whitechapel masterplan

November 2006 DRAFT

a vision for the future E1 foreword contents page

Foreward

Contents

Opening Statement

1.0 Why do we need a masterplan?

1.1 Introduction 1.2 is changing 1.3 The Whitechapel Masterplan 1.4 Planning policy context 1.5 What the community says about Whitechapel

2.0 Whitechapel Yesterday : Historic Development

2.1 A brief history of Whitechapel

3.0 Whitechapel Today : The Case for Change

3.1 Whitechapel today 3.2 What is holding Whitechapel back? 3.3 The case for change

4.0 The Vision

5.0 Whitechapel Tomorrow : Delivering the Vision 5.1 Introduction 5.2 Principles and actions 5.2.1 Built Environment 5.2.2 Public Realm 5.2.3 Transport & Movement 5.2.5 Shopping 5.2.6 Education & Employment 5.2.7 Leisure & Tourism 5.2.8 Community Health 5.3 Phasing, Funding & Delivery

Whitechapel is one of the most diverse communities in the UK. It is vibrant, colourful, full of passion, energy and excitement and has a rich culture and heritage.

Whitechapel has much to offer and great potential, but it also has problems that need to be solved. There is evidence to suggest the community in Whitechapel has been let down by the physical environment that has evolved around it in recent years.

Instead of being what it should be, a place, very definitely ‘where it’s at’ it has become a place to travel through, its special character and qualities largely unknown in the bustle of life.

So Tower Hamlets has developed this Masterplan to shape the development of the area, to reveal its hidden charms, to reclaim it for the community and to proudly promote Whitechapel as a destination. 8 why do we need a masterplan?

Introduction

Whitechapel is Changing

The Whitechapel Masterplan

Planning Policy Context

What the community says about Whitechapel

Have your say....

9 10 why do we need a masterplan?

Introduction

Whitechapel is home to a diverse community, a bustling daily street market, an award winning Idea Store and significantly, the . It also a busy transport interchange served by several bus routes as well as the District, Hammersmith and City and East London Lines at Whitechapel Underground Station.

Located to the east of and the City of London the area is centred around Whitechapel Underground Station and the stretch of Whitechapel Road (the A11) from New Road to Cambridge Heath Road. It is in many people’s eyes is the heart of the East End. ?

Stratford Olympic Park

LONDON FIELDS

VICTORIA

A10 PARK

HAGGERSTON PARK

LEE VALLEY PARK A11 BETHNAL GREEN GARDENS TOWER HAMLETS CEMETERY PARK

A11 MILE END PARK A1202 WHITECHAPEL

A12 City of London

A13

Canary Wharf

11 Whitechapel is changing

There are major developments planned for Whitechapel area over the next 10 years. This process of change has already begun in Whitechapel and is likely to proceed over several years. Some key projects include:

• Major redevelopment of the Royal London Hospital which will transform the existing hospital site and change the area looks and feels. The hospital will provide district general hospital services for the area, including a trauma and emergency care centre. It will also provide one of Europe’s largest renal (kidney) services, a dedicated Women and Children’s Hospital, which will include London’s second biggest paediatric service and London’s Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS).

• The East London Line Project is underway and will extend and upgrade the existing East line, converting it into a new metrostyle train service. The line goes through and will have a major impact on the Whitechapel Masterplan area, bringing more people and stimulating new development.

• Crossrail (Line one) is a proposed new railway that links west and east London and a new station is proposed at Whitechapel, located to the north of the current Whitechapel underground station. If it goes ahead it will cut journey times to Tottenham Court Road from 19 minutes to just eight minutes. The Crossrail scheme is currently being debated in Parliament.

These changes combined with the importance of Whitechapel Road as a main route west to central London, and east the planned London 2012 Olympic Park present a unique opportunity to change Whitechapel for the better.

12 The Whitechapel Masterplan

The Council has prepared the Whitechapel Masterplan to promote positive change in Whitechapel and to encourage investment in the area.

The Masterplan responds to what the community has been telling the Council about Whitechapel and:

• Sets out a vision for change in Whitechapel that builds upon the attributes of the area and addresses the problems.

• Reflects and draws together the short and long-term initiatives in currently being promoted in parallel by other agencies. This includes the major projects highlighted as well as Transport for London’s strategy for the A11, the Primary Care Trust strategy for the area, the Queen Mary Innovation Centre initiative and the new Local Area Agreement.

• Provides guidance for the redevelopment of sites within the Whitechapel area to ensure they are not brought forward in isolation without the benefit of a co-ordinated approach.

• Identify priorities for change and promote inward investment.

The Whitechapel Masterplan will sit within Tower Hamlets’ Local Development Framework, initially as an Emerging Supplementary Planning Document and ultimately as a Supplementary Planning Document.

13 Planning Policy Context

What does the London Plan say about Whitechapel?

The London Plan (2004) identifies is the spatial development strategy for the whole of London. It identifies Whitechapel and Aldgate as an “Opportunity Area” and highlights the need to :

• Promote housing and employment development; • Maximise access by public transport and promote levels housing; • Promote social inclusion; and • Take account of the community, environmental and other distinctive local characteristics of the area.

What does the Local Development Framework say about Whitechapel?

