Investment Opportunities
Opportunity Areas
Area of Intensification
Central activity Zone
International or metropolitan
Major
District
Borough Boundary
Green Belt
Metropolitan open land / Other open spaces
Rail station
Railway track
Foreshore
Water
Leytonstone continues to provide a vibrant mix of retail, food and drink and a diverse employment offer with some significant heritage and community assets and listed buildings. It is near the Future Whipps Cross new neighbourhood and to attractive green and blue assets and is well connected for transport, being served by the Central line and Overground. The council is undertaking a Town Centre Framework setting out development and public realm investment, including four Site Allocation sites in the borough’s emerging Local Plan (2020 – 2035), which could deliver up to 1,600 new homes, 25,000 sqm new workspace and 3,000 new jobs.
Plans for Leyton include minimum growth targets of 6,350 new homes and higher density of housing around the Leyton Tube Station. The council intends to deliver co-ordinated new development around a potential new rail station at Ruckholt Road and intensify development at Leyton Mills, including new quality homes, employment and workspace, appropriate retail provision, cultural uses and supporting social and community infrastructure. Our Local Plan sets out plans for future development at New Spitalfields — in the event the market comes up for redevelopment during the Local Plan period — to create a thriving, mixed-use sustainable neighbourhood, including new quality homes, and jobs.
Waltham Forest is a diverse, creative and vital part of the London we love. In 2019, Waltham Forest became the first ever London Borough of Culture, where we saw residents, businesses and visitors celebrate their diverse cultures and the brilliant borough we are. The strengths seen through the Borough of Culture continued through the Covid-19 pandemic, with our residents and businesses showing a sense of community and acts of kindness.
Although we are now dealing with different challenges including the ongoing cost of living and climate crises, our priority is to support our residents and businesses to continue to recover. To do this, we are focusing on jobs recovery, business support, safe and healthy living, broadening our cultural programme, bringing a new university and restored theatre into the borough, and implementing our new 15-minute-neighbourhood scheme.
We will build on the work we have achieved so far with our partners, to build a brighter future for Waltham Forest.
Population projections 2021 278,790
Population projections 2050 335,649
London plan new homes (ten-year target) 12,640
Building council homes for Londoners (four-year programme) 293
Jonathan Martin, BSc MRICS
Director of Inward Investment and Higher Education Academic Relationships
jonathan.martin@walthamforest.gov.uk
“My highlight for Waltham Forest this past year must be the community spirit we’ve seen across the borough. We’ve welcomed over 40,000 visitors to Fellowship Square over the last year, with residents enjoying our free cultural programme throughout Summer and Winter. . We also received over 1000 nominations for our Pride of Waltham Forest awards, celebrating community, volunteer, and business heroes from every area of the borough. We’ve also developed plans to bring a new university to Waltham Forest, whilst also restoring our beloved theatre to bring the brand-new Soho Theatre Walthamstow to life.
We’ve also launched our Affordable Housing Commission, a panel of industry experts who will set out practical steps to increase local housing supply, reduce homelessness, and give local people reassurance that they can afford to live in their borough.
Our inward investment programme prioritises making Waltham Forest a great place to visit, work and live for everyone.”
