Fellowship Square, Walthamstow

The Fellowship Square programme is a once in a lifetime opportunity to create a new neighbourhood and cultural centre in the heart of the borough. Located on the town hall site on Forest Road, the programme will refurbish and regenerate the much-loved historic buildings that make up the town hall complex and open up the site to the community. In doing so, it will transform the way the Council operates and delivers services to Waltham Forest residents.

Fellowship Square is a key part of the Council’s plans to ensure economic recovery following the Covid-19 pandemic and build confidence and resilience in the local economy and its wider London context.

Fellowship Square will build on the legacy of Waltham Forest being the first ever Mayor’s London Borough of Culture in 2019. It will provide opportunities for new leisure, entertainment and learning spaces, shops and cafes, and provide jobs for local people and brand new, affordable homes prioritised for Waltham Forest residents.

On Tuesday 7 September 2021, Waltham Forest Council development partner, Countryside Properties, secured planning permission to move forward with the transformation of the Town Hall Campus to create a brand-new neighbourhood and cultural hub in the heart of the borough, completing the Council’s vision of a distinct, welcoming civic space and a 365 day a year cultural venue.

The development will continue to build on the success of the first phase of works that completed in July 2021 seeing the historic Grade II listed Town Hall fully refurbished and the creation of Fellowship Square and state-of-the-art water feature, which has been hugely popular with residents and visitors, hosting a series of free summer events and activities, and sees hundreds of visitors each day.

Phase 2: late 2022 to 2025

In January 2020, the Council announced leading UK developer Countryside as the delivery partner for phase 2 of the Fellowship Square project. On 7 September 2021, Countryside Properties were granted planning permission to move forward with phase 2, pending a s106 agreement.

The next phase of the ambitious programme includes: Hundreds of new jobs, including during construction and supply chain opportunities, as well as a programme for schools and colleges to visit and learn about apprenticeships and training opportunities. Additionally, programme will deliver:

• 433 new, high-quality homes prioritised for local people, with 50% affordable by habitable room. 11% of these homes will be wheelchair adaptable homes
• A new Civic Building with ground floor café/restaurant space opening onto Fellowship Square
• High quality new public realm including improvements to the War Memorial to provide a better space for memorial events
• New landscaped gardens with over 200 new trees and play facilities on Chestnuts Field alongside an all-weather path around the perimeter of the field and a new sensory garden
• A sustainable drainage wetlands on the western edge of Chestnuts Field, improving biodiversity and providing ecological benefits
• A new crèche/nursery space
• A new shop/commercial space
• Car-free residential development with improved pedestrian and cycling routes through from Forest Road and throughout the site

Mobilisation works will commence in late 2021 before a hard start on site commences in early 2022 where construction of the residential neighbourhood will commence on the eastern side of the campus. Improvement works will be undertaken to Chestnuts Field at various stages of the build programme however pedestrian access will always be maintained to the field throughout the development.

As Phase Two progresses, Waltham Forest Council will continue engaging with local residents and the community to gain essential feedback on the transformation. Countryside will be working alongside the Council for the remainder of the redevelopment, ending in 2025.