tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-48741272870486807962012-01-25T01:28:45.488-08:00Caramelnoreply@blogger.comBlogger1351100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4874127287048680796.post-92095929434743351202012-01-24T05:41:00.000-08:002012-01-24T05:41:36.611-08:00

You might think the whole area has gone to the dogs, but we think otherwise. In fact, there's a compelling argument for getting the dogs back! If the council has rejected the UCKG's plans for our listed cinema on the grounds that it's viable to keep it in use for the purpose it was designed for, shouldn't the same logic be applied to Walthamstow's listed greyhound stadium? If you missed last

Fight The Heighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11235122775388517469noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4874127287048680796.post-6369699156510501032012-01-20T14:05:00.000-08:002012-01-20T14:07:23.263-08:00

Public meeting about massive Olympic campsiteWithout public consultation the council has decided to create a massive* Olympic campsite on Walthamstow's Low Hall Sports Ground. That's not good at all. But perhaps the worst part of the plans is the people running it. The company involved [Big Events Camping] have no experience of running campsites and lots of experience of running stuff that's

Fight The Heighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11235122775388517469noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4874127287048680796.post-34682243007988240962012-01-20T13:49:00.000-08:002012-01-20T13:49:40.330-08:00

An appeal to overturn the Council's decision to refuse permission for the conversion of the beautiful Grade 2* listed EMD cinema on Hoe Street into a church has been submitted by the Universal Church of the Kingdom of God (UCKG). Government planning inspectors will re-consider Waltham Forest Council's decision to deny UCKG planning permission last year and have the power to overturn the case and

Fight The Heighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11235122775388517469noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4874127287048680796.post-44795269025658550062011-11-22T01:42:00.000-08:002011-11-22T01:42:42.883-08:00

Farewell to the 1960s, 17-storey Glencairn Tower in Motherwell Here in Walthamstow, our councillors are still rubberstamping new towerblocks. Up in Scotland they're busy blowing them up! We challenge anyone not to enjoy videos like this one from BBC News.

Fight The Heighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11235122775388517469noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4874127287048680796.post-5559942500371661942011-11-18T04:47:00.000-08:002011-11-18T04:53:53.959-08:00

They've just started work on the grim tower block at Walthamstow Central station car park. But news reaches us that they have already filed a new planning application - to increase the number of hotel rooms and change design elements. See the letter below (click on it to read), which rather marvellously they only sent to residents on one side of Priory Avenue! Details of how to complain are on

Fight The Heighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11235122775388517469noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4874127287048680796.post-54747312201314274412011-11-09T07:40:00.000-08:002011-11-09T07:41:23.827-08:00

The council has now inked its agreement with Islington and Shoreditch Housing Association (ISHA) to develop the Arcade site. You can see the latest news on their plans here and also download a recent presentation on their ideas. ISHA and their architects are making all the right noises about working with residents, a good quality development, family and affordable housing, not building

Fight The Heighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11235122775388517469noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4874127287048680796.post-30253523095312860242011-11-09T07:25:00.000-08:002011-11-09T07:25:54.228-08:00

If you care about which local buildings are added to the council's list (or indeed taken off it) then check out this consultation before the deadline of 25 November. Note that while the dog track and a couple of other important local buildings are being taken off the list, that's apparently because they are now listed by English Heritage which gives them more protection than the council's list.

Fight The Heighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11235122775388517469noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4874127287048680796.post-32842237384605934672011-11-09T06:50:00.000-08:002011-11-09T06:52:13.548-08:00

Work is finally underway for what will quite possibly be the ugliest and most depressing tower block in the world, at Walthamstow Central station. We say finally not because we want it there (it does loom a bit in the picture, no?) but because developer Solum swore back in January that they'd start work soon and that it'd be complete in time for the Olympics. We always said that was tosh designed

Fight The Heighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11235122775388517469noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4874127287048680796.post-79685883432259848322011-05-24T03:22:00.000-07:002011-05-24T03:26:46.484-07:00

We stand shoulder to shoulder with the council, for once! On Weds the planning committee voted unanimously to refuse planning permission to the UCKG to convert Walthamstow's last working cinema into a church. For more info on the campaign to save the EMD (formerly Granada) visit Save Walthamstow Cinema - and visit the Waltham Forest Cinema Trust to find out about the viable plans to bring it

Caramelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4874127287048680796.post-88426109670706408172011-04-21T04:48:00.000-07:002011-04-21T12:17:39.819-07:00

At last the new Walthamstow town centre masterplan from Gort Scott (yes, yet another masterplan!) has been unveiled and is available online. First impressions? Largely good ideas but they feel like pipe dreams - funding hasn't been identified so there's a sense that the council will cherry pick a couple of ideas it likes while ignoring the holistic vision. Also unconvinced that expensive

Fight The Heighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11235122775388517469noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4874127287048680796.post-47280832283282567492011-04-19T02:14:00.000-07:002011-04-19T02:23:27.221-07:00

Join us on Weds 18th May and show the council you care! It's official: one month till the council decides the fate of our cinema! Please put the date in your diary NOW. Weds 18th May - meet up 7pm on the Town Hall steps (Forest Road, E17) and then inside for the planning meeting.   Make sure the council planning committee knows you care on the night they decide the future of our beautiful

Fight The Heighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11235122775388517469noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4874127287048680796.post-75763605647626295882011-04-18T05:07:00.000-07:002011-04-18T07:27:47.961-07:00

Consultants Gort Scott were due to unveil the conclusions of their Walthamstow Town Centre masterplanning consultation online by last Friday. Hurrah! Sadly this morning their blog tells a classic Waltham Forest Council story. We quote: "We had intended to post a summary of the draft masterplan onto this blog  today. However, due to the Borough not having signed-off on the content, they have

Fight The Heighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11235122775388517469noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4874127287048680796.post-88894295501361842672011-03-23T10:29:00.000-07:002011-03-23T10:29:21.160-07:00

