Blog
Posted 2 years ago
Waltham Forest Council’s Planning Committee voted on Monday 7 March 2022 to grant planning permission to the proposals for the Lea Bridge Station sites.
Since our consultation events in July 2023, the Lea Bridge Station sites project team has continued to look at ways to enhance the proposals.
More affordable homes
Following conversations with the Greater London Authority (GLA), we have now received grant funding which allows us to increase the number of affordable homes in the development. The Grant Funding comes from both the 2016-2021 Affordable Housing Programme (AHP) and the 2021-2026 AHP.
Therefore, our proposals will now provide 387 affordable homes – 100% of the new homes built on site. 174 of these homes will be at Social Rent, 195 at London Affordable Rent and 18 will be Shared Ownership homes.
The scheme will now support 100% affordable homes to help to address the London Borough of Waltham Forest’s housing waiting list. This mix of tenures will both assist the local authority in reducing its waiting list, and temporary accommodation pressures, but also allow a diverse mix of individuals and families to set up home and put down their roots.
Square Roots
London Square will deliver the affordable homes. London Square’s affordable housing provider Square Roots will manage the homes. Square Roots will offer the London Borough of Waltham Forest 100% nominations in perpetuity.
Square Roots will work closely with Waltham Forest’s housing team and will provide a sensitive lettings plan. This will help to create diverse communities and to support families with the right accommodation for their needs.
Square Roots’ management team has extensive experience in the affordable housing sector. All of its management is delivered by its own staff and not outsourced. There will be a small management office on site, to ensure interaction and co-operation with residents. Residents will also be able to set up a Customer Community Committee. Here, they will be able to represent their community, discuss issues and have their say on services for their homes.
The new community at Lea Bridge will add to Square Roots’ existing developments in London. Since becoming a registered provider in June 2022 they have over 200 homes under management, and over 1,000 homes under construction. They are an Investment Partner of the GLA.
To find out more about Square Roots, you can visit its website here.
Non-residential offer
The number of 387 affordable homes is an increase of six homes from our update in the summer of 2023. However, there will be no increase in massing or height from the proposals shared in July 2023 and there will be no changes to how the buildings will look. The homes will be built to a high quality, addressing all the latest requirements under the Building Safety Regulations for buildings over 18m.
The extra affordable homes will replace the proposed office space in the lower floors of Building 1. All other benefits of the proposals will remain, including new community, cultural and commercial spaces.
The updates also include additional cycle storage and more welcoming entrances to all residential buildings.
Updated application
These updates will be made as part of changes to the approved planning permission, known as Section 73 amendments (S73).
To find out more about these amendments, please read the ‘June 2023 update’ of the background tab here or on our ‘Summer 2023’ exhibition boards which can be found here.
The S73 application will be accompanied by a full suite of updated technical assessment which consider the amendments proposed to the consented scheme.