront

February 2007

Planning and Design Brief

1. Introduction 1

2. Site context 5

3. Urban design analysis 9

4. Issues and opportunities 14

5. Design principles 17

6. Phasing 34

Appendix:Additional sources of information

ContentsThis document, the Interim Planning PolicyFramework, other planning and design briefsand background documents can bedownloaded from:www.walthamforest.gov.uk/blackhorselane

1. Introduction

Introduction to the planning and design brief

Urban Practitioners and Allies and Morrison havebeen commissioned by the London Borough ofWaltham Forest to develop a Planning and Designbrief for the Station Hub and Waterfront site inWaltham Forest. This is one of two planning anddesign briefs for the Blackhorse Road policy area.

The vision for the site is for a new public square atthe heart of a mixed use development locatedconveniently opposite Blackhorse Road station.This new development will incorporate highquality waterfront residential development andstriking, dramatic landmark buildings to mark thegateway into the Blackhorse Lane area. Alongsidethe western edge of the site, a new linearwaterfront park is envisaged, providing views ofthe reservoirs and recreational opportunities.

This brief should be read in conjunction with therecently adopted Blackhorse Lane Interim PlanningPolicy Framework (September 2006), and is aimedat identifying principles to guide futuredevelopment on the site, derived from a thoroughanalysis of the site and its attendant opportunitiesand constraints. It is hoped that the brief will beutilised as a promotional tool to attract potentialfuture investors and as a development strategy byexisting landowners.

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1.1 The vision for Blackhorse LaneCreating a thriving, more attractive place for both residents and businesses

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This design brief should be read in conjunctionwith the recently adopted Blackhorse Lane InterimPlanning Policy Framework (IPPF) (September2006). The IPPF provides a clear framework tosupport the regeneration of the Blackhorse Lanearea over the next 10 years. The IPPF is theculmination of two years of analysis, optionsappraisal, and consultation. It outlines a vision forthe future of the area which is not only supportedby the local council (London Borough of WalthamForest), but also enjoys widespread support fromother public agencies, landowners and the localcommunity.

The IPPF identifies three growth areas fordevelopment (see Figure 1.1): • The Station Area;• Sutherland Road; and• Billet/Kimberley.

This planning and design brief relates to one ofthe key sites within the Station growth area andsets out the following: • Site context;• Urban design analysis;• Issues and opportunities; and• Design principles.

Fig 1.1 Key diagram from theBlackhorse Lane IPPF

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The vision for the Blackhorse Lane area, asoutlined in the Blackhorse Lane IPPF, describes anarea which has great potential for improvementfor becoming a thriving, attractive place for bothresidents and businesses with significantcommunity facilities. Blackhorse Lane is in anexcellent position adjacent to the reservoirs andthe beautiful natural assets of the Lee ValleyRegional Park, with good rail and tubeconnections to London and the surroundingboroughs. The area also has a strong base ofsmall and medium sized businesses and asubstantial young population, and all of theirneeds must be taken into account in thisrevitalisation process in order to fully benefit fromthe area’s existing strengths as a well-establishedindustrial and residential community.

The planning framework outlines six objectives forthe future of the area: • Objective 1 – A new centre around the station• Objective 2 – Bringing the country into the city• Objective 3 – Meeting housing need• Objective 4 – A 21st century business area • Objective 5 – New horizons for local people• Objective 6 – Managing traffic and

encouraging sustainable transport.

Objective 1: A new centre around the station Blackhorse Road station marks the entry intoWaltham Forest and has the potential to becomean impressive gateway into the borough and avibrant local hub. With its good public transportconnections and its strategic location within theLondon-Stansted-Cambridge-Peterboroughcorridor, there is an opportunity for newdevelopment to be focused around the station. A

1.2 The vision for Blackhorse LaneSix key objectives

high density, mixed use development with retail,leisure and housing is proposed, focused around anew public square opposite Blackhorse Roadstation.

Objective 2: Bringing the country into the cityBlackhorse Lane is located adjacent to atremendous natural resource, the Lee ValleyRegional Park, which incorporates the reservoirs tothe west and Tottenham Marshes to the north.

Views of the reservoirs and Marshes are currentlyrestricted by barriers such as the extensiveindustrial area and a lack of information andsignage.

A range of proposals for the wider BlackhorseLane area seek to address these issues, includingnew ‘green’ routes leading from Blackhorse Laneto the reservoirs and from Billet Road to BanburyReservoir and the adjacent playing fields in the

Fig. 1.2 An indicative sketch of the vision for Blackhorse Lane

41.2 The vision for Blackhorse LaneSix key objectives

north of the area, and a new linear park along theeastern edge of the High Maynard Reservoir.These proposals have been considered throughpartnership working with the key stakeholderssuch as the Lee Valley Regional Park Authority, theEnvironment Agency and Thames Water.

Objective 3: Meeting housing needThere is a London-wide housing shortage andBlackhorse Lane has significant housingdeprivation. The planning framework will enablethe development of up to 2,000 new homes inthe area, including a high proportion of affordablehomes to rent or buy. The emphasis fordevelopment in the Blackhorse Lane area, inaccordance with the London Plan, is forsustainable mixed use development which offershigh quality living for new residents andcontributes positively to the quality of life ofexisting residents by accommodating new publicspaces, walking and cycling routes, shops, servicesand leisure opportunities.

Objective 4: A 21st Century business areaBlackhorse Lane forms part of an industriallocation of regional importance, the Upper LeeValley. Proposals for the area which seek toemphasise this strength include increasingcommercial floorspace by increasing developmentdensities on existing sites, and renewing andmodernising industrial areas. In addition, it isimportant that the needs of residents living closeto industrial areas are taken into account whenconsidering access for heavy goods vehicles,security and noise levels.

Objective 5: New horizons for local people The future development of the Blackhorse Lanearea must take into account and provide for thecurrent and future needs of local people,particularly young people. A range of servicedevelopments are either planned or indevelopment including a new children’s centre, ahealth centre and new schools offering the localcommunity greater use of their facilities outsideschool hours.

Objective 6: Managing traffic andencouraging sustainable transport Based on the findings of a detailed TransportAccess and Infrastructure study, the planningframework seeks to improve conditions forpedestrians, cyclists, and users of public transport,whilst ensuring the efficient servicing ofbusinesses and homes. Proposals include increasedhousing and employment densities around thearea’s key transport node, Blackhorse Roadstation, improved pedestrian access to the station,new walking and cycling routes, and new accessroads for industrial traffic.

New homes need to be built (image credit: Urban Exposure)

Local people’s needs must be met

2. Site context

Introduction to the site

Section 2 provides a brief description of the siteand its location within the wider context of theBlackhorse Lane area.

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Site descriptionThe Station Hub and Waterfront site is locatedbetween Blackhorse Lane, the Lockwood andMaynard Reservoirs, and Forest Road. It forms thesouthern end of a substantial area ofcommercial/industrial buildings, which arebounded by Blackhorse Lane, Tottenham Marshes,and the reservoirs.

The site is located within the Upper Lee ValleyOpportunity Area and is in close proximity to anumber of regeneration areas which will beundergoing major change in the near future,including the Lower Lea Valley and the site of theOlympic Park and Tottenham Hale, amongstothers.

The wider Blackhorse Lane industrial area covers24.8 hectares and is home to a range of usesbased in units ranging between 1,500 sq ft and419,761 sq ft in size.

The Blackhorse Lane industrial area site is dividedinto seven estates: Lockwood Way, the DeltaGroup Site, Uplands Business Park, Forest TradingEstate, Blackhorse Lane Industrial Estate, ForestWorks and Ferry Lane Industrial Estate. Only thesouthern part of this area is covered by thisplanning brief and the site boundary (shaded inpink here) is shown overleaf in Figure 2.2.

The IPPF states that under Policy BHLP1, theCouncil will seek to secure proposals for a mix ofuses on this site (known as BHL1) including retail,leisure, residential and commercial uses includinga Neighbourhood Centre and a section of thewaterfront park.