Disappointing news... despite all our emails, Boris has decided not to overturn the council's decision to approve the tower blocks for Walthamstow Central station car park. This despite the plans being too tall for the council's policies and CABE saying they should not be approved! And despite Boris having pledged before he was elected to fight this sort of inapproriate development. So it looks

Fight The Heighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11235122775388517469noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4874127287048680796.post-63026324413315243292011-03-21T03:47:00.000-07:002011-03-21T07:05:48.483-07:00

Our idiotic council may have approved the plans to fill Walthamstow Central station car park with tower blocks, but Mayor Boris gets the final say. He's making his decision this Wednesday (23 March). So please email his case officer Emma Williamson at emma.williamson@london.gov.uk with your thoughts before then - today if possible, so it makes it into her written report. Subject: "Planning

Fight The Heighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11235122775388517469noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4874127287048680796.post-90878369198039262272011-02-21T04:18:00.001-08:002011-02-21T04:52:49.139-08:00

As one of the people up till the wee hours on Sat night working to protect the EMD, I thought I’d give an account of what happened… One of our Cleveland Park residents noticed vans going into the Arcade site at 9ish (the rubble car park bit behind the blue hoardings). They seemed to have replaced the gate padlock with their own, they said they were squatters and they put up a fancy legal notice

Caramelnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4874127287048680796.post-28331890323499277562011-01-24T12:27:00.000-08:002011-01-24T12:29:46.593-08:00

Go on Weds - you get to use stickers, woo! OK, so there’s a new council consultation on Walthamstow town square and the Arcade site taking place online (follow the link and then choose the questionnaire on the left) and also this Wednesday in central Walthamstow (26th Jan – click the link for times and locations). Except it isn’t. About the town square and the Arcade site, that is. Almost all

Fight The Heighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11235122775388517469noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4874127287048680796.post-86755507507362719962011-01-24T12:16:00.000-08:002011-01-24T12:22:44.060-08:00

How a refurbished EMD might look Picture: Paul Lindt We’re not big on petitions. But as this is the first ever petition to be hosted on the council site, it will be an interesting test of local democracy to see if they listen.   So… please sign the online petition here to help save the EMD/Granada cinema. It only takes a minute to sign up and do so. And please forward to all your friends!

Fight The Heighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11235122775388517469noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4874127287048680796.post-29598868322902929682011-01-24T12:10:00.000-08:002011-01-24T12:13:32.298-08:00

Councillor Pye says "move to Surrey if you don’t like it" Residents protest outside. Inside we were told to "move to Surrey"! Bad news Walthamstownians. On Thursday night our council’s planning committee granted planning permission for Solum to build a 14-storey hotel on the south side of Walthamstow Central station, and further blocks of 8 storeys in the station car park, flanking the

Fight The Heighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11235122775388517469noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4874127287048680796.post-33211978820235241672011-01-17T07:02:00.000-08:002011-01-17T07:32:49.665-08:00

As you can see from the picture above and video below, Saturday's pillow fight demo was great fun. Thanks for coming! There are reports online from the Waltham Forest Guardian and Walthamstow Scene. Enjoy! And hope to see you on Thursday night at the town hall...

Fight The Heighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11235122775388517469noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4874127287048680796.post-22999843183398477862011-01-10T04:46:00.000-08:002011-01-10T05:11:08.518-08:00

If you don't want to see tower blocks of up to 14 storeys looming over central Walthamstow then it's time to ACT NOW! Please join us at a pillow fight this Saturday and then at the town hall next Thurs night. In fact, the planning meeting next Thurs is without a doubt the most important meeting we've ever asked you to attend. If planning permission is granted, it sets a precendent which could

Fight The Heighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11235122775388517469noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4874127287048680796.post-91486470169156356352011-01-10T04:11:00.000-08:002011-01-10T04:16:45.992-08:00

Next up are little-publicised plans to build up to eight storeys in St James Street - it's near the station and we think it's on the site that's currently occupied by the health centre. The development is in two phases. The first (planning application 2010/1635) is for a new health centre with 19 flats on top. The second (outline planning application 2010/1636/OUT) is for another two blocks of

Fight The Heighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11235122775388517469noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4874127287048680796.post-36042518782336705422011-01-10T03:50:00.000-08:002011-01-10T04:12:18.028-08:00

Welcome to 2011. The year that developers harden their resolve to carpet bomb Walthamstow with high-rise, low-quality developments, and our council resolves to approve them all, declaring "thank you, sir, may I have another?" OK, let's hope we're wrong and the council resists some of them. But the signs are not good... Last week the council approved plans to build 124 flats, in four blocks up to

Fight The Heighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11235122775388517469noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4874127287048680796.post-2312756855783605742010-12-16T12:12:00.000-08:002010-12-16T12:33:59.842-08:00

In some ways it was appropriate that Solum should have arranged for such cold and miserable weather for the evening of their Presentation. No amount of showy IT could mask the fact that the Tower they are planning for the Station car park will be enormous, and ugly, there is no way anyone will want to stay in their hotel, and the 'Night-Economy' will be improved not one jot. Unfortunately, if it

Fight The Height editorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12083151803833734780noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4874127287048680796.post-36915953283461087112010-11-24T05:12:00.000-08:002010-11-24T05:22:56.504-08:00

Flying in the face of the reason they were set up Lee Valley Regional Park Authority are trying to get a 'Cheap Hotel' built in front of the Ice Rink / Riding Stables area. One of the guiding principles behind the LVRPA was "No open land, whatever its present use - should be built on." However in the interest of raising some cash at any cost they are hoping to sell off a strip of land to a 'Cheap

Fight The Height editorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12083151803833734780noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4874127287048680796.post-57046919391296593782010-11-15T08:11:00.000-08:002010-11-15T08:18:34.441-08:00

Watch out Walthamstow because if Solum gets planning approval for its horrid tower blocks on Walthamstow Central station car park there will be sleepless nights ahead... That's the message we've been given by campaigners in Epsom, the first station unfortunate enough to have been targetted by Solum. The council was apparently bullied into giving planning permission even though CABE recommended

