First images of TP Bennett’s Walthamstow Stadium redevelopment
Monday, January 18th, 2010 by Cllr Bob Belam
These are the first images of TP Bennett’s controversial plans to redevelop Walthamstow Stadium, one of London’s last surviving greyhound tracks.Developers London & Quadrant (L&Q) and Yoo Capital plan to create almost 500 new homes on the site, around half of which will be affordable and aimed at key workers and people on a low wage.
A planning application for the £100 million project is expected to be lodged later in the year.The plans retain the stadium’s iconic 1932 art deco entrance arch, and include eight new residential blocks.The site’s listed kennel buildings could be used as a crèche.
Campaigners - including David Beckham, who worked at the stadium as a teenager - have condemned the loss of the race track, which closed in 2008 after 70 years.
But Chris Middleton, head of communications at L&Q said the redevelopment was vital to provide extra homes in a borough where some 2,000 people are currently homeless.“We are aiming to create a mixed development providing 490 new homes, 239 of which will be affordable,” he said.“The mix will include modern homes for outright sale, family sized houses, key worker homes and affordable property for rent and sale.“There is a huge demand and need for family housing in Waltham Forest and London as a whole.
“We want to develop a sustainable, mixed community on this site that provides high quality homes for local people while acknowledging the site’s fantastic heritage as a former greyhound track.”
However Councillor John Macklin, deputy leader of Waltham Forest Council, said: “Whilst we’re acutely aware that Waltham Forest needs affordable houses it must not be at the expense of what little leisure facilities we have left.
“We have lost too many leisure facilities in this borough and despite promises no worthwhile developments have taken place“We must ensure Waltham Forest does not build a mass of housing with no amenities or heritage.
Mr Middleton said that while he regretted the consternation the closure of the stadium had caused, providing new housing was “where the future of the site lies“.
David Beckham, who worked at the stadium collecting glasses as a teenager, has described its demise as “a real shame”. And former Tottenham and Manchester United football star and Chingford resident Teddy Sheringham has also added his voice to the campaign to save the track.
There are now only two dog tracks in