2.1 Station Hub and Waterfront siteSetting the scene

Fig. 2.1 The station hub and waterfront site in the context of the wider Blackhorse Lane area

Reproduced from the Ordnance Survey digital mapswith the permission of the Controller of Her Majesty'sStationery Office (c) Crown Copyright. License No.London Borough of Waltham Forest LA 100018724.

TottenhamMarshes

High and LowMaynardReservoirs

LockwoodReservoir

Billet/Kimberley

SutherlandRoad

Station HubandWaterfront

Blackhorse LaneIndustrial Area

Billet Road

Forest Road

Blackhorse Lane

Site boundary and description As Figure 2.2 shows, the site covered by thisplanning brief is bounded by Hookers Road andthe rest of the Blackhorse Lane industrial area tothe north, Blackhorse Lane to the east, ForestRoad to the south, and the Lee Flood ReliefChannel (FRC) to the west. Alongside the FRC isDagenham Brook which is an ephemeral streamserved only by drainage waters. The Brook is onlyexposed along the edge of the site before headingunderground further north (see Figures 5.6 and5.9).

The site comprises:• Ferry Lane Industrial Estate;• Forest Works; • the southern part of the Blackhorse Lane

Industrial Estate; • car park owned by London Underground; and• The Standard Music Venue.

The site also benefits from its close proximity toBlackhorse Road transport interchange with itsgood connectivity to central, North and EastLondon. Further details on the characteristics ofthe site are provided in Section 3.2.

The Council will seek to secure the regenerationof the Station Hub and Waterfront site byencouraging proposals that promote acomprehensive and co-ordinated approach toredevelopment with appropriate phasing to ensurethe necessary infrastructure is in place to create ahigh quality mixed use scheme and fully mitigateany potential conflict of amenity betweenresidents and businesses during transitionalphases. This is likely to require site assembly and

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Fig. 2.2 Boundary of the Mandora/Punch Pubs/London Undergorund car park site


Reproduced from the Ordnance Survey digitalmaps with the permission of the Controller ofHer Majesty's Stationery Office (c) CrownCopyright. License No. London Borough ofWaltham Forest LA 100018724.

Forest Road

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BlackhorseRoad station

Hookers Road

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STATION HUB ANDWATERFRONT SITEBOUNDARY

support for businesses to help them stay withinthe local area (see Section 6.1). A piecemealapproach to development carries with it asignificant risk that the design and developmentprinciples set out in this brief would not be fullyrealized which would severely compromise thequality of the scheme overall.

Land use policiesThe Blackhorse Lane industrial area is identified bythe London Plan as a Strategic EmploymentLocation (SEL) which means that it will beprotected for employment use. Policy BHLP7 inthe IPPF states that the boundary of theBlackhorse Lane SEL will be changed, resulting inthe release of part of the site covered by thisplanning brief for non-employment uses (seeFigure 2.3). Parts of the site have been selectedto be released because the area aroundBlackhorse Road Station is currently under used,run down and unattractive providing a poorgateway to the borough and few facilities for localresidents and people using the station.

While proposing a reduction in the overall amountof employment land section 9.6 of the IPPF setsout a robust strategy for the retained employmentland which seeks to protect it and enhance theeconomic and employment benefits that itprovides. To support this strategy, policy BHLP8 inthe IPPF states that no residential or retaildevelopment on the site will be permitted unlesspart of a proposal that includes new industrial/commercial premises in the northern part of thesite.

Figure 2.3 here shows the relationship betweenthe planning and design brief boundary (shadedpink on the larger map) and the revised SEL. Assuch, any new development in the Station Huband Waterfront site boundary which is north ofthe revised SEL boundary should be foremployment-generating uses only (area shaded inblue on the inset map).


Fig. 2.3 Boundary of the Station Hub and Waterfront site and new (orange) and old (blue) SEL boundaries

Reproduced from the Ordnance Survey digital maps with thepermission of the Controller of Her Majesty's Stationery Office(c) Crown Copyright. License No. London Borough of WalthamForest LA 100018724.

New BlackhorseLane StrategicEmploymentLocationboundary

Old Blackhorse LaneStrategic EmploymentLocation boundary

High and LowMaynardReservoirs

Station Hub andWaterfront site

Forest Road

BlackhorseLane

Forest Road

Employment uses only

New Blackhorse Lane StrategicEmployment Location boundary

Site boundary

3. Urban design analysis

Introduction to urban design analysis

This section sets out the urban design analysis forthe Station Hub and Waterfront site which hasinformed the design principles and proposals setout in the following section.

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Figures 3.1 to 3.4 here show an overview of theurban design analysis for the wider BlackhorseLane area. The key findings were as follows:• there is a seamless urban grain across the wider

area; • there is a fine, human-scale east-west grain

across the wider Blackhorse Lane area;• at present, the majority of industrial activities

are focused west of Blackhorse Lane with someat Sutherland Road; and

• the Blackhorse Lane industrial area is boundedto the north by modern peripheral residentialdevelopment, to the east by ribbon (or linear)residential development and the SutherlandRoad industrial area to the east. To the south,there are playing fields and a site owned byEnglish Partnership who have proposals forresidential development.

3.1 Blackhorse Lane area contextUrban grain, existing nodes of activity and character areas

Fig. 3.1 Seamless urban grain of the wider area Fig. 3.2 Continuation of the east-west grain of Blackhorse Lane

Fig. 3.3 Existing nodes of activity Fig. 3.4 Existing character areas

Maps reproduced from the Ordnance Survey digital maps with the permission ofthe Controller of Her Majesty's Stationery Office (c) Crown Copyright. LicenseNo. London Borough of Waltham Forest LA 100018724.

The area is of varied character, and features a mixof 1960s light industrial and warehousing units,more modern industrial units with ancillary officeprovision, service outlets with elements ofretail/trade provision, and a public house and alive music venue. The site also includes the stationcar park owned by London Underground which isheavily used.

Figure 3.5 show the land uses on the site. Thekey points to note as shown by Figure 3.5 are asfollows:• the site is predominantly occupied by B2

industrial uses;• there are some B8 storage/distribution uses

north of the London Underground station carpark;

• 5, Blackhorse Lane provides accommodation forB1 business uses;

• there is an A4 use on the corner of BlackhorseLane and Forest Road, the Standard; and

• the area to the north comprises further B2 andB8 uses, and there are residential uses to theeast of Blackhorse Lane, as well as on thewestern side south of Hookers Road.

The surrounding area is characterised by industrialproperties to the north, residential properties(largely terraced houses) to the east of BlackhorseLane, the Flood Relief Channel and reservoirs tothe west and a car wash, car hire outlets,Blackhorse Road station and Douglas Eyre PlayingFields to the south.

3.2 Existing built context and local land use patternsLand uses in and around the Station Hub and Waterfront site

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Fig. 3.5 Existing land use

Reproduced from the Ordnance Survey digital maps with thepermission of the Controller of Her Majesty's Stationery Office (c)Crown Copyright. License No. London Borough of WalthamForest LA 100018724.

Forest Road

Hookers Road

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Car park

Figure 3.6 shows the heights of buildings on thesite. The key points to note are as follows:• the Blackhorse Lane frontage is distinguished by

two three-storey office/light industrial buildingsat 5 and 7 Blackhorse Lane;

• the two-storey live music venue and publichouse, the Standard, on the corner of the site islocated at a key site at the heart of theBlackhorse Lane area;

• the west of the site, towards the MaynardReservoirs and the flood relief channel, ischaracterised by large two-storey commercialunits which do not provide much of a sense ofenclosure, and which present significant barriersto view of the reservoir from the rest of the site,The two tallest buildings on the site are alsolocated here on the western edge: two four-storey warehouses at the northwest corner ofthe site;

• the eastern edge of the site faces two-storeyresidential properties on Blackhorse Lane and onthe roads leading off it; and

• the southern portion of the site occupied by thecar park, faces a site currently occupied by TfLbuildings, car hire outlets and a car washfacility, but which has been identified forpotential development in the period up to 2016in the IPPF.