Fight The Heighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11235122775388517469noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4874127287048680796.post-1129902674597409142010-11-11T13:31:00.000-08:002010-11-12T06:41:58.853-08:00

A message from our friends at the New Lammas Lands Defence Committee... The Leyton Marshes area (just north of Hackney Marshes on the east side of the River Lea) is threatened with high-rise ribbon development along Lea Bridge Road all the way from Lea Bridge to the Railway station under the emerging Northern Olympic Fringe Legacy Masterplan, and if more residents - especially in Waltham Forest,

Fight The Heighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11235122775388517469noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4874127287048680796.post-37308805315246078032010-11-01T09:25:00.000-07:002010-11-01T09:38:10.664-07:00

If we hadn't, ahem, forced developer St Modwen to take down its horrid flags from the Arcade site, they'd be flying at half mast today because - according to this Walthamstow Guardian report - St Modwen and the council have now parted company! Is this good news? Undoubtably, in our humble opinion. St Modwen repeatedly made it clear that it had no interest in working with residents and its tower

Fight The Heighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11235122775388517469noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4874127287048680796.post-10273131203583708262010-10-29T07:07:00.000-07:002010-10-29T07:11:03.101-07:00

The country's top architecture experts CABE have reviewed the plans and think they should be refused. You can read their scathing report online. Alternatively, here's a quick summary of the best bits... CABE says that the scheme is poor quality: “We wish to support Waltham Forest Council in demanding a high quality development on this prominent site. We regret to say, we do not think this will

Fight The Heighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11235122775388517469noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4874127287048680796.post-63586445191886975242010-10-29T07:03:00.000-07:002010-11-10T08:23:21.349-08:00

Solum's latest attempt to trick residents is a glossy "newsletter" (produced by Lexington Communications, a company that specialises in political lobbying and public relations) promoting the development. It's relentlessly positive, it doesn't include any pictures that indicate the height of the tower blocks, in fact it doesn't even mention the height, and it has a form residents can post back to

Fight The Heighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11235122775388517469noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4874127287048680796.post-51325851640667709652010-10-14T05:52:00.000-07:002010-10-14T05:56:48.500-07:00

The 'SaveOurStow' group are campaigning to prevent the Walthamstow Dog Track being turned into a high-rise housing development. Please go to http://www.saveourstow.co.uk/ and vote in their online survey.

Fight The Height editorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12083151803833734780noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4874127287048680796.post-58483063359086389212010-10-11T02:36:00.001-07:002010-10-11T02:40:14.920-07:00

As promised, here's how to object to Solum's high-rise, low-quality plans for Walthamstow Central station car park (see the stories below for more details of the plans). Please spare a few minutes ASAP to object to the plans - by emailing or writing to Ian Ansell (dcmail@walthamforest.gov.uk FAO: Ian Ansell), Development Management, Sycamore House, Town Hall Complex, Forest Road, London E17 4JF.

Fight The Heighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11235122775388517469noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4874127287048680796.post-81237568982424800662010-10-03T15:01:00.000-07:002010-10-04T01:12:08.142-07:00

Especially for us? NO!??!Turns out 'Solum' [S'lum, SoGlum, Golum, SoLumpy, Soul-less; please feel free to add you own], is 'an exciting joint venture' [lucrative co-op] between 'Kier and Network Rail'. But if you thought those kindly chaps at SoGlum had chosen Walthamstow because it offers them [and us, of course] unique opportunities; 'stop right there, thank you very much'. Far from it, S'lum

Fight The Height editorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12083151803833734780noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4874127287048680796.post-18663489419481387542010-09-29T08:57:00.000-07:002010-09-29T12:19:03.841-07:00

View from the south - note how the blocks beautifully frame (read: TOTALLY DWARF) the station in between them! You can now send in your objections to the proposed tower blocks on the Walthamstow Central station car park site. Plans that are 13 STOREYS at their tallest, dwarfing even Tower Mews opposite, the tallest building for miles around. The basic info about the application can be found on

Fight The Heighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11235122775388517469noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4874127287048680796.post-35461733884713109972010-09-21T00:50:00.000-07:002010-09-21T01:25:13.223-07:00

Development company Solum have submitted revised plans for their proposed station car park development. The plans are for a ghastly 12 storey hotel / housing block, totally out of keeping with the low-rise victorian terraces which it will loom over.Local resident groups opposed to the development are planning a public meeting in opposition to this 'crime against design'.

Fight The Height editorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12083151803833734780noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4874127287048680796.post-58081849410674595782010-07-23T08:59:00.000-07:002010-07-23T09:02:11.682-07:00

Alert! Alert! The word on the street is that Solum's planning application to stick a whopping great big tower block on the Walthamstow Central station car park is imminent. Like, next week imminent.They're sneaky so-and-sos at Solum. They did their "public exhibition" with the bare minimum of publicity, and over just two days, so many people missed it. And now they're putting in for planning

Fight The Heighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11235122775388517469noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4874127287048680796.post-37524534664226435442010-07-01T08:59:00.000-07:002010-07-01T09:07:40.911-07:00

St Modwen return with new Arcade site planHaving pulled out of a scheme to develop Walthamstow’s Arcade site with a tower containing homes, shops and community facilities St Modwen have approached the council again.Since the council's pledge to develop the site with £30 million of taxpayers money is now dead in the water as public spending is dramatically cut, St Modwen have returned with a new “

Fight The Height editorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12083151803833734780noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4874127287048680796.post-27669838139662563182010-05-19T04:51:00.000-07:002010-05-24T09:05:41.216-07:00

Move over St Mediocre, your time has been and gone.Step forward 'Walthamstow Central Station'; for it is you that has been chosen.BIGGER, BADDER, AND BLOCKIER than ever, the Stow has yet again been singled out for a gratuitous multistorey redevelopment.Barry's report from the Public Consultation follows, and if you want to see the proposals in all their gory (sic) then follow these links:The

Fight The Height editorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12083151803833734780noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4874127287048680796.post-91084474994957492212010-04-15T07:50:00.000-07:002010-04-15T08:02:38.761-07:00

