Pulsar is delighted that Planning Committee Approval has been obtained on a proposed residential scheme at 278-284 Hoe Street in the London Borough of Waltham Forest (LBWF), which we have been supporting for a number of years.
The site is located in close proximity to Walthamstow Central Station, has excellent transport connectivity including nearby tube / rail services, and is adjacent to a major bus station and a comprehensive network of cycle routes. The area is also undergoing a significant level of ongoing regeneration. The site is on the corner of Hoe Street and Station Approach, and should represent a prominent gateway development to reinforce the regeneration of the area.
An original scheme consisting of a new 18-storey building and accommodating 66 build to rent dwellings was approved at Planning Committee in 2022.
For that scheme, Pulsar provided design input on various transport related aspects of the development including the cycle parking and servicing / deliveries arrangements. The process involved a significant amount of consultation with the LBWF, as well as Transport for London (TfL), to ensure agreement with the scope of assessment and the design of the scheme. Pulsar subsequently supported the planning application by preparing a suite of documents and analyses.
However, since then, the scheme has required significant amendments to comply with more recent building regulations, including updated fire regulations for high-rise buildings requiring an additional staircase. This has involved a reconfiguration of the scheme. In relation to transport, the building footprint has increased slightly and the ground and first floor levels have been amended, whilst still accommodating the required cycle parking spaces and refuse stores.
Whilst the quantum of development has not changed, TfL sought additional information on the capacity of the previously agreed on-street loading bay to accommodate the delivery and servicing demand of the site. In particular, there has been new TRICS data on the number of delivery trips for flats in London, which TfL were keen to ensure had been taken into account within the assessment.
TfL also requested an updated Healthy Streets Active Travel Zone Assessment. This was in part to understand whether the quality of the walk routes in the area had changed and partly to reflect the recently updated requirement for a night-time ATZ assessment. This is in line with the Mayor of London and GLA’s Tackling Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) strategy.
In addition, an updated Construction Logistics Plan (CLP) was required by LBWF as the footprint of the building had also been adjusted since the original scheme.
Pulsar prepared the necessary evidence in the form of a Transport Addendum Report, a CLP and a Delivery and Servicing Plan. These have all been accepted and the new scheme has Resolution to Grant planning status subject to the completion of a Section 106 Agreement.
During the process, Pulsar was able to maintain constant dialogue with both TfL and LBWF, working with highways officers at both organisations to ensure that they had sufficient information to assess the proposals.
Pulsar is excited to see this scheme contribute to the regeneration of Walthamstow, whilst also increasing residential capacity in a highly sustainable area.