Chingford Hub FAQs - Waltham Forest

Chingford Hub FAQs
General information
1. What is proposed?

In June 2020, the Council’s Cabinet approved the feasibility work to look in the potential
redevelopment of Chingford Library and Assembly Hall to deliver a new Chingford Hub. It is
proposed that the new Hub will re-provide the library in new, fit for purpose facilities, provide a
flexible assembly space, a new café, and potentially a GP surgery. Approximately 40 new homes will
be built on the site to help pay for the development. These homes have a target of 50% affordable
for local people. (Please see question 25 for an explanation of the definition of affordable.)

The library will remain open throughout the redevelopment to provide existing services to the
community. This will be achieved either by providing a temporary library on site or finding suitable
alternative accommodation on Station Road.

2. How can I influence the proposals?

The proposals are at an early stage and have not been finalised. Architect Hawkins Brown has been
appointed to carry out feasibility work, which will conclude in early 2021. Once this work is complete
and following further community engagement, more detailed proposals will be taken to Cabinet in
March 2021 to seek approval to progress to the next stage. If Cabinet’s approval is granted, detailed
design work will take place in early 2021, with a view to submitting a planning application in summer
2021.

The Council is committed to working with local residents and the community to provide a library,
community space and other facilities that meet their needs and can be enjoyed by everyone. We
have established an Engagement and User Group consisting of community members and library
users to help us to understand what it is the community would like to see delivered as part of the
project.

The redevelopment of Chingford Library and Assembly Hall will be subject to statutory consultation
if the proposal goes ahead and a planning application is submitted. Local residents will be informed
if and when this happens, and all comments made will be considered by the Local Planning Authority
(LPA).

Three public information events are being held during the design process. Details are given further
down this FAQ document.

3. Why do you need to build new homes on the site?

There are many problems with Chingford Library and Assembly Hall and much of the underpinning
infrastructure in both buildings is coming to the end of its useful life. Both buildings have poor
thermal properties and are expensive to heat. The interior of the library is inflexible and its internal
layout and facilities are tired and in need of a complete overhaul. In the absence of funding from
government, around 40 new homes will be built on the site to help pay for the new library, multi-use
assembly space and other facilities. The funding provided by the new homes, along with £617,000

already allocated by the Council to the project, is the only way to pay for the much-needed new
facilities.

4. How will local residents benefit?

This is an opportunity to deliver a fully accessible 21st Century community hub for North Chingford.
The Chingford Hub will enable the provision of an enhanced Library Plus service for the local
community, alongside an affordable, flexible, multi-use assembly space and other facilities. These
facilities include adult learning service provision, new community services, a soft play area, a café,
and potentially a GP surgery. The development will also help kickstart the regeneration of North
Chingford by delivering a new cultural asset and important civic presence on Chingford Green.

5. Why have you decided to redevelop the Library and Assembly Hall instead of refurbishing the
   existing building?

The estimated cost of refurbishing the existing facilities is around £5.6m, which exceeds the
available budget of £617,000 by approximately £5m - an unbridgeable funding gap. Even if this
investment could be made available, due to accessibility and layout constraints, refurbishment
would not deliver the modern, flexible space required by a Library Plus. Similarly, the Assembly Hall
would still only have a single large lettable space that does not cater to a wide range of events,
meaning that it would continue to be extremely challenging to let on an affordable basis.

6. What is the role of Sixty Bricks on the project?

Sixty Bricks is the Council’s wholly owned development company. The company designs and builds
new homes for sale and affordable rent along with retail, commercial, community, health, and other
provisions on Council owned sites.
For the Chingford Hub project, Sixty Bricks will be the developer, leading on the design of the new
Hub and managing the construction process. The new library and multi-use assembly space will be
handed back to the Council. The approximately 40 homes being delivered will be retained by Sixty
Bricks and the affordable homes will be transferred back to the Council or sold to a Registered
Provider (formally known as a housing association). The affordable homes will then be made
available to local people by the Council/Register Provider for rent or sale on a shared ownership
basis. The remaining homes will be sold by Sixty Bricks on the private market.

Engagement and consultation
7. How and when are you engaging with the community, businesses and residents?

Ongoing engagement will be via various channels including events, newsletters, feedback forms,
email, and social media. Recognising that some members of the North Chingford community are not
online, in October 2020 the Council wrote to all 4,763 addressees within a half mile radius of the
Library and Assembly Hall site to update them on the Chingford Hub proposals. To continue to reach
as wide an audience as possible, including those members of the community who are not online, we
will include regular updates in Waltham Forest News and will post updates and event invitations to
residents in the local area. We will display information relating to the redevelopment of the site,
consultation events and other updates in Chingford Library and the Assembly Hall.

We are holding two public information events where the community, businesses and residents can
have their say on the proposals. Due to Covid-19 restrictions, the first engagement event was held
online on Thursday 5 November 2020. You can find a recording of the event here.

A second public information event will be held in early 2021 and, if Cabinet approves the project
moving to the next stage in March 2021, this will be followed by a final event just before a planning
application is submitted in summer 2021. Further details will be provided nearer to the event dates.

