Lea Bridge Station sites

Along with the station entrance, the council is developing these sites to support the creation of a central area for the community with a character and amenities that will benefit residents, be less dominated by traffic, and bring new opportunities to the area. This development is an exciting opportunity to support the borough’s Covid 19 economic recovery action plan and add to the positive improvements made in Lea Bridge.

Additionally, the development will make sure there are opportunities for local people and will create jobs for up to 45 local residents, 17 apprenticeship, 15 meaningful work placements and 138 training opportunities.

Proposals for the development for which Planning was submitted include:

• The new entrance to Lea Bridge Station with a new station plaza
• 345 new homes, with an ambition for 50% affordable homes
• A net increase in trees and biodiversity
• 45 jobs, 17 apprenticeships, 138 training opportunities and 15 paid work placements
• 750 square metres of high quality publicly accessible green space
• Community and Cultural Hub
• Commercial space
• Children’s play space (indoor and outdoor)
• £350,000 spent in the local supply chain
• 'Community Chest Fund' developed with the community

The scheme will be subject to the statutory planning process. This will include a referral to the Mayor of London and approval by the Greater London Authority, who will agree the final scheme.

Station entrance

The planning application for a new station entrance was approved on 14 January 2021.

The proposals for the new entrance include a ticket hall, provision for automatic ticket gate lines, a retail unit on the ground floor, and a basement level cycle hub with 130 bicycle parking spaces, an increase from the 48 that are there currently.

The new station entrance will be accessible via the station concourse and will connect to Network Rail’s existing footbridge. Cycle hangars for disabled cyclists and new bike stands will also be incorporated outside the new station entrance within the proposed public plaza.

There will be a feature wall within the station entrance that will celebrate the history, communities and achievements of the local area. In summer 2020, public engagement was done about what this wall should look like and how residents could be involved in its design.

• See details of the feature wall
• See images of the proposed station entrance
• Download FAQs about the Lea Bridge Station sites

A public engagement event was held on 29 September 2020 to share details of the planning application for the station entrance.

• See the presentation from that event 

Timeline for the station entrance:

• 5 July 2020: End of engagement for Lea Bridge Station feature wall suggestions
• 18 September 2020: Planning application for the station entrance is submitted
• 29 September 2020: Public engagement event about the planning application for the Lea Bridge Station entrance
• 14 January 2021: Planning application is approved
• Spring 2023: Anticipated start date on site
• 2025: Anticipated opening of new station entrance

3 sites

Site 1 will include the new station entrance and bicycle hub, public space, commercial space and housing.

Site 2 will include a cultural, creative and commercial space, residential and improved open green space

Site 3 will include residential and commercial space

Development partners

Following a robust procurement process, in May 2020 the council selected London Square Developments Ltd as development partners for these sites. The executive decision reports approving this can be viewed on our democracy website.

Timeline

• Summer 2020: The council entered into a development agreement with London Square Developments Ltd and One Housing Group
• Late summer 2020: Planning application for the new station entrance submitted with statutory consultation
• Summer and autumn 2020: Resident engagement
• Winter 2020/21: Planning application for the main scheme is submitted with statutory consultation
• 14 January 2021: Planning application for station entrance approved
• Summer 2021: Planning application for the residential and commercial development due to be submitted
• Summer 2022: Anticipated start of works with construction likely to be phased
• Early 2025: Anticipated opening of the new station entrance
• Summer 2025: Anticipated completion of the development

Consultation and engagement

Consultation and engagement activities have included:

• Consultation and engagement about the council’s draft development brief for the three sites in 2018, which resulted in changes made to the brief
• Updates provided to Lea Bridge Ward Forum
• Meetings held with residents and local community groups
• Issues raised being addressed through a range of initiatives including the Area Framework

The council sought views from residents, local businesses, and community groups on initial proposals for the Lea Bridge Station sites as the first stage of public engagement, following the conclusion of the broader consultation undertaken for the Lea Bridge and Leyton Vision.

An initial brief was developed with BPR Architects and AR Urbanism and was summarised at  public engagement event on 2 December 2017 at Sybourn Primary School and were on display at Lea Bridge Library until 24 January 2018.

Proposals for the Lea Bridge Station sites have been influenced by these engagement events and by early discussions with developers to understand the interest in developing these sites.

In response to this feedback, the council commissioned further surveys, including a tree survey and a Flood Risk Assessment. The surveys were made available to potential development partners, with their recommendations incorporated into the development brief.

Following the formal appointment of London Square Development Ltd under a Development Agreement in March 2021, London Square with support from the Council undertook a series of engagements with the local community in the lead up to the planning submission.

Due to the current pandemic, the engagement sessions were done via Zoom and Webinars however there are plans to undertake further engagement with the local community to shape the Cultural Hub that will be delivered in 2025.

Further details on the full engagement process can be found in the Statement of Community Involvement in this development's planning application.