WALTHAM CROSS STREETSCAPE DESIGN CONCEPT REPORT DECEMBER 2010 INTRODUCTION Broxbourne Borough Council For five days in 2012 the white Borough of Broxbourne – Consultant Design Team is pleased to present this water canoe events will be Key Project Personnel report detailing proposals and showcased in Waltham Cross BBC has appointed a design interventions for key spaces in as part of the Olympic Games Jeff Stack team to bring forward more Waltham Cross Town Centre and once complete the centre Director of Environmental Services detailed proposals for the and along the Eleanor Cross anticipates 70,000 visitors annually improvement scheme. The Road/Station Road Corridor. to the world class facility. The Richard Grove team consists of: The Council’s objectives are Council and its partners wish to Project Manager to establish an overall design ensure that the Olympics and Studio Egret West framework to be implemented in the construction of the White Doug Copper Architects, Urban Designers phases which will: Water Centre provide a long term Head of Planning & Building and Landscape Architects legacy in terms of both economic Control (Lead Consultants) • Enhance the town centre and and physical regeneration improve its vitality and viability. which will support the ongoing Partners KMCS implementation of the Waltham Quantity Surveyors • Create a strong link between the Cross Renaissance Strategy. Hertfordshire County Council town centre and the Lee Valley White Water Centre. Lee Valley Regional Park Authority • Build on recent actions to British Waterways suport the renaissance and regeneration of Waltham Cross London Borough of Enfield and stimulate further investment. Olympic Delivery Authority LOCOG Epping Forest District Council 1 2 AERIAL WHITE Water CENTRE eleaNor cross / towN CENTRE ELEANOR CROSS ROAD TRAIN statION 3 4 PLACE, PAST InItnrtordoudcutciotinon HHisitsotroicricMMapappipnigngofofWWaltahltahmamCrCorsosss Over the years Waltham Cross Town Centre has 1291 – Original Eleanor Cross become a bustling part pedestrianised shopping erected centre attracting shoppers to the mix of stores and independent shops. Even though the rerouting of a majority of vehicular traffic via the Cheshunt Link 1840 – Waltham Cross Railway Road and upgrading of the A121 (Monarchs Way) was a major improvement for the town centre, it has Station opens split the neighbourhood, entrance and door step for people coming via the Railway Station. 1899 – Ernest Fishpool Our aims are to increase pedestrian footfall in the establishes business in town town centre and to improve access to and from the adjoining residential areas, the Railway Station, centre, where it has expanded the Lee Valley Regional Park and the White Water and remained ever since Centre. 1968-73 – Construction of InItnrtordoudcutciotinon Pavilion Shopping Centre HHisitsotroicricMMapappipnigngofofWWalathltahmamCCrorsosss 1900s 1940s 1981-1984 – Construction 1910900s0s 1914904s0s 1917907s0sPrePrAebAbebybeWyaWyay 198109s80sPrePCreheCshheusnhtuLnint LkinRkoaRdoa(1d9(9149)94) of Holmesdale Tunnel 1994 – Cheshunt Link Road 12911291OriOgirnigailnEaleEalneoarnCorroCsrsosesreecrtecdted Opened 18410840WaWlthaaltmhaCmroCsrsosRsaRilwaailwy aSytaStitoantioonpeonpsens 18919899EaErnaersnteFsitsFhipsohoploeoslteasbtlaisbhliesshebsusbinuesisnseisnstionwtnowcnencteren,trweh, ewrheeirte it Eleanor Cross 1904 hashaesxpeaxnpdaendeadndanredmreaminaeidneedveervseirnscience 196189-6783-73CoCnsotnrusctrtuiocntioonf Poaf vPialiovnilioSnhoSphpoipnpginCgenCterentre 198119-8119-8149:8C4:oCnsotnrusctrtuiocntioonf HofoHlmoelmsdeasldeaTleunTnuenlnel 199149:9C4:hCeshheusnhtuLnitnLkinRkoRadoaOdpOenpeedned 1970s– Pre Abbey Way 1980s– Pre Cheshunt Link Road (1994) 190109s00s 194109s40s 197109s70sPrePrAebAbebybeWyaWyay 198109s80sPrePrCehCeshheusnhtuLnitnLkinRkoRadoa(d19(9149)94) WWaaltlhthaammCCrorossss RReennaaisisssaan1n2c91c12e9e1OriOgirnigailnEaleEalneoarnoCrroCsrsosesreecrteecdted 6 6 18410840WaWlthaaltmhaCmroCsrsosRsaRilwaialwyaSytaStitoantioonpeonpsens 18919899EaErnaersnteFstisFhipsohoploeosl teasbtlaisbhliesshebsusbiunseisnsesins tionwtonwcnencternet,rwe,hwerheerite it hashaesxpeaxnpdaendeadndanrdemreaminaeidneedvervesirnscience 5 6 196189-6783-73CoCnsotnrustcrtuiocntioonf PofaPvialivoinlioSnhSophpoipnpginCgeCnternetre 198119-8119-8149:8C4:oCnsotnrustcrtuiocntioonf HofoHlmoelmsdeasldeaTleuTnnuenlnel 199149:9C4:hCeshheusnhtuLnitnLkinRkoRadoaOdpOenpedned WWalathltahmamCCrorsosss RReennaaisissaannccee 6 6 PLACE, PRESENT The high street is well used but the subways are a poor introduction to the area for anyone walking to/from the station. LOOKING North ALONG HIGH STREET at ELEANOR CROSS MONARCH’S waY/ELEANOR CROSS ROAD ROUNDABOUT 7 8 PLACE, NEAR FUTURE Two major interventions are “Get ready for the