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Home > How
do we do it? > Community
Consultation > Neighbourhood Frameworks Consultation
The Leaside Planning Day was held in the Bromley-by-Bow
Centre on Saturday 16 March 2002. The purpose of this
event was to provide local residents, businesses, community
groups and organisations the opportunity to express their
views on key planning issues concerning the A12 and A13,
and the neighbourhood areas of East India and Bromley-by-Bow.
The event also gave participants the opportunity to input
into the project creation process for the regeneration
strategy for this area.
Over fifty local representatives attended the Planning
Day. The event was introduced by Owen Henry and David
Black from Leaside Regeneration who explained the context
of the consultation exercise within the broader regeneration
framework for Leaside. The format of the day involved
three key stages:
- Stage 1: Walking audits
- Participants were divided into three groups
to walk a different designated route through the
Bromley-by-Bow and East India neighbourhoods.
Participants were given route maps to annotate
and post-it notes on which they were asked to
write the “problems” and “dreams”
they identify along the route. Each group was
also given a disposable camera to photograph key
issues along the route.
- Walking audits are a new and innovative consultation
method that has been developed in Scandinavia.
- Walking audits create an informal and hands-on
method to engage local people in the planning
process, where they are encouraged to analyse
their surrounding environment. Participants were
able to choose from three separate walking audits
which each covered a different area of the Bromley-by-Bow
and East India neighbourhoods. The three walking
audit route plans are shown below:
- Stage 2: Problems and dreams
- Following the walking tours, each group returned
to the Bromley-by-Bow centre to participate in
a ‘futures’ workshop, where the individual
problems and dreams identified by the participants
were presented to the whole group. The post-it
notes containing the problems and dreams were
divided into themes and stuck onto a large display
board.
- Stage 3: Solutions
- Following lunch, participants were divided into
five smaller workshop groups to discuss solutions
to the problems that had been identified and to
identify key project ideas. Each group was given
a large base plan of the area to annotate with
their ideas and a representative from each group
presented their solutions and project ideas.
A subsequent consultation event specifically for the
Lincoln area was held at the Linc Centre on 2 May 2002.
24 people attended this event from the Lincoln area
and the Crossways Estate. It followed a similar format
to the Leaside Planning Day except that the walking
audits were replaced by a bus tour. The problems and
dreams that were identified during the two events were
categorised under the following themes:
- Built Environment
- There was a strong desire to see the redevelopment
of key sites, including the Empson Street Industrial
Estate, St.Andrew’s Hospital and Bow Common
Gas Works. Specific suggestions included the establishment
of a community development trust for the St. Andrew’s
Hospital site and the need to integrate the redeveloped
Bow gas works with the surrounding area. Ideas
for improving the built environment included encouraging
higher value commercial uses along Imperial Street,
improving or redeveloping underused and unsightly
garages and cleaning the exterior of some of the
prominent buildings, including Bow Church, Kinsgley
Hall and some of the larger blocks of flats.
- Movement
- A common theme in the responses received was
the need to improve the pedestrian environment
across the area and make pedestrian movement easier.
Ideas for improvement included the establishment
of ‘safe routes’, providing wider
pavements, improving the pedestrian environment
along the A12 and Devons Road and improving access
to Bromley-by-Bow station. Cantrell Road was described
as being dysfunctional since it is no longer a
vehicular route nor a safe walking route. It was
suggested that radical measures would be needed
to improve this situation and some called for
the road to be reopened to heavily calmed traffic.
Improved pedestrian crossings were also called
for, particularly under the Bow flyover and across
Bow Road.
- Cleansing and Maintenance
- A number of cleansing and maintenance issues
were highlighted by the participants including
the lack of litter bins, particularly at bus stops,
and trade waste at Stroudley Walk. A number of
measures to address the issue of dog fouling were
proposed including providing designated dog walking
areas, providing more dog bins and enforcing fines
for dog fouling.