We welcome all suggestions about how we can make the Chingford Hub an enjoyable and
productive space for everyone in the community to use.

8. What other engagement are you doing with the local community?

We have established two focused groups with the aim of inputting into the design and development
process.

•   Chingford Hub Community Engagement and User Group - to provide the local community and
    library users in North Chingford with the opportunity to engage with the development of the
    vision and design proposals for the Chingford Hub. The Community Engagement and User Group
    will consider and input into the proposals as they develop and make recommendations to the
    Project Team and Design Team. Terms of reference for the group can be found at
    www.walthamforest.gov.uk/ChingfordHub

•   Chingford Hub Local Members Reference Panel - to provide Ward Members in Chingford Green
    and Endlebury wards with the opportunity to engage with the development of the vision and
    design proposals for the Chingford Hub. The Reference Panel will consider and input into the
    proposals as they develop and make recommendations to the Portfolio Lead Members (PLMs),
    Project Team and Design Team. Terms of reference for the group can be found at
    www.walthamforest.gov.uk/ChingfordHub

9. How will the community’s views be considered?

This is an opportunity to deliver a fully accessible 21st Century community hub for North Chingford
on a self-financing basis. The Chingford Hub will enable the provision of an enhanced Library Plus
service to the local community, alongside an affordable and flexible multi-use assembly space and
other facilities. The development will help kickstart the regeneration of North Chingford by
delivering a new cultural asset and important civic presence on Chingford Green.

In June 2020, the Council’s Cabinet resolved to take forward a feasibility study into the development
of the Chingford Hub. The project is currently in a period of community engagement and design
development to ascertain the precise size and purpose of the new facilities. Following this
engagement and prior to the planning application being submitted, a further report will be brought
back to Cabinet in March 2021 confirming whether the project will proceed to the next stage and, if
it does progress, the final size and scope of the new facilities. In making its decision, the members of
the Council’s Cabinet will consider the views expressed by all members of the local community. To
allow time for ongoing full engagement, it is not planned to submit a planning application until
summer 2021.

Parking / transport / logistics
10. What about parking for residents of the new homes and users of the facilities?

In line with Council policy, this will be a car free development and, in line with planning policy,
residents of the approximately 40 new homes will not be able to apply for Resident Parking Permits.
Again in line with planning policy, Blue Badge spaces will be provided as part of the development for
residents and users of the community facilities.

Richmond Road car park is less than 5 minutes’ walk from the site and users of the library,
community facilities and potential GP surgery will be advised to park here.

We acknowledge that the site does not fall within a Controlled Parking Zone (CPZ). As part of the
planning process, a transport/traffic impact statement will need to be provided. This will include
details of anticipated vehicle use, travel plans, and site access. The site is in close proximity to
Chingford Station and we will include measures to mitigate the impact of parking in the local area.
Options include encouraging the use of car club bays, cycling and bike storage facilities as an
alternative to private car ownership.

11. What will be done to mitigate the impact of construction traffic while the new Hub is being
    built?

Construction traffic will be controlled via a Construction Logistics Plan (CLP), which the building
contractor will need to submit to the Local Planning Authority prior to starting works on site. The CLP
will outline how construction traffic to and from the site will be managed and how the impact on the
surrounding streets can be mitigated. This could include measures such as restricting the times of
the day deliveries can be made, using specific routes, and having marshals on hand to manage
traffic.

Local residents will be consulted in the lead up to works starting on site and the Council has an
excellent track record of working with contractors to minimise the impact of construction traffic as
much as possible.

12. When is the Council next going to consult residents again on plans for a CPZ?

New Controlled Parking Zone (CPZ) schemes are created only in areas where a public consultation
has been carried out and most responses are in support of the proposals. There are no CPZ
consultations planned in North Chingford.

13. There will be an increase in deliveries to the site after construction due to the new community
    facilities and homes. What will be done to mitigate the impact on surrounding residents?

A Service and Delivery Management Plan will be submitted to the Local Planning Authority for
approval as part of the planning process. This plan will outline how many deliveries on average will
be made to the development each day, based on the number of new residents and the community
facilities provided. The plan will include ways to mitigate the impact, which may include restricting
the times of day that vehicles can access the site.

Design

14. How tall will the new building be?

An initial feasibility study is currently being undertaken and early stage design work has been shared
with residents and the community. In order to provide the new facilities and the new homes to
needed to fund the development, we anticipate the scheme being six storeys high. The final height
and massing of the building will be determined via the planning process. The Local Planning
Authority will assess the development and make a recommendation based on the merits of the
scheme, for final decision by members of the Planning Committee.

15. What will you do to ensure any building works does not threaten the structural integrity of
    neighbouring heritage properties?

If the project is granted planning permission, a Construction Management Plan, including details of
how any piling works will be safely managed, will need to be provided for review and sign-off by the
Local Planning Authority. We will engage with neighbouring property owners to ensure they are kept
updated throughout the development process.

