Transport Links,Thames Gateway, Olympics
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issue#1 autumn 2007 vision The regeneration magazine of Redbridge Council inside: OPPORTUNITY: A borough on the brink of huge growth, for business and residents LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION: Transport links, Thames Gateway, Olympics... issue#1 autumn 2007 Editor: Sarah Herbert [email protected] Deputy editor: Kirsty MacAulay [email protected] CONTENTS Art editor: Terry Hawes [email protected] Contributors: Alison Jones, Robert Jones Advertisement sales: Lee Harrison 04 Verge of discovery 26 Talking ‘bout [email protected] Redbridge’s many assets – location, green regeneration Production: Sue Mapara spaces, education – mean it’s about to Any future plans need to benefit the [email protected] take off as a place to live and work whole community, so for Redbridge Managing director: Toby Fox consultation is at the heart of its plans [email protected] Printed by: Trade Winds 14 In the frame Images: Redbridge Borough Council, Hollybrook Developments, EPG, SMC Chartered Architects, So what is happening, where, and when, 30 Balancing act Galliard Homes, Barratts, Higgins Homes, Hainault and how is the planning framework Regeneration is not all about the new – it Business Park, George Wimpey, London 2012, www.britishcycling.org.uk helping it all happen? is vital to retain the character of all the different town centres in the face of major Published by: development Lower Ground Floor, 23 Gateway to the Games 189 Lavender Hill, London SW11 5TB T: 020 7978 6840 F: 020 7978 6837 What is the Olympic legacy for Redbridge? And how can the borough best take 34 Contact point For Redbridge Council Ilford Town Hall, London IG1 1DD advantage of the opportunities on its A who’s who of Redbridge Council’s Tel: 020 8708 2238 doorstep? regeneration services and personnel www.redbridge.gov.uk Subscriptions and feedback: go to www.visionredbridge.com © 3Fox International Limited 2007. All material is strictly copyright and all rights are reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without the written permission of 3Fox International Limited is strictly forbidden. The greatest care has been taken to ensure the accuracy of information in this magazine at time of going to press, but we accept no responsibility for omissions or errors. The views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of 3Fox International Limited or Cover: Pioneer Point, Ilford Redbridge Council. Above: Vision 20, Ilford 3 REDBRIDGE REDISCOVERY Verge of discovery 4 Verge of discovery Redbridge rediscovery Redbridge residents already know it’s a good place to live. And, as Sarah Herbert discovers, it’s about to attract new businesses and even more people, attracted by the borough’s many assets and great location edbridge is about to be discovered But one of the main factors attracting as a great place to live. In fact, new residents to Redbridge is its superb prospective purchasers may be education system. It’s the third highest R too late – houses in such des res borough in the country for pupils obtaining conservation areas as Wanstead Village at least five GCSE grades A* - C, and was or South Woodford already command rated the best local education authority handsome prices, in keeping with their in the UK by The Observer newspaper. Its desirable settings. Such locations are schools are currently ranked second in set among some splendid open spaces: the country for children’s progress, and 1,200 hectares of forest, some of it ancient, its primary schools are in the top ten. The and 600 hectares of green spaces and council has agreed plans for two new parks, much of it green belt, reminiscent of primary schools, with construction starting Redbridge’s time as a part of Essex, rather on one now, to meet the growing demand than East London. But as well as a good for school places. range of restaurants and well-preserved It is also developing an employment villages, Redbridge can also claim a and skills strategy to ensure the skills of great location within two areas of growth the community match the requirements – the Thames Gateway and the London- of employers, via a partnership between Stansted-Cambridge-Peterborough growth training providers, such as colleges, corridor – as well as being right on the JobCentre Plus, and the major employers edge of London’s Olympic site. in the area. It works both on the ‘demand’ Its residents already love it – surveyed side, ensuring skills will be available for the satisfaction ratings are consistently high. main sectors of growth – including retail, Why? Crime’s on its way down, as are construction, and business services – both > road accidents, and it’s a peaceful and tolerant place to live, despite being one of Unity Square in Ilford will the most ethnically diverse boroughs in the transform country. As a visible sign of the borough Redbridge is a great the centre of Redbridge’s being cared for, the council is investing ‘capital town’. an extra £300,000 in keeping the streets location, within two clean (tidy streets are rated by residents as the second most important factor in areas of growth: the making their area a better place to live, and Thames Gateway the first thing residents and visitors notice about a borough). It has fantastic transport and the London- connections, being only half an hour from two airports, a few minutes away by Peterborough tube or train from the City of London and Canary Wharf, and well-served by the road growth corridor network, including the M11 which starts in the borough. 