Rapacious (re)developer St Modwen, having attempted to destroy Queens Market in east London already, and having sunk its teeth into Farnborough, is now set to invade Walthamstow, east London.
St Modwen illustration of proposed development for Arcade site, Walthamstow
Having already destroyed most of Farnborough (
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2008/04/397176.html) and attempted the same with the vibrant Queens Market in Upton Park ( http://www.friendsofqueensmarket.org.uk/), greedy “redevelopment” specialist St Modwen is now seeking to sink its teeth into Walthamstow. So residents are fighting back ( http://www.fighttheheight.co.uk)
No doubt sensing profits to be made from developing in one of the five Olympic boroughs ( http://www.gamesmonitor.org.uk/), St Modwen bidded to be responsible for redeveloping Walthamstow Central tube station and the “Arcade” site that sits at the top end of the longest street market in Europe. Their bid for the station failed (it went to Keir), but their bid for the Arcade site (the blank bit here http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=walthamstow&ie=UTF8&ll=51.585097,-0.01972&spn=0.00314,0.010042&t=h&z=17) has gone through – they are the London Borough of Waltham Forest’s preferred developer for the site.
Now, against local’s wishes ( http://www.walthamforest.gov.uk/consultation-report-final.pdf), the council’s own planning brief and the advice of The Prince’s Foundation, St Modwen plan to drop an 18 storey towerblock into an area renowned for its world famous street market and low-rise Victorian housing.
The ugly block (see St Modwen’s illustration) will dominate the skyline for miles around. Although not for very long if the council gets its way – despite a massive consultation exercise in conjunction with The Prince’s Foundation that found that a) residents were overwhelmingly opposed to highrise development that was out of keeping with the area and b) The Prince’s Foundation recommending building heights of no more than 6-8 storeys anywhere in central Walthamstow – the council are determined to press ahead with building tall in Walthamstow, in order to meet its housing targets in the London Plan.
The council are presumably hoping the site acts as a precedent, allowing them to get away with more tall buildings in central Walthamstow. The same trick has already been used between Waltham Forest, Hackney and Haringey – all of whom have applications in for highrise developments bordering right onto the previously tranquil river Lea (10+ storeys at Tottenham Hale, 20+ at Blackhorse Lane, 7 at Lea Bridge Road etc.). So, if St Modwen and Waltham Forest gets their way, then expect lots more highrises in central Walthamstow, regardless of what locals and The Prince’s Foundation think.
All of this is, of course, being done under the guise of regeneration ( http://www.walthamforest.gov.uk/index/community/regeneration/walthamstow-regeneration.htm). The site is meant to regenerate the town centre. Except we’ve recently discovered that St Modwen’s plans include an eight screen Vue cinema, a 53,000 square foot massive Primark and two restaurants and possibly a coffee shop.
Why would a giant Primark not be good for regeneration? Because it will cynically be sited at the top of Europe’s longest street market. Primark sells cheap clothes. So do scores of market stalls and shops that line the market. The presence of the busy stalls and shops proves there are plenty of people in the area that need cheap clothes. But Primark’s arrival will surely kill off a significant number of the stalls and small traders – decimating the market and further weakening the small unit shops along the High Street. Making Primark the Starbucks of clothing shops – a small business killer who will suck the life out of a vibrant shopping area.
On top of that, the Vue cinema is set to be located right next door to the currently shuttered, historic Granada/EMD cinema. The council has done a U-turn on promises to compulsory purchase the cinema from the wonderfully pleasant and not at all dodgy Universal Church of the Kingdom of God (UCKG, officially exonerated over any involvement of the death of little girl Victoria Climbie). The UCKG can’t use the building, but won’t sell. So instead of forcing their hand, the council seem intent on letting the church off the hook and instead scuppering any chance of bringing the Granada back as a cinema, using the Arcade site, Vue and St Modwen as the tool – even going so far as to offer St Modwen a hefty £884,000 bonus if they get a cinema onto the Arcade site. (For more on the campaign to save the Granada, see http://www.mcguffin.info/). If the council and St Modwen get their way, the Grade II* listed and spectacular Art Deco interior of the Granada will be left to rot.