3.3 Existing building heightsHeights of buildings in and around the Station Hub and Waterfront site

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Figure 3.6 Existing building heights

Reproduced from the Ordnance Survey digital maps with thepermission of the Controller of Her Majesty's Stationery Office (c)Crown Copyright. License No. London Borough of Waltham ForestLA 100018724.

Forest Road

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Figure 3.7 shows the key urban design issuesarising with regard to the Station Hub andWaterfront site. These key issues, some of whichare shown on Figure 3.7, are set out below.

1.A lack of a strong, visual gateway orlandmark development into the BlackhorseLane area (either from the station or from thewest) and a lack of clear identity for the area.

2.A lack of high quality public space,particularly hard-landscaped space.

3.Restricted access to and views of thereservoirs as a result of poor east-west publicconnections across the site for pedestrians andcyclists, the presence of large industrialwarehouses and the concrete embankment ofthe flood relief channel.

4. A poor quality pedestrian and cyclingenvironment, with (as mentioned above) a lackof east-west connections through the site andpoor connections at the station junction andacross Forest Road and along the Lea Valley.

5. Poor quality of interfaces between theresidential areas and industrial estates, theirneeds and associated traffic.

6.Poor access to, and circulation within, theindustrial area. Access into the site is currentlythrough Hooker’s Road which is narrow (makingaccess difficult for goods vehicles) and providespoor sight lines along Blackhorse Lane. Newaccess arrangements to serve new developmentwould therefore be required.

3.4 Key urban design issues Key areas for improvement in the Station Hub and Waterfront site

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Figure 3.7 Key urban design issues


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4. Issues and opportunities

Introduction to the issues and opportunities

This section sets out the issues and opportunitiesidentified for the Station Hub and Waterfront site,as highlighted by the urban design analysis as wellas the extensive research that has beenundertaken to inform the IPPF and this brief. Inparticular, the urban design analysis in theprevious section highlights the rare opportunitythat the site presents to create a dramatic andstriking, high quality development for BlackhorseLane.

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1. Proximity to main thoroughfare and impacton residential amenity The site is currently devoted almost exclusively tolight industrial, commercial, and warehousingoperations, and is bounded A503 (Forest Road)and B179 (Blackhorse Lane). This generates aconvenient location from which to conductcommercial operations of the type currently onthe site, but means that any new residentialdevelopment should take into considerationmeasures such as double-glazing and other formsof sound insulation, in order to protect amenityvalues.

2. Relocation of tenantsThe site provides accommodation for a range ofbusiness types, including retail, warehousing, lightindustrial, and office uses. These are valuableemployment generators for the local area, andshould be relocated elsewhere in the local area,either in the remainder of the Blackhorse Laneindustrial area to the north or proposedSutherland Road business park to the east.

3. Maintaining industrial capacityThe IPPF proposes releasing a large proportion ofthe site from the SEL on the condition that thesite area that remains within the SEL is renewedand intensified for employment use. Industrialcapacity will also be maintained through theeastward expansion to the SEL to incorporate anew business park on the Webbs site.

4.1 Key issues Key issues for the Station Hub and Waterfront site

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4. Maintaining employment levelsRedevelopment and the introduction of newbusiness uses will alter the profile of employmentprovision on the site. A recent study, A LabourMarket Assessment of Physical Development atBlackhorse Lane (May 2006) has been prepared byconsultants SQW which supports an overallstrategy of retaining and attracting businesseswhich provide an employment mix which closelymatches the skills profile of the local population,thus improving opportunities for localemployment.

5. Flood riskApproximately 35-40% of the station hub andwaterfront site is located within Flood Zone 3, anda small fraction in Flood Zone 2. Available mapssuggest that in the event of a 1 in 100 year flood,actual flood water levels could reach depths up to57cm on some parts of the site. As such, inaccordance with Policy WPM18 in the WalthamForest UDP First Review (adopted March 2006),any proposals in areas at risk of flooding willrequire a Flood Risk Assessment in line with PPS25: Development and Flood Risk.

The site’s proximity to the Lee Flood ReliefChannel (FRC) and Dagenham Brook is also a keyissue which needs to be considered in the designof any development on the western edge of thesite in particular. In particular, there is arequirement by the Environment Agency for abuffer zone so that new development is 8metresaway from Dagenham Brook (which is a mainriver) and east of the FRC.

The Flood Relief Channel and Dagenham Brook (looking north)

6. Flood Relief Channel and Dagenham BrookThe FRC to the west of the site is crucial to the localinfrastructure, and cannot be compromised by futuredevelopment. However, the existing channelobstructs views towards the reservoir, andcompromises the environmental benefits that couldbe achieved on the site through redevelopment. Assuch, any development on the waterfront needs totake the FRC and Dagenham Brook intoconsideration.

Further work on the feasibility of the waterfront parkand its relationship with the FRC and DagenhamBrook will be commissioned by the Council, andearly discussions have indicated that there may bepotential to de-culvert and naturalise DagenhamBrook to improve its amenity and ecological value.

Developers for the site should liaise with the Counciland the Environment Agency at the early stages ofplanning and design, in order to gain a fullunderstanding of the issues relating to the FRC andDagenham Brook.

1. Dramatic, gateway development The site offers a rare opportunity to create astriking, visual gateway or landmark developmentfor the Blackhorse Lane industrial area (andWaltham Forest as a borough), for peopleentering from Haringey in the west and atBlackhorse Road station. In particular, the‘gateway’ development should be located at thesouth-western corner of the site and at the cornerof the Standard junction. A cohesive andcomprehensive approach to development isessential if a high quality gateway development isto be achieved.

2. High quality, waterfront development The site offers opportunities for new residentialdevelopment to benefit from the close proximityof the Maynard reservoirs and the Lee ValleyRegional Park, in terms of views and recreationalopportunities.

3. A new waterfront park for the area The proximity of the site to the significant naturalassets of the Maynard reservoirs and the LeeValley Regional Park offers the site a unique sellingpoint. This should be maximised through thecreation of a new linear waterfront park whichcan provide enhanced access and/or views to thereservoirs, as well as clearer linkages to the LeeValley Regional Park.

4. Raising the profile of Blackhorse Lane The redevelopment of the site presents BlackhorseLane with an opportunity to raise its profile andimage in the local area, and in the North Londonsub-region as a whole. In turn, this could help tosecure high quality, higher density development inthe area.

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5. Proximity to Blackhorse Road transport node The Blackhorse Road transport node offers accessinto the West End and City of London,Walthamstow Town Centre, and other eastwarddestinations via the Victoria Line, Silverlink rail,and bus services. These are invaluable features ofthe local infrastructure, and will act as a majorincentive to future investors or developersconnected to the site.

6. Provision of high density, mixed-usedevelopment The position of the site between the reservoir andthe Blackhorse Road transport interchangesuggests that it would be an ideal location forhigh density, mixed-use development to includeresidential provision. This would allow fordiversification in an exclusively commercial/industrial location, which would promptimprovements to the local environment,potentially through Section 106 contributions. Itwill also provide a spur to attempts to introduce awider range of local amenities and services intothe area around Blackhorse Road station, whichwould benefit the wider area.

7. Improvements for pedestrian and cycleaccess in and around the siteThere are opportunities to improve thepermeability of the site for pedestrians and cyclistsin particular, in order to enhance access and viewsto the reservoirs and the proposed waterfrontpark.

8. Land assemblyThough the site comprises a number of differentplots of land, some of the key landowners arealready working together on developing a

coherent vision for the future development of thesite. This cohesive and comprehensive approach isessential for delivering the principles set out in thisbrief. The Council is particularly keen toencourage proposals that seek to redevelop thewhole site or a large proportion of the site inorder to realise the design principles set out in thisbrief.

