Town centres and high streets

Last updated: 23 January 2023

Next review: 23 November 2023

Our aim is to support and promote retail, business, cultural, leisure and residential investment in our town centres that recognises their uniqueness and invests in their future.

Waltham Forest’s town centres are the commercial and community hearts of the borough, they adapt to new urban lifestyles and expectations to provide a range of activities, including shopping, social spaces, business networking and cultural activities.

Plans for growth and investment have started, to find new solutions for these growing urban centres that achieve the right mix of land uses and facilities to support existing and future resident and business communities.

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Priority actions

Our key actions for realising this strategy are:

Work with our key partners to achieve the planned investment and regeneration of Walthamstow town centre at the heart of the borough.
Develop detailed plans for new centres at Lea Bridge and Blackhorse Lane.
Undertake a programme of town centre health checks, audits and action plan to support business growth, town centre management and new investment.
Promote the unique characteristics of each town centre and capture the opportunities to invest and create even more vibrant centres, with a particular focus on arts, culture and music.
Establish a Town Centre Initiatives Grant Fund to support new retail activity, markets, public realm improvements, arts interventions, activities and events.
Adopt guidelines to support the use of council and developer space for pop up shops and meanwhile uses including art and cultural installations.
Review town centre retail planning policies and adapt them to support growth.
Adopt a protocol for Town Centre Management setting out the standards for planning, licensing, building control and environmental health.