5 REDBRIDGE REDISCOVERY in the borough and the sub-region, and the ‘supply’ side – providing basic employment Forty per cent of residents have skills to those members of the community who are traditionally more likely to be been involved in some form of unemployed, such as the young, lone parents, and members of the black and training in the past year ethnic minority community. Not surprisingly, Redbridge is also a good place to do business. The 113,000 people employed in the borough About the only element residents aren’t ALAN WEINBERG, are mainly concentrated in service satisfied with is the lack of sports facilities leader of industries, and small ones at that, with in the borough, but this shortfall should be Redbridge 88% of companies having fewer than 10 more than alleviated with plans for new Council employees. What’s more, a recent MORI sports facilities in time for the 2012 Olympic survey showed that 40% of residents have Games, including a new pool and an been involved in some form of training impressive new cycle facility in Hainault, and development in the past year. And as well as various health initiatives. In fact, THE FUTURE’S BRIGHT unemployment in the borough is only 3.6%, the Olympics will have a big effect on the Redbridge has come a long way on the well below the London average of 6.9%. borough – which will act as a location for journey to becoming one of London’s Ilford, the largest ‘town centre’ of training, visitor facilities and entertainment fastest growing and changing boroughs. Together with the portfolio holder for Redbridge, is one of the top locations in – creating jobs in the construction and planning regeneration and environment, the UK for business start-ups, so is home service industries. (For more on the effects Councillor Keith Prince, I and the other to a high number of micro businesses, of the Olympics on the borough, see the cabinet members are determined many supported by the council-sponsored feature on page 23). to make Redbridge the destination of choice for a new generation of East London Small Business Centre. And the future looks bright, thanks both ambitious households seeking the Larger businesses are supported by to Redbridge’s location, and the strategic best schools and a wide choice of new such agencies as the Thames Gateway importance of north east London as a homes, as well as excellent cultural and London Partnership, the LDA, as well as the growth area, especially as a location for recreational facilities. The regeneration of the borough council and businessREDBRIDGE, the local new housing – the borough is expected to will also provide new and emerging economy cluster of the Redbridge Strategic grow by at least 8,000 new homes by 2017. opportunities for skilled work, both Partnership. Its location at the foot of the M11 makes within Redbridge and in the wider The borough is also home to the it a gateway to the London-Stansted- Thames Gateway area and at Canary Wharf and the City of London. Thames Gateway’s first industrial business Cambridge-Peterborough growth area As a three-star CPA-rated council, improvement district, in Hainault, with corridor, identified in the government’s we are using physical, economic and groundwork being prepared in Ilford town Sustainable Communities plan. What’s social regeneration to extend choice centre to repeat the success. more, it’s on the edge of the Thames > and opportunity for our community and encourage innovation and enterprise in the commercial and technological sectors. The borough is full of fresh and The borough exciting solutions to a brave new world can take that is already seeing the post industrial advantage of two huge areas areas of East London transformed by of growth global investment in the knowledge – the Thames economy and preparation for the Gateway 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. and the M11 There will also be enormous benefits corridor. ahead from Cross Rail, the expansion of Stansted International Airport and new Eurostar services to Europe from St Pancras and Ebbsfleet. Together with investors, developers, employers and architects, we will achieve great things for Redbridge. 6 Galliard_Redbridge_Vision20FPC 7/8/07 20:01 Page 1 galliardhomes.com Contributing to R E G E N E R A T I O N across the Capital Galliard Homes have long been associated with high quality mixed use/residential regeneration schemes across the Capital and suburbs.