A LARGE housing development by Hadley Homes, which goes against current policies on the density of new schemes will be considered by councillors next week. Officers have recommended that an application to build 562 homes in blocks up to seven-storeys high on industrial land off Billet Road, Walthamstow, should be approved to address a shortage of affordable properties.Hadley Homes also want to

Fight The Height editorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12083151803833734780noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4874127287048680796.post-28925763210055544432010-04-15T07:29:00.000-07:002010-04-15T07:49:24.362-07:00

The Fat Controller has overlooked Sodor Island's outdated steam powered transport system and dilapidated infrastructure. Instead he has turned his attention to Walthamstow.WALTHAMSTOW Central Station is set to be transformed under plans for £500m investment by Network Rail and construction firm Kier. Working together under the name Solum Regeneration, [clearly a front for the Fat Controller and

Fight The Height editorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12083151803833734780noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4874127287048680796.post-91562482313674761612010-03-09T05:42:00.000-08:002010-03-09T06:33:49.962-08:00

Thanks to Adrian Stannard of the WALTHAM FOREST CIVIC SOCIETY for this latest planning update.At last night's Planning Comittee there were many surprises. Firstly, the downstairs public gallery was full so I had to sit in the upstairs one [which I have not done for many years] - an indication of the publicwanting to engage in the political process - good news. Further good news was that the first

Fight The Height editorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12083151803833734780noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4874127287048680796.post-12894162035644099512010-02-08T11:51:00.000-08:002010-02-08T11:57:49.230-08:00

Temporary ice rink on the Arcade siteGood effort or embarrassment?Once again the Council massively under delivered. Luckily this winter came to rescue and provided us with a real ice rink, but that just highlighted what a farce the Council’s efforts were. The carousel on the site was so much better but even that could not lift the sense of abject failure that hangs over the site.Let us remind

Fight The Height editorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12083151803833734780noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4874127287048680796.post-1065998364685472262009-11-20T15:03:00.000-08:002009-11-20T15:05:28.804-08:00

Fight The Height editorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12083151803833734780noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4874127287048680796.post-48535760316386898422009-11-04T07:53:00.001-08:002009-11-04T08:09:22.095-08:00

The Art Trail postcard exhibitions (shown here at the Rose & Crown) were a huge success, generating loads more entries packed with ideas for the Arcade site.We now have 288 postcards to scan so we can present councillors with the vast array of ideas that residents have to offer. If you have a scanner at home or at work and could help with this then please email us at mail@fighttheheight.co.uk (if

Fight The Heighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11235122775388517469noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4874127287048680796.post-82852990319625578802009-09-17T08:52:00.000-07:002009-09-17T09:21:12.317-07:00

Adrian Stannard [Waltham Forest Civic Society] provides us with a window on the Council Grotto, determined as ever to serve us with the lowest common denominator fare, no matter how inappropriate or unsound.The Cabinet split along party lines this evening when the Liberals declined to support this report (attached) . The vote 6 Labour to 4 Liberals meant the report was passed and the council will

Fight The Height editorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12083151803833734780noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4874127287048680796.post-69885975369073892022009-09-15T14:08:00.000-07:002009-09-15T14:12:30.369-07:00

................…St Modwen and the Arcade site scheme”. It’s not all hard slog and protesting for Fight The Height’s foot soldiers. On Sunday 13th September at The Rose and Crown in Hoe Street their hard work was handsomely recognised. In front of an enthusiastic audience, FTH received a special commendation from Capacities Ltd for its ongoing Arcade Site campaign and on hand to receive a framed

Fight The Height editorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12083151803833734780noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4874127287048680796.post-70556470638102873642009-09-15T03:47:00.000-07:002009-09-17T08:49:29.159-07:00

It has been scurrilously reported in this Guardian articlehttp://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2009/sep/11/mg-rover-phoenix-fourand this Telegraph articlehttp://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/transport/6176440/St-Modwen-that St Modwen, those fine, upstanding, members of the urban development community, protectors of architectural heritage, and bastions of sustainable living, offered

Fight The Height editorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12083151803833734780noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4874127287048680796.post-84628245191526843322009-09-02T04:35:00.000-07:002009-09-02T04:37:51.845-07:00

Please visit www.mcguffin.org.uk/objectOr come to the Day Of Action on the 13th! (see below)

Fight The Heighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11235122775388517469noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4874127287048680796.post-8981397194881351272009-08-26T15:52:00.001-07:002009-08-26T16:00:50.972-07:00

If you only read two of the zillions of documents about the UCKG church's planning application then make it these two:FormerGranadaCinemaDocandAppendices.pdfPlanningStatementFINAL.pdfWe're teaming up with McGuffins to draft ideas for objections. We'll post them here soon. The deadline for objections is Monday 14th September.

Fight The Heighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11235122775388517469noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4874127287048680796.post-59177126134719635662009-08-25T12:24:00.000-07:002009-09-02T04:29:47.504-07:00

Neither the UCKG church or the Council have seen fit to make the planning application available online. So here it is - see the zillions of links below!We'll post details of how to object to the plans ASAP.Applicationform27.07.09-revised.pdfCoverltr-27.07.09.

