The Lower Lea Valley is the largest regeneration opportunity in inner London, and the 2012 Games will firmly place the area centre stage. In recognition of its strategic importance, Design for London has established a dedicated team for the Lower Lea Valley area, who are working intensively with partners to ensure that the area's development and regeneration is a lasting success. This team plays a key role in coordinating the multitude of projects currently underway across the Lower Lea Valley between the different public sector organisations and establishing critical links between the overarching strategies, masterplans, development projects and infrastructure projects.
The Lower Lea Valley covers an area of around 1,500 acres, runs north-south from Lea Bridge Road to the River Thames and is situated just three miles from central London. It includes parts of the London Boroughs of Hackney, Newham, Tower Hamlets and Waltham Forest. Today the central corridor of the Lower Lea Valley is characterised by large areas of underused industrial land as well as poor quality housing. While some areas are well served by public transport, much of the land is fragmented and divided by waterways, overhead pylons, roads, and railway lines. Although a fine network of waterways thread through the Lower Lea Valley, they are virtually inaccessible and little used. The communities surrounding this core area of the Valley are among the most deprived in the UK, with high unemployment, low skills and poor health.
There are significant areas of land suitable for redevelopment, resulting primarily from the managed relocation of industries. It is anticipated that there will be at least 30,000 new homes accommodated in the Lower Lea Valley in the coming decades - approximately 100,000 new residents. Design for London worked with the GLA, local authorities and other partners to prepare the Lower Lea Valley Opportunity Area Planning Framework to ensure that this scale of change and investment delivers a successful new urban district for London.
Design for London is working with partners on local masterplans and development frameworks, including the Olympic Legacy Masterplan, and the six Olympic Fringe masterplans to deliver these overarching strategies. Design for London also advises the local authorities on the design aspects of all planning applications in the area to ensure that private investment contributes to the delivery of these strategies.
Design for London is working to improve the four existing town centres in the Lower Lea Valley – Stratford, Canning Town, Leyton and Chrisp Street; to support both existing and new communities. In addition, the ambition is to establish three new local town centres at Bromley-by-Bow, West Ham and Hackney Wick. Design for London is working with partners to realise these ambitions.
Design for London is also involved in a number of projects to address the major deficiencies in local connections, public realm and open space in the Lower Lea Valley. These include projects such as High Street 2012, the A12 and the Greenway, and the Lea River Park. Design for London is also advising on the design aspects of numerous local infrastructure and public realm projects across the area.
Partners: London Development Agency, London Thames Gateway Development Corporation, London Boroughs of Hackney, Tower Hamlets, Newham and Waltham Forest, Transport for London, British Waterways, Homes & Communities Agency, Lee Valley Regional Park Authority, Leaside Regeneration, Poplar Harca