- Community Facilities
- Participants wanted to see an improvement in
the quantity and quality of local shops, particularly
at Stroudley Walk. It was felt that this area
needed radical improvement. There were also requests
for more youth facilities and children’s
play areas, a swimming pool, meeting places, a
library, launderette facilities, facilities for
the elderly and sports and leisure facilities.
St. Andrews Hospital was suggested as a good location
for new community facilities. It was also suggested
that facilities within local schools, such as
the swimming pool in St. Paul’s Way School,
should be refurbished and opened for community
use in the evenings.
- A specific need identified was for a primary
health care centre in the Lincoln area. Bow Common
Gas Works was suggested as a suitable location
for such a use.
- Safety
- Safety, public nuisance, crime and the fear
of crime were common themes in the responses received.
There was a desire to see the introduction of
more CCTV and improved lighting, particularly
in Stroudley Walk. Measures to address public
nuisance were also suggested, including an increased
police presence and tackling the problem of graffiti.
- Community
- It was clearly apparent from the consultation
undertaken that there is a great deal of local
pride in the area. There was a desire to see the
history and diversity of the area celebrated through
creating gateway features, more public art, providing
information boards and a museum of the area’s
history. Participants stressed the importance
of continuing community involvement in the planning
process.
As part of the development of a planning and regeneration
framework for Mile End East, a community consultation
event was held in the Burdett Centre on Monday 25 November
2002. The purpose of this event was to provide local
residents, businesses, community groups and organisations
the opportunity to express their views on key planning
issues concerning the Mile End East neighbourhood area.
Over forty local representatives attended the planning
event. The event was introduced by Owen Henry from Leaside
Regeneration who explained the context of the consultation
exercise within the broader regeneration framework for
Leaside. The event centred around a ‘virtual’
tour of Mile End East, a new and innovative consultation
method developed by Urban Practitioners. The format
of the event involved three key stages:
- Stage 1: ‘Virtual’ tour of Mile End
East
- Tim Maiden from Urban Practitioners led attendees
on a ‘virtual’ tour of Mile End East,
which comprised a 30-minute film show of the area
accompanied by a commentary highlighting some
of the key issues and areas within Mile End East.
All attendees were given post-it notes on which
they were asked to write the “problems”
and “dreams” they identified along
the route of the virtual tour. A route map for
the virtual tour was also projected onto a screen
to help orientate participants.
- Stage 2: Problems and dreams
- Following the virtual tour, all of the problems
and dreams were read out to the whole group. The
post-it notes stating different problems and dreams
were then divided into themes and displayed on
a large board.
- Stage 3: Solutions
- Participants where then asked to identify practical
solutions for Mile End East, which would enable
the problems to be addressed and some of the dreams
to be realised. Each participant was asked to
attach their solutions to a large base plan of
the area.
The most commonly raised problem in terms of the facilities
on offer for residents of Mile End East was the lack
of facilities for children and young people. Other problems
raised included the relatively limited range of facilities
on offer at Mile End Stadium and the difficulty of accessing
primary healthcare. Dreams and solutions for improving
Mile End East’s facilities included the provision
of leisure and community centres, including facilities
targeted specifically at Asian youths, and providing
the opportunity for everyone to have access to fresh
food shops within walking distance of their homes.
- Natural environment
- Mile End Park was cited as a major environmental
problem. The problems ranged from a lack of seating
and high levels of pollution to a lack of children’s
play areas and general under use of the space.
The cemetery park was also highlighted as a major
asset but with specific problems, including a
lack of funding, safety concerns and a lack of
awareness about the facilities the cemetery park
has to offer.
Greater wildlife diversity and an increase in
financial support available for Mile End Cemetery
and other parks in the area were the most commonly
stated dreams for Mile End East. Solutions for
the area included the development of Mile End
Canal as a major pedestrian/cycle route to Limehouse
and Canary Wharf and an increase in the amount
of trees, planting and green spaces throughout
the neighbourhood area.