Fight The Heighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11235122775388517469noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4874127287048680796.post-40429327097165321412009-08-19T13:21:00.000-07:002009-08-19T13:54:37.908-07:00

Our exciting exhibition of ideas for the Arcade site will be at the Changing Room Gallery, Lloyd Park (31 August - 6 September), and as part of the E17 Art Trail at the Rose & Crown pub on Hoe Street (5-13 September). So please grab a postcard*, fill it in and send it to us to arrive by next Friday, the 28th. Thanks!Please encourage your children, friends, family and neighbours to take part too,

Fight The Heighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11235122775388517469noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4874127287048680796.post-21156727046539840992009-08-04T01:50:00.000-07:002009-08-04T01:59:04.188-07:00

Follow the link below to the Councils Consultation Questionnaire.If you want a car park, a pig farm, or a 1 : 2.6 scale model of Uluru then make sure you let the council know. Otherwise we'll have a couple of crummy old fair ground rides, and some new seats for the open-air-drinking club for the next 2 years.http://www.walthamforest.gov.uk/surveys/arcade/arcadejuly09.htm

Fight The Height editorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12083151803833734780noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4874127287048680796.post-41950199397705553572009-07-09T01:40:00.000-07:002009-07-14T14:27:06.964-07:00

Summarising a year of "catastrophic" write downs, Bill Oliver, St Modwen's chief executive admitted "we are at the lowest ebb, [but] we don't think we've reached the bottom."Whilst it doesn't look likely that St Modwen will actually collapse, The Financial Times noted"with the property market likely to stay moribund for some time, it is hard to get excited about the prospects for the sector"An

Fight The Height editorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12083151803833734780noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4874127287048680796.post-72442267795946722252009-07-03T08:12:00.000-07:002009-07-14T14:26:11.757-07:00

What would YOU like to see on the Arcade site in central Walthamstow?We're asking residents, artists, schoolchildren and architects to send us a postcard with their dreams, visions and ideas for the site, on the corner of High Street and Hoe Street.Thousands of postcards are being distributed. Grab one at a pub, shop or community centre near you and jot down your ideas. Alternatively, click on

Fight The Heighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11235122775388517469noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4874127287048680796.post-24683501551877163992009-06-27T12:23:00.000-07:002009-06-27T12:28:53.424-07:00

Having been rejected by Hackney Council in 2007 and again by the Secretary of State, following a Planning Inspectorate enquiry, in 2008, the developers have resubmitted plans for the development of the former Lesney Matchbox Works on the River Lea Navigation Canal and Homerton Road. It consists of a 15 storey tower block and two other builds of 12 and 10 storeys.The Planning Inspectorate report

Fight The Height editorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12083151803833734780noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4874127287048680796.post-82969457057620119142009-06-15T14:15:00.000-07:002009-06-15T14:20:08.931-07:00

A council regeneration officer has finally clarified what is happening with the Arcade site's temporary use. The design has basically been decided on, and any public consultation will simply be about what uses the resulting triangle of blank space will be put to (see drawing below).Here's what she had to say:"Council Officers have investigated alternative surfaces for the Arcade site with the

Fight The Heighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11235122775388517469noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4874127287048680796.post-73898648976047457992009-06-10T16:30:00.001-07:002009-06-10T16:33:10.305-07:00

It's a classic council move... They have announced a public consultation on what the temporary use of the Arcade should be.Pox pops in this week's WFM magazine all say it should be a park.And yet the council has already filed a planning application to cover a big triangular section of the site with a hard surface, prior to consultation, but pretty much precluding any possibility of it being a

Fight The Heighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11235122775388517469noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4874127287048680796.post-18159919561596208762009-05-30T14:02:00.000-07:002009-05-30T15:23:51.146-07:00

And so the Arcade Show goes on. Bulldozers are due on-site on Monday to level the area, in to prepare the ground for a temporary public space.There are a number of contenders bidding to become an alternative to the 'tower-block-cinema-hotel-swimming-pool fiasco'. Although there is a commitment to involve the public, it is unclear at what stage this will be. Let's hope we don't have to spend weeks

Fight The Height editorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12083151803833734780noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4874127287048680796.post-5874523799903150742009-04-27T00:05:00.000-07:002009-04-27T03:16:06.536-07:00

ARCADE SITE BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD [AGAIN!!!???]Waltham Forest council has been forced to send plans for Walthamstow’s Arcade site back to the drawing board for an astonishing fourth time. The council broke European rules when it changed the way it was funding the plans and yet decided to stick with developer St Modwen. Now the council has admitted the site must be tendered out to developers

Fight The Height editorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12083151803833734780noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4874127287048680796.post-53894065290806644832009-04-25T07:31:00.000-07:002009-04-25T07:44:45.887-07:00

"HEALTHY LIVING HUB" No one is quite sure what it is, what it does or exactly where it is.However, the upshot from a recent consultant debriefing, is that it might involve some of the land behind the Town Hall, possibly a secondary school, and probably some housing. The Allotments are safe though. According to the consultant they are "Sacrosanct".[I'm thinking salt and pinch-of]

Fight The Height editorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12083151803833734780noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4874127287048680796.post-4915582367528562572009-04-16T14:05:00.000-07:002009-04-16T14:09:43.657-07:00

If you can't make it to the consultation (sorry, "exhibition", the UCKG aren't even pretending to consult with us!) then you can also see all the information online and fill in a feedback form. You can find it all at http://www.uckg.org/walthamstow/For details of the exhibition, which ends tomorrow (Friday), see the story below.

Fight The Heighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11235122775388517469noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4874127287048680796.post-28943642612337737412009-04-06T13:02:00.000-07:002009-04-06T13:14:09.113-07:00

We just received this letter inviting residents to consult on the UCKG church's new plans for the EMD/Granada cinema (click on the letter above to read it).Admittedly we are a cynical bunch here at Fight The Height. But... in what way really will this be a consultation? If we all turn up and say we'd prefer it to be a cinema, will they back off and sell the building to a more suitable owner? If

Fight The Heighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11235122775388517469noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4874127287048680796.post-62928127892500549792009-04-06T12:47:00.000-07:002009-04-06T13:02:10.428-07:00

The council’s plans for the Arcade site have changed as developer St Modwen couldn't persuade Primark and the like to take on retail outlets in a recession. Instead the council has decided to go ahead with the scheme but with a swimming pool as the key attraction rather than retail. This will have to be funded by £35 from the council tax payers of Waltham Forest by means of a loan. (Redbridge is

Fight The Heighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11235122775388517469noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4874127287048680796.post-63076286379370577622009-04-03T14:10:00.001-07:002009-04-03T14:19:02.982-07:00

Sir Anthony Glossop, chairman of St Modwen, told Fight The Height campaigners that “[Waltham Forest] council asked us for a tower… they wanted something that would put Walthamstow on the map”. He added that he would personally prefer something more in keeping with the surrounding area, but that tower blocks had been the done thing when Ken Livingstone was Mayor of London.We’d long suspected that