9. Proximity to areas undergoing majorregeneration English Partnerships and Circle 33 who own sitesimmediately south of Blackhorse Road station,including the former British Rail goods yard, haveplans for new residential development on theirsites. In addition to this, the site is located withinthe Upper Lee Valley Opportunity Area, asidentified in the London Plan, and as such is closeto other sites undergoing major transformationincluding Tottenham Hale on the opposite side ofthe Maynard reservoirs. There may also bebenefits from the Olympic Park site which is underconstruction for the 2012 Olympic and ParalympicGames to the south, in the Lower Lea Valley.

As such, redevelopment of the Station Hub andWaterfront site would be well-placed to takeadvantage of the socio-economic benefitsemerging from these new developments.

10. Re-provision of a music venue for the areaThe redevelopment of this site offers the area anopportunity to re-provide a music venue for thelocal community and as an attraction to visitorsfrom outside the area.

4.2 Key opportunities Key opportunities for the Station Hub and Waterfront site

5. Design principles

Introduction to design principles

This section sets out the design principlesidentified for the Station Hub and Waterfront site.It sets out the following:• a vision for the site;• design principles;• public realm proposals;• development plots and building layout;• building heights; and• entrances and access routes.

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The vision for the Station Hub and Waterfront siteon the corner of Forest Road and Blackhorse Laneis for a new public square at the heart of a newmixed use development, located convenientlyopposite Blackhorse Road station. Thedevelopment will include high quality waterfrontresidential units and enhanced industrial units inthe southern portion of the revised SEL area. Thevision for this site also includes a new linearwaterfront park which leads north to TottenhamMarshes and the rest of the Lee Valley RegionalPark, with an entrance on Forest Road.

The public squareAt present, the first impression of the BlackhorseLane area when leaving the underground/railstation is that of the busy road junction and theStandard. The creation of the square is proposedbehind or adjacent to the existing site of theStandard Music Venue, with every effort made tore-provide the venue within the newdevelopment. This square will be of a high qualitydesign and hard landscaped and will be the heartof the station hub development. The square willfront onto Forest Road and provide pedestrianaccess north to the rest of the new development.Retail frontages will front onto the square to helpcreate a thriving, vibrant hub for the BlackhorseLane area.

5.1 The vision for the Station Hub and Waterfront site A new square, mixed use development around Blackhorse Road station and a linear waterfront park

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Figure 5.1 Indicative sketch of the proposed public square

5.1 A vision for the Station Hub and WaterfrontA new square, mixed use development around Blackhorse Road station and a linear waterfront park

Dramatic gateway or landmark developmentThe site presents a rare opportunity for a strongarchitectural statement which ‘announces’ theBlackhorse Lane area from the west in particular,with views across the waterfront. In addition, italso offers a secondary landmark developmentopportunity on the corner site opposite thestation.

High density, mixed use development withviews over the waterfront where possible New development on the site will be mixed usewith retail and other facilities/services (such as ahealth and fitness centre) provided around thesquare, fronting Forest Road and located oppositeBlackhorse Road station. The remainder of thedevelopment will be for residential and highquality business use which will benefit from thegood public transport connectivity and theproposed waterfront park.

A waterfront parkA new linear, waterfront park is envisaged for thesite, located adjacent to the reservoirs and newresidential development with excellent views ofthe wider Lee Valley. This waterfront park willhelp ‘bring the country into the city’ by enablinglocal residents to see and visit the reservoirs andthe assets of the Lee Valley Regional Park moreeasily, as well helping to raise the amenity of thenew residential and business developments.

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New road As outlined in the IPPF (BHLP15), a new road fromForest Road leading north towards Hookers Roadand eventually connecting to Blackhorse Lane isproposed. It is envisaged that this road will: • provide primary access to new developments;• allow much needed pedestrian improvements at

the Standard junction; and• reduce traffic flows on the southern end of

Blackhorse Lane that will benefit bus servicesand improve the local environment.

Chelsea Bridge Wharf, courtesy of Berkeley Homes

Waterfront development by the New River in Hornsey, London

A unified approach In order to achieve this vision of a lively mixed-useretail, leisure, residential and commercial hubextending from the station to the waterfront,fringed by a new park, a coordinated approach todevelopment across the entire site is vital. A highquality comprehensive development embodying theprinciples set out in this section is required.

The design principles flow directly from the visionand are set out in the next section with furtherguidance provided in Section 12.2 of the IPPF.Detail on the phasing of the delivery of the visionand the identified proposals is also provided inSection 6 of this brief.

Following the urban design analysis and sitecontext for the site, a number of design principleshave emerged. Figure 5.2 illustrates in broadterms, the nature and character of theredeveloped site which includes the key featuresas set out overleaf.

5.2 Design principles Principles for new development on the Station Hub and Waterfront site

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Fig. 5.2 Proposed character of the area - concept drawing

• A linear waterfront park on the western edgeof the site, alongside the High Maynard reservoir;

• Development with views and frontage overthe reservoirs and waterfront park;

• New east-west linkages across the site; • Integration with the existing urban fabric,

particularly with the existing residential dwellingsand retail parade on Blackhorse Lane;

• A new station hub focused around BlackhorseRoad station with a new square and retail units;and

• Gateway developments marking the entranceinto the area and making the crossing over thereservoirs (i.e. along Forest Road) from Haringey ahigh quality urban experience for people enteringthe revitalised Blackhorse Lane area.

The rest of this section sets out the designprinciples for the site in more detail.

1. A dramatic gateway or landmarkdevelopment of exceptional qualityThere is a rare opportunity to create a strong,positive, architectural statement for the newBlackhorse Lane area at the southwestern corner ofthe site, which will be seen by people entering thearea from the west. It will also be seen by peoplealong the Lee Valley itself and clearly mark theBlackhorse Lane area as a place in which people willwant to live, work and visit.


Waterside development, Benyon Wharf, Hackney

High quality public spaces and cafés where people will want torelax

In addition, the site opposite Blackhorse Roadstation on the corner of Forest Road andBlackhorse Lane is a key site for the area andtherefore also presents an opportunity for a strong,landmark building which ‘announces’ the area topeople arriving at the station.

As such, any development proposals for theseparticular plots (see Section 5.4) in the site shouldbe of the highest possible design quality.

2. High density development near the stationThe plots nearest the station provide anopportunity to create high density, mixed usedevelopment, in line with London Plan and UDPpolicies. Whilst this may include taller buildings onForest Road and around the new station square,new buildings facing the existing two-storeyterraced houses on the eastern side of BlackhorseLane for example, should be sensitive to thisexisting urban fabric.

3. New waterfront developmentThe waterfront plots should provide whereverpossible, optimal views of the reservoirs and theLee Valley Regional Park. In addition, this newdevelopment should be of the highest designquality, whilst also seeking to reflect the sensitivenature of its location by these major natural assets.Waterfront plots should have a minimum of 30metres between the FRC and the western edge ofthe plots including at least 8 metres between theplots and Dagenham Brook (see Section 5.4) toallow for a buffer zone required by theEnvironment Agency (which is at least 8 metres)and room for the waterfront park.

4. High quality public realm and public spacesIn order to create a new residential quarter inwhich people will want to live, it is essential thatthe quality of the public realm is of a high enoughstandard, as well as sustainable. Both public andprivate open spaces and foot/cycle paths should becreated using planting, high quality materials andlighting, and with the maximum amount of naturalsurveillance possible, in order to create a safercommunity. In addition, a limited range or paletteof materials and street furniture should be agreedupon by the Council and developers in order tocreate a coherent, simplified and ‘clutter-free’ newarea.

5. Re-introduction of a finer, more human-scale urban grainAs shown in section 2, there is a strong east-westurban grain which is found in the surroundingresidential areas around the site. As the sitedeveloped as an industrial estate (and car park),this fine grain has been lost and needs to beintroduced if the site is to be redeveloped forresidential and other uses, so that it provides amore human-scale and legible environment, andintegrates well with the existing residential fabric.

New east-west pedestrian and cycle connectionsacross the site (which should be tree-lined wherepossible to enhance the linkages with the newwaterfront park) will also improve permeability andease movement across the site. A key opportunityto improve connectivity will be through theprovision of a new north-south cycle andpedestrian route connecting Coppermill Lane tothe south and Lockwood Way/Tottenham Marshesto the north.