- Transport
- The road junction between Burdett Road and Bow
Road was repeatedly highlighted as a dangerous junction
which is very difficult for pedestrians to cross.
The timing of traffic lights at this junction as
well as on Burdett Road and Turners Road were also
said to be causing problems. A number of respondents
also highlighted the problem of traffic congestion
on St. Paul’s Way. Dreams and solutions for
transport in Mile End East centred on the need for
an improved public transport network and the introduction
of traffic calming on Bow Common Lane. Other suggestions
included the enlargement of Mile End Station.
- Crime and safety
- The high level of drug abuse in Mile End East
was the most commonly raised problem facing the
area. General safety issues were also a concern,
with areas such as the Cemetery Park, Regents
Canal and Mile End Park being highlighted as places
where people feel particularly unsafe. The high
levels of crime and vandalism within the area
were also problems raised. CCTV, particularly
on the Leopold Estate, was seen as a solution
to some of the crime and safety problems within
Mile End. The need for more active places to create
a safer environment for all and a need for park
wardens were listed as dreams for the area.
- Community
- Community problems in Mile End East included
conflict between residents and pupils of St Paul’s
Way school and the lack of consultation with Bede
Estate residents about plans for the future of
the estate. Dreams and solutions for the Mile
End East community included the need for local
people, particularly young people, to be more
involved in building the community. Other dreams
included the provision of a constructive scheme
to deter young people from selling and abusing
drugs.
The local economy and the provision of employment
opportunities were key community issues identified.
Participants wanted to see greater opportunities
for local people to run their own businesses,
with many people suggesting that the railway arches
could provide the ideal space for such businesses.
One participant went so far as to say that less
focus should be placed on the provision of community
facilities and more on the provision of affordable
business space.
- Housing
- The general unattractiveness and poor maintenance
of several areas, particularly the British Street
Estate and Leopold Estate, were repeatedly stated
as problems for Mile End East. The provision of
adequate and affordable housing for all people
in Mile End East was a commonly listed dream for
the area. The British Street Estate was highlighted
as requiring significant investment, particularly
to provide a combination of private gardens and
shared open spaces.
- Streetscape
- An insufficient level of lighting was listed
as a significant problem for Mile End East. Areas
mentioned as suffering from particularly low lighting
levels included Cantrell Road, the Bede Estate,
Eric Street and Mile End Park. Problems also existed
with paving, road surfaces and poor quality shopfronts
on Bow Road and Merchant Street. Improvements
in lighting that would make Mile End East a safer
and more inviting place to walk after dark were
stated as a dream for the area. Other dreams and
solutions included the creation of a covered link
between Bow Road Station and Bow Church DLR and
the development of wider pavements along Bow Road.
- Cleansing and maintenance
- The Bede Estate and Burdett Road were repeatedly
highlighted as areas that suffer from poor maintenance.
General high levels of litter and the dumping
of cars were also seen as problems facing Mile
End East. Dreams and solutions for the maintenance
of the area centred on general improvements in
maintenance, including greater provision of litter
bins, fining of businesses that dump waste, and
the development of a large recycling facility
which people could be educated to use.
- Retail
- The retail vacancies under the Mile End Park
bridge and the expensive rents for these units
were problems identified in the area. The messy
market stalls on Burdett Road and lack of utilisation
of the shops on St Paul’s Way were other
retail problems mentioned. An increase in the
variety of shops on Burdett Road and Hamlets Way
was suggested as a solution for the area.
 *Blackwall
Neighbourhood Frameworks - PDF File - 2.5MB
*Bromley-By-Bow
Neighbourhood Frameworks - PDF File - 19.8MB
*East
India Neighbourhood Frameworks - PDF File - 15MB
*Lansbury
Neighbourhood Frameworks - PDF File - 10.6MB
*Mile
End East Neighbourhood Frameworks - PDF File - 10.5MB
*Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader
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