HPPG has written to the Council to lodge our objections to the planning application by Atlantis Highams Ltd for the redevelopment of 480 to 510 Larkshall Road (“James Yard”) which proposes five and six story blocks of flats next to Highams Park Station.

We believe the proposed density of development for the site is too high, as it will necessitate multi-story development in the heart of Highams Park Town Centre (by the station) and will completely change the character of the area. The more people who object the better, so if you agree that this level of development is inappropriate please email the Council your objections. We appreciate you have busy lives, so we have prepared a simple response that you can copy and paste into an email and send to the Council using this email address: dmconsultations@walthamforest.gov.uk
Please remember to put your name and address at the foot of each email.
The example response is as follows:

Email Header:  Objection Letter Planning Application ID 203040 – 480 to 510 Larkshall Road

Suggested response:
I have reviewed planning application ID 203040 document and object most strongly to this proposal on the same grounds as those expressed by the Highams Park Planning Group in their letter of 10th November 2020 in response to this consultation; with particular regard to the damaging affect that such tall buildings will have on the character of Highams Park town centre.

You can read a copy of HPPG’s objection letter and find out how to object by clicking on the link below:
https://highamspark.london/community/news/planning-application-james-yard/

If you would like to write a more detailed response, we have provided some suggestions below:

SUGGESTIONS FOR  MORE DETAILED RESPONSE TO Planning Application ID 203040 – 480 to 510 Larkshall Road
Quote
“Re: Planning Application ID 203040 – 480 to 510 Larkshall Road

Dear Sir/Madam,
I have reviewed the above referenced planning application and would like to register my objection to what I believe to be a massive overdevelopment of this site and I fully endorse the comments in the objection letter submitted by the Highams Park Planning Group in their letter of 10th November 2020 (copy attached) .

The proposed development of this site will completely overshadow and change the character of  Highams Park Town Centre, which is against the stated objectives of the extant Local Plan and wholly contrary to Bullet point 10 of the strategic objectives in the SLP which states” • Ensure Waltham Forest’s network of cultural, inclusive and sustainable neighbourhoods are safe and diverse, celebrating their locally distinctive character and heritage.”

Highams Park Station is indeed core to the character and feel of Highams Park and much valued by local people.  The importance of Highams Park Station is reflected in Character Assessment 9 of the HP Plan which defines the station building as the main feature and focal point of the town centre, as per the following extracts:
 “LAYOUT AND STREET FEATURES
The main feature of the area is the railway station, with the re-purposed signal box (build 1925), together with the active feature provided by the level crossing (fig 1). The retail lined roads radiating out from the rail crossing create a “marketplace” feel to the area (fig 2). The Millennium Clock and new landscape features in Signal Walk reinforce the area’s role as the “town centre”.

The modest scale of buildings allows a constant backdrop of mature trees as a key character aspect of the area, complemented by well-established street trees viewed along the radiating streets. The Larkshall Road frontage also has a wide grassed area with mature trees providing a buffer between the industrial buildings of the industrial estate and homes to the east.”

“LANDMARKS AND NOTABLE BUILDINGS
The station is the focal point around which Highams Park has developed with its building (fig 3) dating from 1903 to a design by architect Neville Ashbee in the ‘Domestic’ style characteristic of the Great Eastern Railway at that time. It is a modest and well-proportioned building suffering because of its car dominated immediate surroundings, but then supported in scale by lively small-scale shop units on either side of the station frontage. The Signal Box (fig 1) is a prominent feature of the Highams Park centre which dates from 1925 and is now operating as a specialist café.”

The value local people place upon the Highams Park Station building and its importance to the character of the area was demonstrated recently in the many objections submitted during the developer led consultation for this site in April 2020. The Council is aware of the negative reaction to the proposals and should take these findings into account when assessing this proposal which does not show significant changes to the plans consulted on and essentially ignores most of the feedback. It was also evident from the outcome of this consultation that a large majority of local people do not support a new station entrance if it necessitates high rise development in the town centre.

In view of the importance of the Highams Park Station building to the character of the area, it should not be dominated by inappropriate high-rise development that is completely out of character with the surrounding buildings and will give the area the look and feel of a housing estate rather than a district centre. ”
Unquote

You can read a copy of HPPG’s objection letter by clicking on the link below.

Objection Letter Planning Application ID 203040 – 480 to 510 Larkshall Road

Links to Attachments to Objection Letter:

  1. Attachment 1 Character assessment sub-area 9
  2. Attachment 2 Objection Letter redevelopment of 480 Larkshall Road Ref 191304FUL
  3. Attachment 3 HPPG Response – LBWF Site Allocations LP2 Consultation Response
  4. Appendix to Attachment 3 Potential Sites for Development in HP Plan Area
  5. Attachment 4 HPPG Response to Atlantis Consultation on 480 to 510 Larkshall Road

If you believe the proposal to be an overdevelopment of this site we encourage you to also object to this application. You can find out more about the proposed development  and how to object on the page below.

You can view more details, and images, of the proposed development and the planning application by clicking on the links below:

Link to application summary and pictures: Application Summary and graphics

Link to planning application documents: Planning Documents for Application ID 203040

A private developer “Atlantis Highams Ltd” has submitted a planning application, reference number 203040, for the James Yard site at 480 to 510 Larkshall Road, adjacent to Highams Park Station.

The existing buildings will be demolished and will be replaced by the erection of a five and six storey residential-led, mixed use development comprising 68 residential dwellings, a new station exit and commercial space.

Although the height is less than the eight stories proposed in the  consultation earlier this year, the Highams Park Planning Group still believes this to be an overdevelopment of the site and is preparing an objection letter.

If you agree that this is an overdevelopment of the site and that this building complex will overshadow the station and be detrimental to the character of Highams Park town centre, we encourage you to email your objections to the Council’s planning department  using this email address: dmconsultations@walthamforest.gov.uk using the reference Planning Application ID 203040 – 480 to 510 Larkshall Road.