adrenaline filled ride as you plunge down this steep raging river rapid. Waves PROPOSED RAIL statION VISUAL raIL statION EXIstING froNtage happening as we speak - will explode over your boat as you drop into holes The Whitewater Rafting Centre and then power your boat past eddies waiting to spin and flip you in! White water rafting is on the and Improvements to Waltham way. This is a thrilling adrenaline-pumping activity; Cross Station. We need to make you’ll travel down a steep, obstacle filled channel the most of these investments dropping up to 5m over a 300m course.” within the public realm vision. Improved connections to such an international facility need to be made to ensure that there is a good quality experience for all future users and also to entice users to visit Waltham Cross Town Centre and the Lee Valley Regional Park. Improvements to the public realm can also provide a catalyst for further investment which will support the Renaissance of Waltham Cross. WHITE water CENTRE PLAN whIte water ceNtre facILITIes buIldING VIew from lea valleY caNal pedestrIAN brIdge to whIte water ceNtre 9 10 This diagram highlights the areas This document gives a sense of how improvements covered in this document. The document can to be made to all of these spaces in a phased FUTURE BIG MOVES approach as money becomes available in the future. goes on to provide an indication of the The areas have been grouped into three major areas type of improvements which can be that are and will be vital to any improvements for made. They would be implemented in Waltham Cross. phases as funding becomes available. We propose to introduce the theme of “white The area has been grouped into three water” to the public spaces. On a typical fast major areas and within this detailed flowing river used for canoeing or rafting there are proposals are set out for two key sites; three main elements, a dark black opaque water running into and over boulders which then spring The Roundel which is located in the High and froth up into a white coloured rush or mist. We Street just to the south of the Eleanor want to try and capture this ambience within the Cross and the subway at the junction of Waltham Way to celebrate its close connections to Monarch’s Way and Eleanor Cross Road. the White Water Centre. WHITE Water CENTRE 2 - HIGH STREET NORTH 3A - THE WALTHAM WAY, CROSS TO STATION 3B - THE WALTHAM WAY, ELEANOR CROSS ROAD STATION TO ABBEY eleaNor cross / towN CENTRE TRAIN statION 1 - HIGH STREET LINEAR PARK 11 12 1 – high street linear pARK Starting from the roundabout at the There is an abundance of on-street parking and top end of the southern rend of the service roads which are good for quick shopping but at the same time make the high street feel High Street, often referred to as The more like a major car dominated space rather than Roundel, and connecting back into a civilised village shopping street. Monarch’s Way to the south the High EXISTING VIEW, ROUNDEL EXISTING VIEW, SOUTHERN HIGH STREET Street is at present dominated by The roundel has great potential as a public space because of its existing mature trees and it’s more roads and car parking. Whilst the on civilised character as a square where people street free car parking is important for can meet, almost an extension of the space shoppers and other visitors to this end surrounding the cross. of the town centre there is scope to Our aims for this area are to reduce the amount of retain this level of parking and provide road, improve the space for pedestrians, retain the more for pedestrians. current level of on street car parking, improve the links to the open space over the Holmesdale Tunnel and enhance its environment and appearance. EXISTING paNORAMIC VIEW, SOUTHERN HIGH STREET EXISTING paNORAMIC VIEW, ROUNDEL 13 14 0 10mm 20mm 30mm 40mm 50mm 10mm 30mm 50mm 0 100mm 200mm 0 500mm 0 1000mm 0 1m 0 2m 0 5m 0 10m 0 10m PLANS0 AND20m SECTIONS 0 50m 0 100m These plans give an indication of what could These before and after sections indicate how all be achieved. The detailed designs will need to of the roads could be reduced (and not reduce ensure that any additional trees planted do not parking numbers) and allow for the creation 0 100m obscure0 10mm 20mm views30mm 40mm of50mm shops windows or obstruct of a green play strip. With the impact of traffic reduced children can play and adults can sit CCTV10mm cameras.30mm 50mm 0 200m outdoors in cafes and shops. 0 100mm 200mm 0 500mm 0 500m 0 1000mm 0 1000m 0 1m 0 2m 0 1000m 0 5m 0 10m 0 2000m 0 10m 0 5000m 0 20m 0 50m 0 100m 0 100m 0 200m 0 500m EXISTING STREET SECTION 0 1000m 0 1000m 0 2000m 0 5000m PROPOSED STREET SECTION proposed plaN, SOUTHERN HIGH STREET ( at junctiOn WiTh A1010) ZOOMED IN EXTRACT 15 16 2 – HIGH STREET NORTH Detailed surveys