Fight The Heighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11235122775388517469noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4874127287048680796.post-86352037771885480182009-03-30T02:07:00.000-07:002009-03-30T03:25:08.525-07:00

Over 300 people turned out on Sunday at a public meeting in support of the EMD. It was good natured and informative event. Time and again members of the local community spoke passionately about the value of the EMD to Walthamstow as a cinema, and their fears about any scheme in which the UCKG proposed to share a small portion of it. Notable highlights included;The transparently vacuous and

Fight The Height editorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12083151803833734780noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4874127287048680796.post-2534091303929412302009-03-25T07:06:00.000-07:002009-03-25T08:12:44.563-07:00

The council's latest barmy decision is to plough £35m of public money into a new Arcade scheme including a swimming pool. See this story in the Walthamstow Guardian... including many comments from frustrated residents!While we prefer a pool to a Primark, the decision to stick with developer St Modwen means the unpopular tower block design will probably change very little. Especially as the

Fight The Heighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11235122775388517469noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4874127287048680796.post-14813185200192912392009-03-23T13:52:00.000-07:002009-03-23T13:54:53.411-07:00

Fight The Height editorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12083151803833734780noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4874127287048680796.post-80222114985087181312009-03-23T13:43:00.000-07:002009-03-23T13:52:49.798-07:00

The WF Cabinet are soon to decide if, and how, they will press on with the Arcade development. Presently they are planning to move Pool and Track [but not the Track part] onto the Arcade site. For the detailed report follow;http://www.walthamsoft.com/wwcc/documents/ArcadeCabinetReport%20March2009%20final_1%20_2_.pdfOur concern major concern is that they still hope to recoup 30-40% (i.e. £10-14m)

Fight The Height editorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12083151803833734780noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4874127287048680796.post-22884164766044824392009-02-06T15:46:00.000-08:002009-02-06T23:51:50.478-08:00

The deal being done behind closed doors between the UCKG and Waltham Forest Council is finally out in the open, and sadly, but unsurprisingly, the best interests of the local community have been sold up the river.The "new" proposals are for the venue’s main auditorium (Cinema 1) to be used exclusively as a church, while some [small and inaccessible] remaining space may be adapted to create a 250-

Fight The Height adminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16246163647424725485noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4874127287048680796.post-29205165725741491252008-12-23T04:38:00.000-08:002008-12-23T05:19:33.951-08:00

At a council meeting last week – and as reported in this week’s Walthamstow Guardian - councillors finally admitted that the Arcade plans are no longer going ahead as planned.The good news is that we might end up with, say, a swimming pool instead of a Primark. (Although this could turn out to be yet another pipe dream that vanishes when the council takes a long, hard look at its budget.)

Fight The Height adminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16246163647424725485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4874127287048680796.post-88658245330747603492008-12-16T06:58:00.000-08:002008-12-18T11:19:09.293-08:00

Walthamstow residents have called on the council to lift the veil of secrecy from the town centre development after a similar scheme in Hertfordshire collapsed last week.St Modwen, London Borough of Waltham Forest Council’s preferred bidder to redevelop the old arcade site on the corner of Hoe Street and the High Street, last week pulled out of a scheme to redevelop Hatfield town centre in

Fight The Height editorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12083151803833734780noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4874127287048680796.post-33202964377854418212008-12-08T10:11:00.000-08:002008-12-09T05:59:37.833-08:00

On Radio 4s Today Program this morning Councillor Loakes made clear the Councils priorities;"Its about protecting the quality and the offer of the town centre. ... Enough is Enough"Hear, hear. We couldn't agree more.Granted, he was talking about the council's takeaway outlet plan; ' Fastfood Undermining Can Kickstart - Universal Popularity', but nonetheless what is good for the Goose, should

Fight The Height editorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12083151803833734780noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4874127287048680796.post-26985903184189454552008-12-08T00:42:00.000-08:002008-12-08T01:13:34.274-08:00

The proposed redevelopment of Hatfield town centre by St Modwen, was called into question at a fractious public meeting last week.From the council there was;"We can't produce something which we haven't got funding for."and from St M we had;"The project could be smaller than originally planned".How much smaller was not divulged at the meeting, but if its dependent on the funding they haven't got,

Fight The Height editorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12083151803833734780noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4874127287048680796.post-17896693522141944282008-11-27T06:45:00.000-08:002008-11-27T06:58:57.924-08:00

We'd like to shake the hand of whoever made this new amendment to the Arcade site hoardings (and no, we honestly don't know who did it!).By changing an R to a D, St Modwen has been outed as "The UK's leading degeneration specialist". We couldn't agree more. Signing a development agreement on a big site in the heart of Walthamstow, then leaving it as rubble potentially for years because of the

Fight The Height adminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16246163647424725485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4874127287048680796.post-81099016299589743652008-11-21T06:56:00.000-08:002008-11-24T04:22:23.640-08:00

Click on the picture above to view, in full, Rowan Moore's [Evening Standards Architecture Critic] castigation of the Olympic Big Screens, and the damage he believes they will do to urban public space. Click on the second picture to read Barry Coidan's letter to the Standard pointing out that contrary to LOCOGs [Largely Overpaid Consultants of Gibberish] claims about Big Screen popularity, no

Fight The Height editorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12083151803833734780noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4874127287048680796.post-84571788921084554372008-10-11T11:51:00.000-07:002008-10-14T01:13:35.770-07:00

"It's Credity and It's OOOhhh SOOooo Crunchy", but if you're a 'brownfield land development specialist' its not especially tasty.Like lots of companies, which have to borrow heavily in order to make speculative investments, St Modwen are feeling the pinch. Their shares have fallen by over 50% in the last year and, as a result, its borrowings of £470 million are about £100 million more than its

Fight The Height editorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12083151803833734780noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4874127287048680796.post-68881550476467979672008-09-25T06:44:00.000-07:002008-09-25T09:15:15.147-07:00

