Essex Wharf—the end?

THE fight is on to save the historic Essex Wharf at Lea Bridge on the Lee Navigation from four 'monster' blocks of flats, that have unexpectedly been given planning consent.

It was expected that the Waltham Forest Planning Committee would again turn down the application for four huge block of flats on Essex Wharf, as this recent proposal was equally flawed and very similar to the previous two schemes which were turned down flat, writes Del Brenner of the Regents Network and the London Waterways Commission.

The picture above shows Essex Wharf in 2009 with the spacious Lee Valley Park and Walthamstow Marshes in the background.

Let everyone down

Waltham Forest Planning Committee have seriously let everyone down by consenting to the latest application on 4th January 2010, in the face of concerted opposition from all the respondents to the application.

The Lee Valley Regional Park Authority (LVRPA) strongly objected as the monstrous residential blocks would encroach into the park itself, and block any opportunity for leisure uses in the locality. The neighbouring borough of Hackney would suffer more than Waltham Forest residents, and strongly objected, and so did all the locals who revolted against the loss of their precious open space.

Wharf in use

There were, of course, strong reasons put forward for retaining the wharf by CBOA and the Regents Network. It was pointed out that it had been in use as a wharf during the last two years, and has been designated as a ‘strategic wharf' for the capital city by Transport for London.

On seeing the hands of the committee members raised in unison at the planning meeting, I thought 'Dodgy deeds behind closed doors are suspected'.

No comment from British Waterways

There was no comment at all on the application from British Waterways, the navigation authority and the custodians of our inland waterways, even though there would be a serious negative impact on the Lee Navigation and the loss of a valuable wharf facility—which BW itself made use of in the past few months when carrying out repairs on the collapsed towpath opposite Essex Wharf, as shown in the picture.

All may not be lost

Such an unsafe planning decision received much criticism, and the discontented Lee Valley Regional Park Authority has triggered their call-in powers (which they have not used for well over 15 years). In the final hours of the 14 days call-in period, the LVRPA sent a letter to Waltham Forest giving numerous reasons for their dissatisfaction with the planning consent, and instructing it to forward the application to the Secretary of State for the matter to be re-considered.

How this process now proceeds is not totally clear. It is thought that part of the process may include some sort of public inquiry, in which case the local participants and other objectors may have the opportunity for further representations.