6. Sustainable development Given that approximately 35-40% of the site iswithin Flood Zone 3, and a small fraction is inZone 2, this needs to be considered in the designof any development on the site. With dueconsideration to appropriate mitigation measures,current government policies outlined in PPS25would permit the site to be considered fordevelopment. In particular, it will be essential thatnew development reduces the threat to peopleand their property from flooding, and delivers thegreatest benefits for sustainable development.

Developers are very likely to be required toundertake a site-specific flood assessment for thissite. As stated in the IPPF (Section 8.5),“development must have their lowest residentialareas above the ‘Flood Zone 3 design level’ (thewater level predicted for a 1 in 100 year floodplus a 20% increase in flow) and must not reduce(and should aim to increase) overall levels of floodcapacity.” The Council has undertaken a StrategicFlood Risk Assessment and published a developertoolkit (available at www.walthamforest.gov.uk/blackhorselane) to assist developers in addressingflood risk issues.

New development should have the potential toincorporate features that will have both ecologicaland amenity value, and reduce flood risk throughfor example, the use of sustainable urbandrainage systems (SUDS). SUDS collect and storerun-off in order to allow natural cleaning beforeinfiltration or controlled release to watercoursessuch as the FRC.

An example of a green roof (image credit: Environment Agency,11 April 2006)

Beddington Zero Energy Development (BedZed), Sutton

SUDS can maximise water retention, preventpollution, control flooding, recharge groundwaterand encourage wildlife whilst providing amenityvalue. They can also enhance the environment bycreating attractive water features which wouldbenefit the waterfront park and new developmenton the Station Hub and Waterfront site (such asthose implemented at the Oxford and Hopwoodmotorway service areas). SUDS is promoted byUDP Policy WPM19.

Other features of new development which couldhave ecological and amenity value include ‘green’or ‘living’ roofs (particularly extensive roofsystems), bat roosting and bird nesting boxes andnative planting. Residential developments aretherefore encouraged to incorporate a range ofmeasures such as those mentioned above, usinghigh quality design to create an attractive andecologically beneficial solution.

Energy efficiencyAll new development, both residential andcommercial, should be energy efficient in terms ofdesign, density, location and orientation (see UDPPolicy WPM20) and include:• passive solar design - designing a building to

take maximum advantage of sunlight andminimise unwanted solar heat gain;

• natural ventilation to reduce the need forcooling; and

• centralised heating and cooling infrastructure toimprove the feasibility of the renewable energytechnologies below and should be incorporatedinto a scheme’s cost assumptions; and

• Combined heat and power (CHP)/combinedcooling, heat and power (CCHP) - it should be


noted that if gas-fired CHP/CCHP is used, whilstnot a renewable energy technology it will makemeeting the 10% target easier by lowering thebaseline carbon dioxide emissions.

Renewable energy sourcesProposals should also incorporate and include10% of total predicted energy consumption to bein the form of renewable energy sources (see UDPPolicy WPM21). This should be through on-sitegeneration for all new developments greater than1,000sq.m and housing developments of 10 ormore units, and could include:• Biomass heat or CHP plants serving the whole

development;• Solar water heating;• Solar electricity photovoltaic (PV) and active solar

heating systems: both could be incorporatedinto south facing roofs or units;

• Ground source heat pumps;• Passive solar design – designing a building to

take maximum advantage of sunlight whichreduces overall energy consumption, making10% an easier target to meet; and

• Borehole cooling – where a suitable groundwater source exists.

With all new development proposals it isimportant to note that the Council expects activeinvolvement of developers in the promotion anduse of these technologies. In particular, theopportunities exist to improve the technical andeconomic feasibility of technologies, particularlyCHP and CCHP - gas or biomass fuelled - byensuring all new developments contain centralisedheating and cooling infrastructure, and thepotential to combine power, heating and cooling

High quality water features, Hammarby Sjostad, Stockholm(image credit: Urban Exposure)

demands are exploited. The Council expectsdevelopers to engage in discussions as early in theplanning process as possible.

7. High quality new residential development This sets out a number of general designprinciples for residential development in theStation Hub and Waterfront site - further detail onissues including suggested heights, location ofentrances, servicing and number of units are setout in Sections 5.3 to 5.6.

Location of new dwellingsResidential development on this site should befocused on the southern part of the site in orderto enable the SEL to remain a cohesive entity (seeFigure 2.3 and Section 5.4).

Residential uses have been located on the upperfloors of the blocks fronting Forest Road and thenew square (above retail units), and are the sole

intended use of the five blocks coloured orangeonly (blocks 4,5, 6, 7 and 10) as shown in Figure5.6.

With the residential blocks closest to the newlyredeveloped industrial/commercial blocks to thenorth of the site, screening with tree plantingshould be used to ensure that the interfacebetween residential uses and industrial uses ishandled carefully and sensitively.

Design qualityNew residential development in this location, aswith all locations in Waltham Forest, must be of thehighest quality as stated in the 2006 UDP and inSection 8.3 of the IPPF. Policy BHE2 in the UDPrequires that proposals for sites over 0.25ha or insensitive locations must be accompanied by anUrban Design Statement. New development mustconsider carefully the existing urban fabric andrelationship to streets and public spaces in terms ofmaterials, heights, massing and frontages/entrances, in order to help create a sense of aneighbourhood environment for Blackhorse Lane.

Implementation of the desired quality, designprinciples and the wider vision of the site is mostlikely to be achieved through the comprehensiveredevelopment of the site as emphasisedthroughout this brief.

Block layoutThe majority of the new residential developmentshould be in the form of perimeter blocks withcentral, communal courtyard and private amenityspaces (see Figure 5.3). This type of development isimportant for letting light into the central courtyardspace, and into as many units as possible.


Affordable housingUDP Policy HSG6 states that the intention is toachieve 50% affordable housing from all sources.UDP Policy HSG7 also states that the target foraffordable housing in private development is 40%of individual schemes of a minimum of 0.5ha andabove or of 15 units or greater - this target will beapplied sensitively by the Council. More detail onthe detailed housing mix for affordable housing isset out in Section 8.4 of the IPPF.

8. New industrial/commercial developmentwhich is sensitive to adjoining usesThe development of the blocks at the northernedge of the site (see Figure 2.3 and Section 5.4)should be for employment-generating uses only.Section 9.6 in the IPPF provides further detail onthe vision for the SEL and identifies this part ofthe SEL as ‘Zone D’. The vision for this part of theSEL is for new office or light industrial units‘targeted at high value firms in growth sectorssuch as graphic design, publishing and businessservices offering high employment densities andrequiring a high quality environment and goodaccess to public transport.’

Policy BHLP9 in the IPPF states that new businesspremises within this site (BHL1) must be carefullydesigned to ensure that the business activities theyaccommodate will not negatively impact on theamenity of the adjacent existing and newresidential areas. Business activities that will createexcessive noise, emissions or detrimental visualimpact will not be permitted. Therefore, newindustrial development should be designed suchthat entrances are located away from mainresidential entrances and that storage/waste areas

Fig. 5.3 Possible courtyard development typologies

Public gardens, Hammarby Sjostad, Stockholm (image credit:Urban Exposure)

and loading bays are located away fromresidential properties.

New industrial/commercial development shouldconsider their relationship to: a) New residential development proposed to the

south; b) Existing residential development, particularly the

row of terraced houses on the corner ofBlackhorse Lane and Hookers Road; and

c) Other industrial premises to the north ofHookers Road.

With regard to new or existing residentialdevelopment, new industrial development needsto consider the interface between the twodifferent land uses and their differing needs,perhaps through the use of planting and fences tocreate a ‘buffer zone’ or screen for security andamenity purposes and to define/reinforceboundaries. Defensive planting i.e. Berberis orsimilar may be used to achieve this purpose.

With regard to other industrial premises, newindustrial development should seek to ensure thatit does not negatively impact upon the existingservice and access arrangements of the otherindustrial premises.