Seven Storey Tower Block - REFUSEDThe council has refused an application for a horrid cluster of tower blocks.Essex Wharf - three seven-storey blocks near Lea Bridge Road, would have overshadowed a beautiful section of the River Lea. It has been refused for various reasons: Its unsightly impact, dominating the landscape, the poor quality of the 'affordable' living accommodation, unsustainable

Fight The Height editorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12083151803833734780noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4874127287048680796.post-57420883552075874432008-09-25T00:47:00.000-07:002008-09-25T02:18:58.639-07:00

"THE ARCHERS" [Radio 4] COME TO WALTHAMSTOWLast week property developer Matt Crawford [normally found concreting over farmers fields in Ambridge, or converting the barns of struggling tenant farmers] paid a visit to Walthamstow. Ostensibly he was here to meet his real mother [he was adopted at birth], having tracked her down to an old people's home in The Stow. This first meeting didn't go very

Fight The Height editorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12083151803833734780noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4874127287048680796.post-39936864301787630392008-09-10T16:41:00.000-07:002008-09-11T05:13:54.786-07:00

FtH representatives Barry and Anita supported the Friends of Queens Market [FoQM] outside City Hall where they were petitioning Boris. Here is Barry's report; embedded on the front line. "A hard core of supporters gathered outside City Hall on a Wednesday morning. We were in good spirits, attracting the attention of busy office workers striding along the Thames walkway to begin their day's toil.

Fight The Height editorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12083151803833734780noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4874127287048680796.post-89943829739227568422008-08-29T08:04:00.000-07:002008-08-29T08:36:39.053-07:00

Visit the E17 Art Trail 6-14 September to see dozens of local artists, many of them exhibiting either at home or in quirky locations. In particular, do check out two artists whose work is inspired by the Fight The Height anti tower block campaign:Valeria Bateson has a window display at 25 West Avenue Road - the picture above left is part of her artistic exploration of the impact of tower blocks,

Fight The Height adminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16246163647424725485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4874127287048680796.post-55520643943396179702008-08-27T07:04:00.001-07:002008-08-29T08:37:14.823-07:00

Over years of campaigning, we've discovered that not only is it too late to fight developments when the bulldozers arrive, it's also sometimes too late when they apply for planning permission.Why? Because months, often years, earlier the council has agreed a planning policy which sets in stone what will happen. For example, a policy might mark out a particular area for development, dictate what

Fight The Height adminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16246163647424725485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4874127287048680796.post-24147819778496260032008-08-21T01:39:00.000-07:002008-08-21T01:42:13.224-07:00

Democracy seemed absent in the decision to erect a giant telly in Walthamstow Town Square. But at least the BBC website is giving the public the chance to comment on the screen. It'll be interesting to see whether your opinions are published...!Visit http://www.bbc.co.uk/bigscreens/get_involved.shtml to tell them what you think of it.

Fight The Height adminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16246163647424725485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4874127287048680796.post-37733222094645430342008-08-15T12:41:00.000-07:002008-08-15T12:55:52.354-07:00

Join the march on Saturday 16th August to try and save Walthamstow's world-famous dog track from housing developers. Meet outside the track at 12 noon for a march to Walthamstow town square.For more on the campaign visit https://saveourstow.wordpress.com/To sign the petition visit http://www.petitiononline.com/savestow/

Fight The Height editorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12083151803833734780noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4874127287048680796.post-19237296218994565462008-08-07T14:21:00.000-07:002008-08-07T14:23:28.386-07:00

The "screen on the green" – the Olympic "Live Site" giant telly plonked on Walthamstow town square gardens, with the childrens' play area directly behind it, flickered into life today, after a last-minute planning hearing by the Waltham Forest Planning Committee. The committee agreed to 16 hours a day operation, seven days a week, 7am to 11pm, until at least the end of 2012.Despite the

Fight The Heighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11235122775388517469noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4874127287048680796.post-49137955291261326712008-07-21T13:28:00.000-07:002008-07-21T14:09:28.155-07:00

ACT NOW if you object to the giant telly in Walthamstow Town Square broadcasting (with sound) 16 hours a day, every day of the year, for the next four years.Please send a quick email to Rachel.Jagger@walthamforest.gov.uk with your objections. She must receive them by the morning of Tuesday 5th August for them to be considered by the planning committee that night.The screen already has planning

Fight The Heighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11235122775388517469noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4874127287048680796.post-81896374401059742102008-07-16T16:03:00.000-07:002008-07-21T14:04:29.514-07:00

If the sight of the huge Olympics-funded telly in Walthamstow Town Square being built is hardening your resolve to fight the height... then good! We're going to need everyone to get involved when it comes to opposing the tower block plans.Meanwhile, there is still something worth fighting regarding the screen. The screen got planning permission on two conditions. One that it was only until 2012.

Fight The Heighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11235122775388517469noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4874127287048680796.post-41038020850577660632008-07-16T15:43:00.000-07:002008-07-16T16:02:20.679-07:00

If you heard a high-pitched sound on Tuesday, it was probably the world's smallest violin playing for Arcade developer St Modwen. Thanks to the property market collapse, it posted £20m losses for the first half of the year (last year it posted £65.1m profit in the same period). It has written £54.6m off its portfolio in what it describes as the worst period for the industry in almost 20

Fight The Heighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11235122775388517469noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4874127287048680796.post-60306244224696753382008-07-13T16:24:00.000-07:002008-07-13T16:33:37.917-07:00

We'd already heard that St Modwen (the company behind the Arcade site plans) was delaying developments elsewhere. But the incredible news is that according to a local newspaper story St Modwen say their Hatfield town centre plans will be delayed by two or three years... unless they council makes "a substantial investment" to help make up for the flailing property market.Is this the shape of

Fight The Heighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11235122775388517469noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4874127287048680796.post-82055430377807931962008-06-27T02:07:00.000-07:002008-06-27T02:13:55.849-07:00

Good news: We had feared that Boris Johnson was about to backtrack on his pre-election pledges to oppose tower blocks in low-rise suburban London. But yesterday his senior planning advisor Sir Simon Milton said tower blocks must fit into the "local context" and will not be allowed in inappropriate locations, even if they have "wow-factor architecture". He said Boris will favour "high-density

Fight The Heighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11235122775388517469noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4874127287048680796.post-92130751478961960982008-06-25T13:09:00.000-07:002008-06-25T13:12:09.061-07:00

At last... here's the ITV coverage of our first demo (on 1st June). Sorry, it took ages for someone to find the time to do all the technical stuff to put it online! But if you haven't seen it already, it is worth the wait.If the video is jerky then we recommend hitting play, then hitting pause for a moment, and then play again.

