Just Space took part in an important Local Plan examination, March 3 – 12 2015, bringing together community groups and individuals from Stratford and Hackney Wick to challenge and try to improve the LLDC’s new Local Plan policy. (dead link) The London Legacy Development Corporation is the Mayor’s planning authority for an extended area around the Olympic Park.
The main concern is whether the Corporation’s development plans will benefit local communities and result in the aim of economic ‘convergence’. Valued local employment is directly threatened by the loss of industrial buildings in Hackney Wick, Fish Island and Sugar House Lane and on Carpenters Estate where thriving and viable businesses have now to compete against landowners’ expectation of building high-density housing.
Tonight these issues are put to the test when the Corporation’s little-known planning committee decides on two applications in Hackney Wick. You are invited to attend the meeting to scrutinise the process.
6pm March 24, LLDC offices, Level 10, 1 Stratford Place, Mountfichet Road, London E20 1EJ (next to Stratford station Westfield exit).
Hackney Independent highlights the link between retaining the heritage buildings and affordable workspace. At 80-84 and 88 Wallis Road, officers recommend demolishing all buildings on the site except one, even though they mark the majority as ‘Heritage Assets’ on the Conservation Area map. Approximately 32 businesses are listed as occupying Main Yard (dead link) while artists and the organisation Affordable Wick (who also appeared at the Examination) do not believe artists and small businesses will survive relocation into the new buildings.
The proposed Groveworld scheme is for high-density housing blocks and the application includes a bizarre redacted light study (dead link) showing the complexity of planned developments all around the site with the evident loss of viable employment space on sites owned by the LLDC itself.
A document showing the agreement for affordable workspace and affordable housing for the Wallis Road site will be revealed at tonight’s meeting. The Committee Reports are here.(dead link)
Just Space and others will continue to scrutinise and highlight the LLDC plans.
Update from MT: blog post from Liam Crosby (Community Links) on his experiences in participating in the Examination in Public on the LLDC local plan here. (dead link)
Checked M E 21 07 2025