9. Positive contribution of new developmentto Forest Road and Blackhorse Lane withactive frontages on Forest Road and facingthe station square New development on Forest Road, particularlyretail units on the ground floor, should contributepositively to the busy street and the newresidential development which is proposed for thesite south of Forest Road. Active frontages should


face on to Forest Road and the proposed publicsquare. In addition, new development in thestation hub should be integrated with the existingshops on the eastern side of Blackhorse Lane assupported by Section 6.2 in the IPPF.

New residential development on Blackhorse Laneshould contribute positively to the street and theresidential dwellings on the opposite side. Assuch, entrances to residential blocks should beprovided facing Blackhorse Lane.

10. Inclusive design Any new development in the area should be fullyaccessible to all sections of the communityincluding disabled people as set out in IPPFparagraph 8.3.1. Developers will be expected tofollow best practice in terms of inclusive designprinciples as set out in Council guidance in theIPPF and the ‘Access for All’ guidelines andLondon Plan Supplementary Planning Guidance:‘Accessible London: Achieving an InclusiveEnvironment.’

With regard to public realm and pedestrian routeenhancements in the Station area, it will beessential that the designs include step-free access,particularly in the waterfront park and proposednew public square wherever possible, high qualitypaving, clear signage and lighting and streetfurniture which ensures there are clear visualmarkers for those with partial sight.

11. Designing out crime New development should be designed such thattheir design and layout should reduce theopportunities for crime in line with the aims and

principles of ‘secured by design’ and ‘designingout crime.’ Further guidance is provided in UDPPolicy BHE7, Section 8.3.2 in the IPPF and fromSecured by Design. Additional sources ofinformation are provided in the appendix of thisdocument.

Key issues to consider for the design of this areainclude:• the proposed public square should be

overlooked on all sides by residentialdevelopment, lighting and planting should notobscure any areas from view;

• buildings which are intended to accommodateevening economy uses such as bars, cafés orrestaurants, should adhere to the Secured byDesign: Licensed Premises guidelines (April2005) which set out principles for designincluding simple building sight lines, avoidingcreating recesses, orientation for maximumnatural/formal surveillance opportunities, securestorage areas and external areas which are keptclean, tidy and well lit. The guidelines alsocover internal design principles;

• the size of retail units should be flexible enoughto accommodate A1 (shops), A3 (restaurants/cafés) or A4 (drinking establishments) but over-large A4 units will not be permitted in order toavoid larger ‘super-pubs’ or nightclubs whichare not conducive to a mixed-use environment;

• a mix of A1, A3 and A4 uses in the Station areawill be encouraged to ensure all sectors of thecommunity are catered for in a balanced way;

• the number of A4 establishments will be limitedto avoid saturation;

• residential development closest to the publicsquare should provide adequate and effectivenoise insulation;

• access to the waterfront park should be throughspecific entry points with lockable gates to restrictaccess to daylight hours;

• safety issues in the waterfront park should bediscussed with British Waterways and theEnvironment Agency at the earliest opportunityand could also include softer issues (aside fromdesign or management) which focus on initiativesto teach young people in the area about safetyand waterways;

• the new east-west footpaths should be visiblefrom all nearby buildings and have good qualitylighting which is well-maintained;

• underground and semi-basement parking shouldbe well-lit and all access points should be clearlyvisible from the street and nearby buildings;

• access to flats should, wherever possible, be onthe main footpaths, Blackhorse Lane or the newaccess road;

• communal gardens should be clearly defined andaccess through controlled entry points (e.g.lockable gates);

• seating and other street furniture/objects acrossthe site, particularly on the public square, shouldbe designed such that they cannot be used forlying on or sleeping on; and

• access to industrial premises in the northern partof the site should be located away from theresidential properties with access from HookersRoad.

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12. A new north-south road through the site As stated above in Section 5.1, the IPPF sets out aproposal for introducing a new road west ofBlackhorse Road station on Forest Road, linking itto Blackhorse Lane to the north of this site. Thisroad will provide access to the new developmentsin the site (including industrial traffic access for thesouthern portion of the SEL), improve pedestriancrossings at the Standard junction and reducetraffic flows at the southern end of Blackhorse Lane(consequently improving bus services and the localenvironment).

It should be noted that side routes leading off thenew road to serve the new development, will onlybe accessible from the new north-south road (seeSection 5.6 for further detail).

13. Parking The site has a Public Transport Accessibility Level 3and is located close to Blackhorse Roadunderground and rail station. As such, newresidential development should apply the followingparking standards as set out in Section 11.3.6 ofthe IPPF:• 1-2 bed units: a maximum of 0.5 spaces per unit• 3-4 bed units: a maximum of 0.9 space per unit.Further detail is provided in UDP Appendix 1.

Developers should develop a comprehensive travelplanning approach to achieve the parking standardsand encourage other modes of transport, forexample through one or more car free or reducedcar blocks (as encouraged by UDP Policy TSP7),flexible management measures such as parkingspace leasing and the development of carclubs/pools.


High quality public realm, Hammarby Sjostad, Stockholm (Imagecredit: Urban Exposure)

Parking will be distributed between on-street andunderground/decked parking across the site. Theexisting London Underground car park may bereplaced by a multi-storey car park, surrounded byresidential and retail development.

With regard to cycle parking, a minimum of 1.6spaces per unit (flats only) should be provided.Further detail on cycle parking standards is set outin Section 11.3.6 of the IPPF and UDP Appendix 2.

Figure 5.4 shows the public realm proposals for thesite. Overall, the public realm in the redevelopedStation Hub and Waterfront site should be of a highquality, uncluttered and coherent, with a limitedpalette of materials and a limited range of streetfurniture. All of these proposals, together with thehighest quality architecture, should create a strong,visual, positive identity for the revitalised BlackhorseLane area. The key proposals are as follows:

1. New road As set out in the IPPF (BHLP15), this new roadwill offer primary access to new developmentson the Station Hub and Waterfront site,improved access to industrial premises to thenorth, and (when appropriate), a relief road toreduce pressure on the Standard junction whichwill eventually connect to Blackhorse Lane atPriestley Way. The road will be approximately8metres wide with 2metre wide footpaths oneither side throughout its length. Cycling will bepermitted on this road with priority forpedestrians and cyclists. Further detail isprovided in Section 5.6.

2. New footpaths New hard landscaped, tree-lined footpathleading to/from Blackhorse Lane to thereservoirs.

3. Hookers Road Hookers Road would be closed at its eastern endwhere it meets Blackhorse Lane, with accessprovided via the new road and Priestley Way.

4. Potential new bridge to reservoirs There is the potential for a new bridge to thereservoirs (subject to agreement with theEnvironment Agency and Thames Water).

5.3 Public realm Proposed public spaces and routes

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Fig. 5.4 Public realm


Forest Road

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5.3 Public realmProposed public spaces and routes

5. New waterfront park Policy BHLP5 in the IPPF sets out the Council’sintention to develop a new linear waterfrontpark along the western edge of the BlackhorseLane industrial area. This high quality park willprovide views over the water where possible,connect to Tottenham Marshes and the LeeValley Regional Park, and will provide pedestrianand cycle paths along its length. Public seatingshould be located to make the most of theseviews.

Landscaping with increased heights in someareas of the park could be created to provideviews across the reservoirs (see proposal 6 forsuggested locations) in order to enable optimumviews, subject to agreements with theEnvironment Agency and Thames Waterregarding the future of the flood relief channeland Dagenham Brook.

There is also the possibility for riverenhancement as part of the waterfront parkdevelopment, through naturalisation,landscaping or edging treatments or bankimprovements, which could improve appearanceand create some habitats for wildlife. Theincorporation of SUDS as water features in thepark will also be considered.