Fight The Heighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11235122775388517469noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4874127287048680796.post-51265420797428039942008-06-24T07:46:00.000-07:002008-06-26T07:51:48.556-07:00

Planning Magazine recently ran a little diary piece on our June 1st demo, which you can read here. You need to subscribe to read the whole thing - or just click on "Read more..." below where we have pasted a copy of the story.Diary - Planning, 13 June 2008Developers got a fruity local response over retail plans for Walthamstow town centre last week.More than 200 residents, using tomatoes

Fight The Heighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11235122775388517469noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4874127287048680796.post-15009427683166857882008-06-08T08:24:00.000-07:002008-06-08T09:49:38.388-07:00

Friends of Queens Market are also fighting St Modwen, the developers behind the Walthamstow Arcade tower block plans. And they are fighting to save their own historic East End market (Queens Market in Upton Park) from being blighted as a result! In short, we have lots in common and we must help each other...St Modwen has recently submitted a planning application for Queens Market. And it will see

Fight The Heighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11235122775388517469noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4874127287048680796.post-42872523942603382402008-06-08T08:14:00.000-07:002008-06-08T10:32:05.680-07:00

The bad news is that this week the council planning committee ignored public opinion (39 letters of objection and a number of public speakers) and approved plans for the Olympic-funded giant telly in Walthamstow Town Square, backing on to the children's play area.The only tiny bits of good news are that...1) Rather than being there forever, the screen only has planning permission from this summer

Fight The Heighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11235122775388517469noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4874127287048680796.post-26894891150380064742008-06-04T02:19:00.001-07:002008-06-04T02:27:25.124-07:00

It takes 2 seconds to fill in an online form to join Blackhorse Action Group and to give them your comments on the insane overdevelopment planned for the area. The plans include 10 tower blocks, the tallest of which will be 23 storeys (230 feet).So please visit the Blackhorse Action Group website and sign up now!And also check out the BAG Flickr page where they have posted yet more fab pics from

Fight The Heighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11235122775388517469noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4874127287048680796.post-32675112438113923752008-06-03T09:23:00.000-07:002008-06-03T14:15:14.246-07:00

Do read this Indymedia story, including yet more fab pics of Sunday's demo. Many thanks to Peter Marshall for coming along (and for letting us use this pic).Also forgot to post a link to this Evening Standard feature from last week that singles the Arcade out as one of the tower block proposals that Boris Johnson may veto.

Fight The Heighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11235122775388517469noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4874127287048680796.post-85356985129166745612008-06-02T14:29:00.001-07:002008-06-02T14:45:16.951-07:00

Thanks to the 200+ of you who turned up on Sunday for the tomato-chucking and the TV cameras! And thank you to the countless residents who emailed with their support - it's great to know that we have even more supporters (and we're going to need you all when it comes to fighting these tower block plans!)Many thanks to photographers Nick Watts and Tom Glendining for the pics. And of course huge

Fight The Heighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11235122775388517469noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4874127287048680796.post-90023705660290599832008-06-02T13:41:00.000-07:002008-06-25T13:09:40.173-07:00

Will post the ITV news story too, as soon as we have time! Or if anyone else has recorded it and has time to stick it on YouTube and send us the link, that'd save us a job...Oh and as ever with YouTube, if the video is jerky then we recommend hitting play, then hitting pause for a moment, and then play again.

Fight The Heighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11235122775388517469noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4874127287048680796.post-34346034962198252312008-05-30T03:38:00.000-07:002008-05-30T01:23:29.425-07:00

The demo against the Arcade tower block - and tower blocks in Walthamstow generally - will be at noon this Sunday, 1st June in Walthamstow town square.Please save the date, please come along and please tell all your local friends and family. Everyone involved in tower block decisions - from local councillors on the planning committee to Mayor Boris who has the power to veto tower block plans -

Fight The Heighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11235122775388517469noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4874127287048680796.post-57733821934649979722008-05-30T00:44:00.000-07:002008-05-30T01:27:55.566-07:00

Fight The Height was originally founded by Cleveland Park Residents' Association but now has members from all over Walthamstow. What brings us together is our opposition to the tower block planned for the "Arcade" site (on the corner of High Street and Hoe Street) and to the many other tower blocks planned for Walthamstow, such as the ones currently being fought by Blackhorse Action Group.The

Fight The Heighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11235122775388517469noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4874127287048680796.post-55435182792966238632008-05-30T00:32:00.000-07:002008-05-30T01:22:20.944-07:00

Haha! As suspected, the arrogant St Modwen flags on the Arcade site are indeed illegal because they don't have advertisement consent.Responding to our complaint, a council officer said: "The matter has been raised with St Modwen who have undertaken to remove the flags at this time. They have however indicated that they will be making an application for advertisement consent to put them back, and

Fight The Heighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11235122775388517469noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4874127287048680796.post-78942867858162891382008-05-22T06:54:00.001-07:002008-05-22T07:14:14.521-07:00

Arcade site preferred developer St Modwen has delayed plans for revamping Hatfield town centre, blaming "the unstable state of the finance, retail and property markets", according to this Herts 24 news story.Could this happen to their tower block plans for Walthamstow? We very much hope so... but a delay isn't enough. We're hoping that the impending housing crash will make the council and St

Fight The Heighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11235122775388517469noreply@blogger.com0