In short, St Modwen and Waltham Forest council in just one site are ignoring overwhelming public opinion, imposing a massive highrise building that will overshadow local streets and the market, probably kill half of the market off with a huge Primark and scupper any chance of resurrecting the stunning Granada cinema into use. In just one site? Now, that really is regeneration in action.
Want to know more, or sign up to the campaign? See http://www.fighttheheight.co.uk
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2008/04/397176.html) and attempted the same with the vibrant Queens Market in Upton Park ( http://www.friendsofqueensmarket.org.uk/), greedy “redevelopment” specialist St Modwen is now seeking to sink its teeth into Walthamstow. So residents are fighting back ( http://www.fighttheheight.co.uk) No doubt sensing profits to be made from developing in one of the five Olympic boroughs (
http://www.gamesmonitor.org.uk/), St Modwen bidded to be responsible for redeveloping Walthamstow Central tube station and the “Arcade” site that sits at the top end of the longest street market in Europe. Their bid for the station failed (it went to Keir), but their bid for the Arcade site (the blank bit here http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=walthamstow&ie=UTF8&ll=51.585097,-0.01972&spn=0.00314,0.010042&t=h&z=17) has gone through – they are the London Borough of Waltham Forest’s preferred developer for the site. Now, against local’s wishes (
http://www.walthamforest.gov.uk/consultation-report-final.pdf), the council’s own planning brief and the advice of The Prince’s Foundation, St Modwen plan to drop an 18 storey towerblock into an area renowned for its world famous street market and low-rise Victorian housing. The ugly block (see St Modwen’s illustration) will dominate the skyline for miles around. Although not for very long if the council gets its way – despite a massive consultation exercise in conjunction with The Prince’s Foundation that found that a) residents were overwhelmingly opposed to highrise development that was out of keeping with the area and b) The Prince’s Foundation recommending building heights of no more than 6-8 storeys anywhere in central Walthamstow – the council are determined to press ahead with building tall in Walthamstow, in order to meet its housing targets in the London Plan.
The council are presumably hoping the site acts as a precedent, allowing them to get away with more tall buildings in central Walthamstow. The same trick has already been used between Waltham Forest, Hackney and Haringey – all of whom have applications in for highrise developments bordering right onto the previously tranquil river Lea (10+ storeys at Tottenham Hale, 20+ at Blackhorse Lane, 7 at Lea Bridge Road etc.). So, if St Modwen and Waltham Forest gets their way, then expect lots more highrises in central Walthamstow, regardless of what locals and The Prince’s Foundation think.
All of this is, of course, being done under the guise of regeneration (
http://www.walthamforest.gov.uk/index/community/regeneration/walthamstow-regeneration.htm). The site is meant to regenerate the town centre. Except we’ve recently discovered that St Modwen’s plans include an eight screen Vue cinema, a 53,000 square foot massive Primark and two restaurants and possibly a coffee shop. Why would a giant Primark not be good for regeneration? Because it will cynically be sited at the top of Europe’s longest street market. Primark sells cheap clothes. So do scores of market stalls and shops that line the market. The presence of the busy stalls and shops proves there are plenty of people in the area that need cheap clothes. But Primark’s arrival will surely kill off a significant number of the stalls and small traders – decimating the market and further weakening the small unit shops along the High Street. Making Primark the Starbucks of clothing shops – a small business killer who will suck the life out of a vibrant shopping area.
On top of that, the Vue cinema is set to be located right next door to the currently shuttered, historic Granada/EMD cinema. The council has done a U-turn on promises to compulsory purchase the cinema from the wonderfully pleasant and not at all dodgy Universal Church of the Kingdom of God (UCKG, officially exonerated over any involvement of the death of little girl Victoria Climbie). The UCKG can’t use the building, but won’t sell. So instead of forcing their hand, the council seem intent on letting the church off the hook and instead scuppering any chance of bringing the Granada back as a cinema, using the Arcade site, Vue and St Modwen as the tool – even going so far as to offer St Modwen a hefty £884,000 bonus if they get a cinema onto the Arcade site. (For more on the campaign to save the Granada, see
http://www.mcguffin.info/). If the council and St Modwen get their way, the Grade II* listed and spectacular Art Deco interior of the Granada will be left to rot. In short, St Modwen and Waltham Forest council in just one site are ignoring overwhelming public opinion, imposing a massive highrise building that will overshadow local streets and the market, probably kill half of the market off with a huge Primark and scupper any chance of resurrecting the stunning Granada cinema into use. In just one site? Now, that really is regeneration in action.