This new waterfront park would also incorporatea north-south walking and cycling route whicheventually links to Tottenham Marshes in thenorth and Douglas Eyre Playing Fields in thesouth (via a crossing on Forest Road and underthe railway line - see proposal 11). This north-south route in the park could also be used by

cyclists to access the main east-west routeacross the Station Hub and Waterfront site(shown by proposal 7), bypassing the Standardjunction and connecting with Blackhorse Laneand Tavistock Avenue as an important cycleroute heading east.

6. Landscaping to enable optimum views As set out under proposal 5 above, landscapingwith increased heights in some areas could beprovided in order to enable views across thereservoirs. There is also potential forlandscaping to help increase flood defences forthe area.

7. New cycle and footpath leading to/fromBlackhorse Lane to the park This cycle and footpath should be paved andhard landscaped from Blackhorse Lane to thecentre of the site, and then change nature withsoft landscaping as it widens and heads towardsthe waterfront park. This cycle and footpathcrosses the proposed road where new crossingsshould be provided with priority for pedestriansand cyclists.

8. Pedestrian north-south route beside newroad A two metre wide, hard landscaped footpath oneither side of the proposed road should providea new, direct route from the station square tothe north of the site.

9. Pavilion café at entrance to waterfront parkThis stand-alone building should provide viewsover the water and act as a marker to theentrance of the new waterfront park.

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10. Public squareNew high quality, hard landscaped, publicsquare fronting Forest Road, surrounded byactive frontage and retail units, includingcafés, restaurants or bars and convenienceretailers.

11. New pedestrian and cycle crossing toplaying fields via a subway This new route will connect the waterfrontpark directly with the Douglas Eyre playingfields to the south via a pedestrian crossing onForest Road and an existing subway under therailway line. It is intended that this route willprovide access to the playing fields, but notgeneral public access into the fields themselvesand will provide priority for pedestrians andcyclists.

12. Enhanced pedestrian and cyclingenvironment at the Standard junctionAs set out in the IPPF, it is suggested thatdirect pedestrian crossings on three arms ofthe Standard junction (Forest Road east andwest and Blackhorse Lane) could be possible,to enhance access to the station. Thepavement on the corner of Forest Road andBlackhorse Lane could also be widened withthe corner building set back from the road, tofurther improve the pedestrian environment atthis junction. In addition, the IPPF states thatthe cycle environment at the junction shouldbe improved by providing cycle advances oneach junction arm (see BHLP14) in order toprovide priority for cyclists.

Figure 5.5 shows the suggested development plotsin the station hub and waterfront site and Figure5.6 overleaf shows indicative block layouts and uses.

1. Workspace development, waterfrontPlots 1 to 3 should provide workspace only asthey are located within the (revised) SELboundary. Plot 1 should also contributepositively to the waterfront park on its westernedge, and be screened from the residentialdevelopment and greenspace to the south.Building lines on the western edge of this plotshould be 30metres from the FRC to provide abuffer and room for the waterfront park.

2&3. Workspace development, Hookers RoadPlot 3 is located adjacent to a row of existingterraced houses on the western side ofBlackhorse Lane. As such, development shouldnot back immediately onto the rear gardens ofthese dwellings, and should take intoconsideration its impact on their amenity valuefor those residents.

4. Residential development, New Road EastPerimeter block residential development with acentral courtyard space, offering a mixture ofcommunal and private amenity space forresidents.

5. Residential development, Blackhorse LanePerimeter block residential development withfrontage on to Blackhorse Lane. As such, itshould respect the existing residential dwellingson the eastern side of Blackhorse Lane whichare two-storey houses.

5.4 Development plots and block layoutSuggested plot boundaries, block layouts and indicative uses

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Fig. 5.5 Development plots

Reproduced from the Ordnance Survey digitalmaps with the permission of the Controller of HerMajesty's Stationery Office (c) Crown Copyright.License No. London Borough of Waltham ForestLA 100018724.

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6. Residential development, waterfront New residential development should beprovided with as many units with waterfrontviews as possible, perhaps with taller elementsof the development along the western edge.The building line on the western edge of thisplot should be 30metres away from the FRC.

7. Residential development, New Road West Development on this plot should be mainly ona north-south axis so that entrances andprincipal rooms do not face the entrance to the

car park on Plot 11. Trees should also beplanted on the southern edge of the site tocreate a screen from the road and car park.

8. Mixed use development, Blackhorse Lane Perimeter block development with residentialunits to the north, and to the south, retail/food and drink units on the ground floor withresidential units above, facing the new publicsquare. As with plot 5, development onBlackhorse Lane should be sympathetic to thehouses on the opposite side of the road.

Dagenham Brook

5.4 Development plots and block layoutSuggested plot boundaries and block layouts

9. Pavilion café/restaurant, Waterfront Park Located at the entrance of the new park, thisbuilding should provide views over the reservoirs.

10. Residential development, Forest Road Perimeter block layout with as many water-facingunits as possible, perhaps with taller elements of thedevelopment on the western edge. The buildingline on the western edge of this plot should be30metres away from the FRC.

11. Mixed use development, Forest RoadPerimeter block layout with ground floor retail/foodand drink fronting Forest Road and the publicsquare, and residential units above. Residential unitsshould be located on the western and northernedges, with a multi-storey car park in the centrewhich is fully covered with amenity or courtyardspace provided above, as seen at the Tescodevelopment at Fenelon Place in Kensington,London. In addition, the facades of the car parkshould be carefully designed so that they are of ahigh architectural quality, whilst also allowingsufficient ventilation throughout the car park.Development on this plot could also incorporate amusic venue (re-provided and relocated from itscurrent corner site at the Standard).

12. Mixed use development, Blackhorse Road/Forest RoadCorner site with retail/food and drink on the groundfloor and residential units above. This is animportant site, located directly opposite BlackhorseRoad station. The new development will relatepositively to the existing retail parade on BlackhorseLane by providing views and access to the paradefrom the new pedestrian and access routes whichare proposed through the site.

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Forest Road

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Residential

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Fig. 5.6 Building layout and uses


Existing retailparade

Dagenham Brook

Figure 5.7 shows an illustration of how buildingheights across the site could vary within their plotboundaries. This drawing broadly illustrates howthe heights should vary across the site, from lowerbuildings in the east (coloured yellow), to tallerbuildings in the west and south (coloured red anddark red).

The key points to note are as follows: • Two locations are considered the most

appropriate for the tallest buildings - at thesouth-western corner of the site opposite thepavilion café to create a gateway developmentfor the area, and at the corner of BlackhorseLane and Forest Road, opposite the station;

• The heights of new development shouldincrease towards the waterfront in the west,and Forest Road to the south; and

• The heights of new development shoulddecrease towards the east and Blackhorse Lane,given that the existing residential dwellings inthis area are largely two-storey houses.

5.5 Building heights Suggested building heights of new development

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Fig. 5.7 Building heights


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Figure 5.8 sets out the proposed accessarrangements for the Station Hub and Waterfrontsite, and Figure 5.9 overleaf sets out the proposedlocation of main entrances for each of the plots.

1. Residential traffic and access only This route provides access only for residentialtraffic and services such as refuse collection forthe waterfront development - there is no generalvehicle access from the southern end by ForestRoad. This road or ‘waterfront drive’ also runsalongside the waterfront park in order tosupport the principle of the ‘fronts’ of theresidential blocks facing the park to increaselevels of natural surveillance. In addition, this‘waterfront drive’ would have clear trafficmanagement measures to ensure pedestrianpriority and that traffic speeds were very low.

2. New main north-south road This road provides vehicle and cycle access to theworkspace at the northern end of the site and tothe industrial units in the rest of the SEL, accessto new residential developments and (whenappropriate), a relief road to reduce pressure atthe Standard junction. This road will allow muchneeded pedestrian improvements at the junctionand reduce traffic flows on the southern end ofBlackhorse Lane that will benefit bus servicesand improve the local environment. In order toensure that the new road does not result in anincrease in the overall capacity of the trafficcorridor (as required by IPPF Policy BHLP15), theroad should be designed to restrict capacity andincorporate pedestrian and cycle prioritymeasures.

