Drapers Field – update

The Planning Committee gave approval to the revised plans for Drapers Field, which the Council has decided is to become a park.

The outline plan shows the intended layout – and full details can be found on the Council website – under the Planning Explorer, quoting application number 2012/0482/LA.

The larger pitch is the new artificial turf football/hockey pitch, whilst the smaller is a junior grass pitch.

In front of the pavilion is an urban sand area, which can be used by younger children for beach volleyball.

Also prominent is a permanent diagonal footpath, which is intended for use by students of Chobham Academy, as a ‘walk to school’ route rather than using the pavement.

Drapers Playing Field – What the Council plans!

Drapers Playing Field - before the Olympics took over!

Planning Application no. 2012/0482/LA

The planning application is due to be heard by the Planning Committee on 2nd. August.

PROPOSAL:

  • Post Olympic reinstatement as a ‘public park’

  • Provision of a junior-sized grass football pitch

  • Relocation of the synthetic turf pitch

  • Formation of play areas

  • Refurbishment of the Sport England pavilion

  • New pathways and landscaping

  • Provision of an Urban Beach

The adult grass football pitch is not to be restored, despite the Council’s own Playing Pitch Strategy accepting that there is a lack of such provision in the south of the borough and stating that all current facilities should be protected. The report to the Planning Committee states that ‘on consideration’ there are insufficient grounds to withhold consent.

Full details can be found on the Council’s website:

http://www1.walthamforest.gov.uk/moderngov/mgA.aspx?M=2809

Any comments should be sent to:

The Development Manager, London Borough of Waltham Forest, Sycamore House, Waltham Forest Town Hall, Forest Road, E17 4JF

Drapers Field update

The Council has lodged a planning application for the reinstatement of Drapers Field when it relinquished by the Olympic Delivery Authority.

Planning Application Number 2012/0482/LA

Post Olympic reinstatement as a public park including provision of sports pitches (including a relocated synthetic turf pitch), formation of new play areas, refurbishment of the pavilion, new pathways and landscaping

Any comments on this application should be addressed to:

The Development Manager, Sycamore House, Waltham Forest Town Hall, Forest Road, Walthamstow, E17 4JF

The Cathall Liberal Democrats are concerned that copies of the plans and other documents are not readily available on the council’s website.

They understand that one proposal is for a footpath to be laid down stretching from the entrance in Temple Mills Lane directly to the exit in Leyton High Road, to encourage students from Chobham Academy to cut across the playing field rather than use the existing pavement. This effectively reduces the amount of space for sporting activities. Indeed, the full-size grass football pitch has already been abandoned, leaving just the junior pitch.

The Playing Pitch Strategy says that the south of the borough is under provided with playing pitches. Are the council not interested in encouraging sporting activities in Leyton?

The Monster awakens!

Many of you will have noticed the building in the picture gradually being built. It dominates the High Road like some monster overlooking the road. Some of you may know it as the ‘Outlook’ building – the estate agents ‘Outlook’ were the previous users. Others may remember it as ‘Stuffs’ – the material shop used it for many years.

This monster of steel and glass is to become a large block of mainly 1 bed flats. It is totally out of character with the area and has no parking spaces for its residents, apart from a couple of spaces for people with disabilities. The original plans were thrown out by the Council but was agreed later on appeal.

Councillor Bob Sullivan said:

“If we are to regenerate our area, this is not the way to go. There is a crying need for family houses, not 1 or 2 bed flats. Long term residents of Leyton have seen family houses continually turned into flats. This has caused overcrowding, lack of maintenance of front gardens a disregard for the local environment and along with the lack of parking spaces and the increase of traffic, it has changed the area dramatically.”

Flats for the Olympics?

A planning application lasting only for three years, has been submitted to the Council. It is a temporary conversion of the Technical Institute, part of the old Leyton Town Hall, entrance in Adelaide Road.

The plan is to convert the inside of the building into 32 residential units:

15 studio flats, 11 x 1 bed flats, 2 x 2 bed flats and 4 x 3 bed flats.

There is obviously going to be a demand for accommodation in Leyton that is near the Olympic Park. Councillor Bob Sullivan said that he would not be surprised if these flats were not snapped up soon after they are built. This is probably what the developers are also thinking.

What they are going to turn them into after three years is anyones guess?

But one thing whatever they do, there is no parking provision. Local residents already have a major problem in parking in the road and more flats without parking spaces, will only add to the problem.

Drapers Field – The Decision!

Drapers Field - to be shut for 2 years

At the Planning Committee meeting this week approval was granted to the ODA to use Drapers Field for 16 months from this September.

In January 2013 Drapers Field will return to the Council. The application included compensation which will be used under a Section 106 agreement to re-provide an upgraded full-size all weather pitch, plus a turfed junior football pitch. There will also be improvements to the Sport England pavilion. Since the Council has decided to carry out the restoration of Drapers Field themselves, it is reported that the Field should be reopened by September 2013.

A Section 111 agreement covers off-site improvements at Marsh Lane and Abbotts Park.

CHURCH LANE CAR PARK

Also, at the last minute, the multi-utility games area (MUGA) in the Church Lane car park was included. The Liberal Democrats believe that this facility should not be unsupervised in the middle of the Shopping Centre, and would be better situated on the field next to the Pastures Centre in Davies Lane, which is a much more central location for residents in 3 wards, Cann Hall, Cathall and Leytonstone.

What do you think?

We would like to hear from you.

Drapers Field – Latest

Drapers Field - closed to the public until September 2013

We have manged to get a look at what the Council proposes for Drapers Field.

The Masterplan (above) shows that the all weather pitch will be re-sited and there is inclusion of some beach volleyball play areas. Maybe the Council is thinking of re-applying for the £100,000 lottery money that it had to return last year when they made arrangements to give the site to the Olympic Authority for warehousing space for the Olympics.

Below is a closer look at the planned beach volleyball area:

To enlarge the Masterplann, click on this link – Drapers Field – masterplan 

Latest News

 The planning application by the Olympic Development Authority (ODA) to use Drapers Field is still to be submitted to Waltham Forest Council’s Planning Committee. News is that it will go to the Planning Committee on 2nd August.

The information regarding how much compensation that the Council will get, through what is known as section 106 and section 111, has still to be finalised. The money received will be used to improve Abbotts Park, Marsh Lane and of course Drapers Field.

The good news is that the money allocated to Drapers Field will be to re-instate the all-weather pitch and introduce new landscaping, access, and community sports facilities. This is good news, as previously there was no mention of the all-weather pitch, or sports facilities being replaced, only that Drapers would be turned into a ‘special park’.

The other not so good news Councillor Bob Sullivan has been hearing, is that the ODA want to chop down two mature trees so that they can get access to the field by their lorries. He has followed this up and it is being challenged by council officers in the tree department who feel that access can be achieved without chopping down the trees. He will update again when he receives any further news on this.