Want to know more, or sign up to the campaign? See
http://www.fighttheheight.co.uk
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Comments
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Your image differs
30.04.2008 18:33
The arcade development site
Ben Barron
image differs
01.05.2008 14:48
Keith
St Modwen - par for the course
01.05.2008 14:49
They will destroy Walthamstow, as they have Farnborough, and as they are trying to with Queen's Market.
St Modwen, through the vehicle of a Kuwaiti-financed front-company KPI, bought Farnborough town centre ten years. They have since destroyed the town centre. There are now few shops left, most have either pulled out, relocated, or been forced into bankruptcy. Many long-established small businesses in Farnborough have been driven to the wall. All that now remains is boarded-up shops, the ubiquitous charity shops and junk food outlets, and one huge, unsafe, derelict demolition site. Last summer half the town centre was demolished, almost killing three members of the public along the way. The only shops, are those on a gaudy hoarding, and these on closer inspection prove to be fake shops, fake names, a clear case of 'passing off', using well known corporate brand names, logos and colours to enhance ones own name by association. The derelict demolition site has planning consent for a superstore that will face out of the town centre and will require demolition of social housing for its car park.
A cinema. Yes, heard that one too.
Within two years of acquiring Farnborough town centre, KPI/St Modwen got planning consent for a cinema. This was the carrot dangled before the council. No cinema has ever been built. There never was a cinema. Asked to name the cinema group, KPI/St Modwen were unable to do so. They have now lost the planning consent, as it was only valid for five years.
This is not how cinema groups operate. They carry out detailed demographic studies, then decide where they want a cinema, how many screens etc.
Bums on seats at cinemas peaked several years ago.
What St Modwen is proposing for Walthamstow is not regeneration, it is speculative development, cut corners and make a fast buck.
I used to wander around Hackney, visit Hackney Marshes, Dalston Market. Is Dalston Market still there?
What is proposed for Walthamstow by the local council shows a lack of understanding, vision of good urban design. It also demonstrates an appalling degree of ignorance of economics. It also highlights a serious democratic deficit.
For an example of good urban design, participatory democracy in action, it is necessary to visit Curitiba in Brazil.
Walthamstow may not be one of the poorest of London Boroughs, but it certainly is not one of the wealthiest either.
The local shops and market stalls, not only supply cheap goods to local people, they also recycle money within the local economy.
The St Modwen development, would drain money out of the local economy. A poor borough would get poorer.
The St Modwen scheme would also destroy local and cultural diversity. In its place, either boarded-up shops, or clone town, me too, retailers like Primark.
Contrary to the false claims made by St Modwen, they are not experts at town centre regeneration. Their property portfolio has always been run down industrial estates. Farnborough was their first foray into town centres and retail. There was no consultation with either the public or retailers. Ten years of St Modwen in Farnborough has been an unmitigated disaster for the town.
If anyone wishes to see what St Modwen does to a town centre, then please visit Farnborough.
So far, St Modwen has got nowhere with Queen's Market. A market where employment is double the square foot as a superstore. A market where fresh fruit and vegetables is half the price of a superstore. A market that compliments a viable Green Street, a diverse shopping area that a superstore would destroy. Most of the traffic through the market is foot traffic. A superstore would be a major traffic generator that the narrow, congested Green Street could not possibly handle.
St Modwen has been aptly named by the supporters of Queen's Market, The Developer from Hell.
It should be local people who decide the future of our town centres, not big business developers out to make a fast buck and the corrupt politicians they invariably have in their pocket.
Keith
Homepage:
http://www.heureka.clara.net/gaia/
Re: Your image differs
01.05.2008 18:21
Ben, the image is not our artists' sketch. But St Modwen's own artist. And it is not a view from the High Street, but looking north along Hoe Street. It shows the same building, but from a different angle.
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