5.6 Access arrangements Access routes and entrances for new development

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Fig. 5.8 Access routes

Reproduced from the Ordnance Survey digital mapswith the permission of the Controller of Her Majesty'sStationery Office (c) Crown Copyright. License No.London Borough of Waltham Forest LA 100018724.

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No-through road access todevelopment plots, includingwaterfront drive

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3. Residential traffic and access only These routes lead off the new north-south roadto provide vehicle and cycle access only for theresidential developments - the routes on theeastern portion of the site do not connect toBlackhorse Lane except for pedestrians andcyclists. On these roads it is proposed thatpedestrians would have priority over vehicles.

4. Internal access arrangements Servicing and access arrangements should be

handled within the plot boundary for this block(plot 11). Entrance to the car park will be fromthe north side of the plot off the new road, andwill be screened from the residentialdevelopment on the adjacent plot to the north.

5. Internal access arrangements The servicing and access arrangements for thecorner site (plot 12) should be handled withinthe plot boundary of plot 8 to the north, toavoid congestion at the Standard junction.

5.6 Access arrangements Access routes and entrances for new development

Figure 5.9 shows the suggested location of themain entrances for the new development on eachof the plots. The key points to note are asfollows: • Active frontage for retail development should

front on to Forest Road, the southern end ofBlackhorse Lane and the public square to createactive, key frontages for these roads and thestation hub area (NB. retail frontage on toBlackhorse Lane should only be in the form offlexible commercial space which canaccommodate business services and otherservices);

• Front doors of residential development shouldbe off the residential and access only routes (asshown in Figure 5.8) to create a neighbourhood‘feel’ for the area;

• The interfaces between residential andworkspace development for the three blocks atthe northern end of the site should take theform of trees or vegetation, to create a soft‘buffering’ effect to protect the residentialamenity value and security;

• The interface between the residentialdevelopment on Plot 7 at the heart of the siteand Plot 11 fronting Forest Road, should beconsidered carefully, as the residentialdevelopment to the north should be shieldedfrom the car park entrance to the south. Asstated in Section 5.4, the block layout of Plot 7should be on a north-south axis to avoidentrances and principal rooms of residencesfacing directly on to the car park entrance. Treeplanting and careful architectural treatment ofthe car park’s facade will also help contribute toeffective screening.

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Fig. 5.9 Entrances

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Key frontage

Entrances

Local landmarks

Interface betweenworkspace and residential

6. Phasing

Introduction to phasing

This section sets out some of the key issuessurrounding the delivery of the vision for theStation Hub and Waterfront site in terms ofphasing.

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Section 12.1 in the IPPF states that the Council isseeking proposals which would secure thecomprehensive redevelopment of the whole siteor of a large portion of the site, which is likely torequire some degree of site assembly. Only such acomprehensive development is likely to be able todeliver the wider objectives of the planningframework and the design and developmentprinciples.

In particular, release of land currently in industrialuse for housing and mixed use development isonly justified (and is therefore only likely to beagreed by the Council and the Greater LondonAuthority) if it results in the creation of a highquality comprehensive development incorporatingboth a neighbourhood centre and section ofwaterfront park.

Whilst the Council will require a comprehensiveapproach both in terms of planning and delivery,it acknowledges that the proposals will comeforward in phases. Each of the phases will berequired to contribute towards the delivery of thecomprehensive scheme.

There are a number of phasing issues for theStation Hub and Waterfront site which willinfluence the effective and successful delivery ofthe vision for the area. The key issues are asfollows:

6.1 Phasing issues

• all phases of development should contribute tothe creation of the waterfront park e.g. bysecuring some land for the park or throughplanning obligations including financialcontributions;

• no residential or retail development on the sitewill be permitted unless part of a proposal thatincludes new industrial/commercial premises inthe northern part of the site (as specified inPolicy BHLP8 in the IPPF);

• the proposed new north-south road (see Figure5.8, number 2) providing access to thedevelopments from Forest Road should formpart of the first phase of development;

• initial phases should demonstrate howpedestrian and cycle routes through thedevelopment can work in both the first phaseand further phases;

• initial phases must minimise any adverseimpacts on businesses in premises that will beredeveloped within future phases;

• careful consideration should be given to theinterface between new residential propertiesand business premises that will be redevelopedwithin future phases; and

• any proposal including redevelopment of theStandard Music Venue site should seek toreprovide a music venue within the same phaseof development.

All of these phasing issues must be consideredfrom the earliest design phase of any planningapplication for development in the Station Huband Waterfront site.

Delivering the vision for the Station Hub and Waterfront area

London Borough of Waltham Forest:• Relevant planning documents

www.walthamforest.gov.uk/blackhorselane

Good practice case studies:• Commission for Architecture and the Built

Environment (CABE)www.cabe.org.uk/casestudies.aspx

• Fenelon Place, Kensington, LondonIn Housing for a Compact City (GLA,February 2003) Available to download from the GLA website:www.london.gov.uk/gla/publications/planning/jsp

• Housing Design Awardswww.designforhomes.org/hda

Designing out crime:• Secured by Design

www.securedbydesign.com

Waterfront park:• British Waterways

www.britishwaterways.co.uk

• Environment Agency Bringing Your Rivers Back to Life – a Strategy forRestoring Rivers in North London (February2006)Available to download from the GLA website:www.london.gov.uk/mayor/environment/biodiversity/docs/restoring-rivers-nlondon-env-agency.pdf

Appendix: additional sources of information Useful internet links

Sustainable design guidance:• Beddington Zero Energy Development

(BedZed)www.zedfactory.com/bedzed/bedzed.htm

• Department for Communities and LocalGovernmentPlanning Policy Statement 3: HousingAvailable to download from the DCLG website:www.communities.gov.uk/index.asp?id=1504591

• Green roofswww.livingroofs.org

• London Climate Change PartnershipAdapting to Climate Change: A Checklist forDevelopment (November 2005)Adapting to Climate Change: Lessons forLondon (July 2006)Adapting to Climate Change Impacts: A GoodPractice Guide for Sustainable Communities(October 2006)Available to download from the GLA website:www.london.gov.uk/climatechangepartnership/index.jsp

Sustainable drainage guidance:• Construction Industry Research and

Information Association (CIRIA)Designing for Exceedance in Urban Drainage:Good Practice: C635 (By C. Digman, D.Balamforth, R. Kellagher, B. Butler, May 2006).Also available to download from the CIRIAwebsite: www.ciria.org/downloads.htm

Development and Flood Risk: Guidance for theConstruction Industry: C624 (J. W. Lancaster, M.Preene, C. T. Marshall, October 2004)

Sustainable Drainage Systems: Hydraulic,Structural and Water Quality Advice: C609 (S Wilson, R. Bray, P Cooper, March 2004)

• Environment Agency Sustainable Drainage Systems: A Guide forDevelopers (Environment Agency, March 2003)Available to download from:www.environment-agency.gov.uk/commondata/acrobat/a5_suds_v3.pdf

• General informationwww.sustainabledrainage.co.uk

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Inclusive design guidance:• Centre for Accessible Environments

www.cae.org.uk

• Department for TransportInclusive Mobility Available to download from the DfT website:www.dft.gov.uk/stellent/groups/dft_mobility/documents/page/dft_mobility_503282.hcsp

• Disabled Persons Transport AdvisoryCommittee (DPTAC)Commitment to Inclusive DesignAvailable to download from the DPTAC website:www.dptac.gov.uk/inclusive/commitment/index.htm

• Greater London Authority (GLA)Supplementary Planning Guidance to theMayor’s London Plan ‘Accessible London:achieving an inclusive environment’ and casestudy examples ‘An illustrated journey throughan accessible environment’ Available to download from the GLA website:www.london.gov.uk/mayor/strategies/sds/accessible_london.jsp

Disability Equality Scheme Available to download from the GLA website:www.london.gov.uk/mayor/equalities/disability_equality_scheme.jsp

Appendix: additional sources of information (continued)37

Useful internet links

Planning and Design Brief - Waltham Forest · Introduction to the planning and design brief Urban...

Documents

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