Town centres and high streets

Waltham Forest has unique and historic town centres and high streets, which remain vibrant, adaptable and exciting despite the challenges of Covid-19 and the cost of living crisis that residents and businesses have faced over recent years. 

Our town centres have a unique set of opportunities and issues, and through local engagement we have a strong understanding of the priorities and ambitions of our local communities, business and other partners and stakeholders. 

We are determined to continue working closely in partnership with our residents, businesses and partners to ensure that our town centres offer a range of services and public spaces that are attractive, inclusive and accessible for all.   

We want to boost the evening economy in our town centres so that there is a range of shopping and leisure services available to keep our high streets busier in the evening that people of all ages, gender, disabilities and interests enjoy visiting. 

We are working in partnership with Waltham Forest Metropolitan Police teams to create more welcoming and safer town centres. The Safe Streets programme takes a resident-focused approach toward tackling the problems that really matter to local people on a day-to-day basis including graffiti, fly-tipping, and street drinking. 

We are tackling climate change and becoming a net zero borough by 2030, with our Climate Action Plan making Waltham Forest a greener, more sustainable borough, by introducing tree planting, more biodiversity, soft landscaping, sustainable urban drainage (SUDs) to reduce flooding and recycling materials whenever possible in our regeneration projects. 

Based on several rounds of engagement with local residents and businesses, we have developed Area Frameworks which is guidance for where investment should go in Lea Bridge, Leytonstone, South Leytonstone and Chingford Mount. 

We have also developed a Town Centre Framework to set out the future opportunities in our town centres, to set out what this means for inclusive growth, development and investment, and how we will continue work in partnership with residents, businesses, and organisations such as Transport for London and the Metropolitan Police.