WFCS Planning Criteria

WALTHAM FOREST CIVIC SOCIETY

Criteria for supporting or opposing development (December 2021)

1. National Model Design Code (January 2021)

The Society feels this model of good design principles issued by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government should be followed. The first of these principles is to understand the type of area that is being considered. This depends on topography, local character, open space, population density, transport links and other factors set out in the document.

2. Building density/heights

The Model Code identifies various area types: -

· The city or town centre, which typically has 120 dwellings/hectare and a strong mix of uses.

· The urban neighbourhood, which tends to have smaller buildings (like our Victorian streets) and housing density of 60-120 dwellings per hectare, with a mix of uses.

The Code sets out desirable building heights for these two types, which the Society considers should be followed:

a. The urban neighbourhood has an eaves height of 12m, which is 3 -4 storeys.

b. The town centre should have an eaves height of 18m, with a maximum of 22m. This equates to 5 -6 storeys. We accept that because of the way in which Leyton, Leytonstone and Walthamstow were built up in the nineteenth century, it may be appropriate to apply this “town centre” category to the whole lengths of major roads in this part of Waltham Forest.

· For instance, we would accept a “town centre” 6-storey height not just in the centre of Leytonstone but in most or all of the part of the Leytonstone High Road north of the Overground line and the parts of the Lea Bridge Road near the Bakers Arms.

c. In the Code, the only category which allows for taller buildings than 5-6 storeys is the high-rise city, which can be applied to parts of large city centres. Waltham Forest is part of a large city, but nowhere in Waltham Forest is part of the city centre of London.

· In the centre of Walthamstow (that is, the area around Walthamstow Central station) the tall buildings which have already been built are there, and there is no point in pretending that they have not altered the character of the area. Nevertheless, it is important that the height of further tall buildings in the centre of Walthamstow be restricted to something like 8/10 storeys, that the area where they are allowed be limited by firm boundaries, and that they are not erected higgledy-piggledy as sites happen to become available.

d. In conservation areas no new buildings should be allowed which are taller than the average of the existing buildings.

3. Heights of buildings in relation to the landscape

a. Large public open spaces, such as Epping Forest and the Lea Valley, should not have high rise buildings close by. The skyline as seen from these open spaces must be preserved so that people may have a sense of escaping the urban environment.

b. At the edges of large public open spaces building should be no higher than 4 storeys as a maximum, rising to no more than 5 or 6 storeys further back from the edge.

· For instance, on the Spitalfields site the edge next to the East Marsh and the Old River Lea must be no higher than 4 storeys as a maximum, but we would accept 5 or 6 storeys (similar to the lower rise parts of the north face of the former Olympic Village south of Hackney Marsh) further back from this edge of the site towards the railway line.

4. Social Housing

Land needs to be reserved in the Local Plan for Social Housing.

5. Transport

a. There should be no building over above-ground transport facilities such as bus stations, Overground stations and lines. An exception might be if the building allows adequate height (we think minimum three storeys, like the concourse of a railway terminus) for the bus or rail station, and also allows for there to be good through ventilation.

b. No additional housing should be built near a tube line which is already heavily congested at present, unless it is clear that there will be adequate capacity to take the additional travellers from the development.

c. Additional adequate bus services should be paid for by Section 106 agreements.

6. Parking

a. No parking spaces to be provided in new housing developments within 400 metres of railway and tube stations (exception: spaces for disabled people’s vehicles)

b. Logistic companies need to be catered for, which means there must be suitable parking on site for delivery vehicles

c. There also needs to be adequate parking on site for tradesmen (such as plumbers and painters) while working at premises in the development.

7. Amenity space

a. New housing developments should have adequate green space reserved for the residents.

b. It should not be necessary to provide balconies to compensate for lack of amenity space.

c. Where balconies are to be provided they should be constructed within the footprint of the building and not appended on the side as if they were an afterthought.

d. Any balconies should be built with enough space for a family to sit around a table and have space for entertaining friends and so as to be safe for small children to use.

8. Environmental

a. Alternative sustainable energy sources need to be included in the design of the building.

b. Consideration must be given not only to the energy use of a building when in use but to the carbon cost of building anew as against adapting existing buildings.

c. New buildings must avoid overshadowing of existing dwellings and local green spaces.

d. Landscaping should encourage improved ecology of the area of the development.

e. Precautions against flooding and over heating must be compulsory.