16. Is the site in a Conservation Area?

The site is in Chingford Green Conservation Area and the design of the development will need to
address this and the site’s proximity to the neighbouring Carbis Cottage, which is a listed building. In
deciding whether to grant planning permission, the Local Planning Authority will be required to take
in to account the need to preserve or enhance the area's special character.

17. How will you ensure any new design is in keeping with the local area?

The intention is to bring forward a building that is excellent in design terms and that works in its
context. We are very mindful that the site is in a Conservation Area and any design will need to be
sympathetic to its surroundings. A Heritage Consultant has been appointed as part of the Design
Team for the feasibility study to advise on the development. If a planning application is submitted
for the site, it will be assessed by the LPA and a final decision will be made at Planning Committee.
The Council has a Design & Conservation Team, staffed by professional Conservation Officers, that
makes recommendations to the Planning Committee.

18. Chingford Green Conservation Area is about to undergo a review. How will this impact on the
    Chingford Hub proposals?

The Chingford Green Appraisal and Management Plan was last updated in 2010. As such, the Council
is now in the process of revising and updating these documents as part of the routine programme of
ensuring conservation areas within the borough are robust and up to date. The Council has no
intention of changing the Chingford Green Conservation Area boundaries. The consultation period
for the review will conclude on 31 Janaury 2021 and further details can be found here. The planning
application for the Chingford Hub will be submitted in summer 2021 after the review has concluded
and will need to consider the updated Chingford Green Appraisal and Management Plan.

19. How big will the individual homes be?

We are still at an early stage of design. A range of sizes will be provided from one to three
bedrooms. There may also possibly be some town houses at the rear of the site, adjacent to
Mornington Road.

20. How will the size of the new community facilities compare to the existing facilities?

The current schedule of accommodation is below, which includes the area size of the current spaces
in the Library and Assembly Hall. Please note that the project is at an early stage of design
development and the sizes of the new facilities may be subject to change.

                                              Flexible
                Assembly       Kitchen/
 Scenario                                     multi-use      Library        GP surgery     Total
                space          bar
                                              Space

 Current        440m2          75m2           n/a            304m2          n/a            819m2

 Proposed       195m2          tbc            239m2          609m2          120m2          1,163m2

Please note that net area (area required for specific uses, e.g. the library) only is included in the
table above. Circulation area, which is the area required to support the various functions of the Hub
(e.g. corridors and toilets) is not included. The ‘Proposed’ space includes the café/kitchen space.

GP surgery
21. Have you discussed the potential GP surgery with the Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and
    whether the space could be used for any other health provision?

Discussions with the NHS Clinical Commission Group (CCG) are at a very early stage and the Council
hopes this important facility can be included in the new Hub. Further updates will be provided once
discussions have progressed further.

Assembly Hall
22. How high will the ceiling in the proposed flexible community space be?

We are committed to providing a space that local community groups can use to hold similar events
to those held in the current Assembly Hall. The ceiling in the existing Assembly Hall is 5.75 metres
high and we are proposing that some of the new flexible space will have a ceiling height of at least 5
metres.

23. How much will the new flexible community space cost to hire?

The cost of hire will be determined once detailed design work has taken place. The new community
space will be flexible so it can hold a wide range of small and large events and meetings. By
providing a flexible space, the Council will be able to charge an affordable rate for hiring the various
areas in the new Hub.

Café
24. Why are you including a café in the Hub when there are already a number along Station Road?

The Council has introduced cafés in other library redevelopment projects, for example the new
Wood Street Library, and they have proven popular amongst users. A café provides the opportunity
for users to sit, socialise, and purchase light refreshments while using the facilities and/or
supervising their children. The Council does not anticipate the café having a detrimental impact on
existing businesses of a similar nature.

Other
25. What do the terms ‘target 50% affordable homes’ and ‘affordable’ mean?

50% affordable housing is a target. The Council has a good track record and has achieved 44%
affordable over the past three years across private and public land. Our policy when building on
public land is that it must be 50% affordable by tenure or habitable rooms.

Affordable is a legal definition and is 80% of market rent. Our policy is that within the number of
affordable homes, 60% must be at social rent (also known as council rent). The scheme will
potentially deliver 40 new homes, 20 of which will be affordable. Of those 20, 60% (12 homes) will
be at social rent and 8 at intermediate rent (80% of market value).

26. How much funding is available to support the development of Chingford Hub?

The development will be funded predominantly from the sale of the homes being delivered on site.
£617,000 of funding has been secured via the Libraries Plus Programme to fit out the new library.

27. How will site hoarding be considered given the site is in a Conservation Area?

As with all Council developments, we will work with the building contractor to ensure the hoarding is
aesthetically pleasing.

28. Will Chingford Green remain fully accessible throughout the construction process?

The Council does not own Chingford Green, which is in the ownership of the City of London
Corporation. We want to minimise the impact on residents during the construction process and will
do everything possible to be considerate constructors. The contractor’s compound and all associated
storage facilities will be contained within the Council’s existing land ownership. There is no intention
to take away access to the green, which will remain as it currently is throughout the construction
process.

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If you wish to keep in touch regarding the proposed Chingford Hub please sign up for the email
newsletter at www.walthamforest.gov.uk/ChingfordHub.