The Whitechapel Masterplan will eventually form part of the Tower Hamlets Local Development Framework (LDF). Documents within the LDF are prepared to be in conformity with the London Plan.

The Tower Hamlets Local Development provides the framework for making planning decisions over the next 10 years. It explains how Tower Hamlets will be developed in response to the vision and aims set out in its Community Plan: to improve the quality of life for everyone living and working in the borough. “

What does the Community Plan say ?

The Tower Hamlets community plan sets out a vision for a better Tower Hamlets. It is based around five themes: • Living Safely • Living Well • Creating and Sharing Prosperity • Learning, Achievement and Leisure • Excellent Public Services.

14 The draft Core Strategy and Development Control Development Plan Document explains the Council’s overall spatial strategy and provide the context for the Whitechapel Masterplan. The Development Plan Document supports:

• Job creation and growth; • Enhancement of town centres; • Meeting housing needs, balanced by social and physical infrastructure provision; • Social and community facilities; • Protecting and enhancing open spaces • Good design; and • Maximising possible density in relation to context, accessibility, social and physical infrastructure and efficient use of land

What does the City Fringe Area Action Plan say about Whitechapel?

The City Fringe Area Action provides detailed policies City Fringe Area of the borough to ensure that the change and growth planned for the area is carefully managed. The Whitechapel Masterplan area is partly within the boundary of the City Fringe Area Action Plan which identifies the Royal London Hospital redevelopment and new proposed Crossrail Interchange as a catalyst for regeneration in the area. The City Fringe Area Action Plan sets out a planning policies to deliver change in the Whitechapel sub-area which includes:

• Supporting the environmental enhancement with the redevelopment of the Royal London Hospital; • Promoting small scale employment uses; • Supporting employment uses and mixed use development with retail and leisure uses in ground floors to reinforce existing focal points of activity along Whitechapel and ; • Promoting the creative use of railway arches; • Ensuring residential development provides for a variety of housing types and sizes; • Encouraging improvements streetscape and public realm improvements; • Enhancing public opens spaces and improving connections between existing open spaces through green links; and • Reducing problems of severance by seeking improvements to north – south crossings on Whitechapel Road.

The Masterplan elaborates upon relevant development plan policies identified in the Council’s Core Strategy and Development Control Document and City Fringe Area Action Plan.

15 16 What the community says about Whitechapel...

The Whitechapel Masterplan has been developed in consultation with important stakeholders in the area who have a shared interest in making Whitechapel a better place, including the Greater London Authority, Transport for London and the Local Area Partnership.

Listening to views of communities that live, work and visit Whitechapel has also been central to the development the draft Masterplan. The preparation of Whitechapel Masterplan has been a front loaded process in respect to community consultation. The Council has sought to exceed the statutory requirements for consultation by involving the community at an early stage and the results of this non-statutory consultation have informed and shaped the Masterplan. A number of consultation activities have been undertaken including two drop in sessions at the Idea Store, Whitechapel in July and September, firstly to get a clearer idea of people’s views about the area and then to see what people thought about some initial ideas for change. This was supplemented by smaller workshops (e.g. Youth Partnership and a local women’s group) and presentations at Local Area Partnership meetings.

There was a very wide spectrum of views about Whitechapel and how it should change but there was consensus on some of the main challenges for the area and the priorities for change.

The key messages arising from the consultation activities are summarised below:

• Improving the safety and quality of the pedestrian environment during the day and at night was considered essential. This was a particular issue around the Market and Whitechapel Underground station. The need to ensure streets and the public realm in general was clean and attractive was highlighted.

• Making it easier to find your way to different facilities in Whitechapel such as the Hospital, Idea Store and Sports Centre was also identified as an area for improvement.

• Ensuring that people are able to access employment opportunities and supporting smaller businesses was considered important .

• The range and diversity of the shops in the area was considered limited compared to other shopping centres. Some people thought this should be more varied independent stores others wanted to see larger high street shops.

• The need for more leisure activities was raised. Encouraging more cafés and restaurants in the area particularly serving healthy foods was also suggested. More broadly, the need for more leisure and sports opportunities in the area was emphasised.

17 18 Local Area Partnership Priorities Tower Hamlets Partnership is open to everyone who lives in or has an interest in the area as well as representatives from the council, police, health, voluntary and community groups and other organisations. Ward councillors also have an important role..

There are eight Local Area Partnerships (LAPs) that form part of the Tower Hamlets partnership which provides the formal framework through which residents can become involved. These bring together people in their locality to share ideas and views about how things can be improved. The LAPs provide local people with the chance to influence the delivery of services locally and to scrutinise the performance of the council, health, police and other mainstream services. LAPs develop their own work programmes and have a strong voice in setting priorities for the future.

Whitechapel area falls partly with Local Area Partnerships 2 and Local Area Partnership 3. The Strategies for the Local Area Partnerships set out three priorities for 2006-2007. For Local Area Partnership 2, these priorities are:

• Employment and enterprise • Quality of the local environment • Healthier communities – young and older people

Local Area Partnership 3 priorities are:

• Health especially healthier living • Young people – pathways to training and employment • Quality of local environment – cleaner and safer

Have Your Say....

The formal consultation period on this draft Masterplan will be

from January to March 2006. The Council wants to invite comments

and suggestions to help refine the Masterplan and ensure that it

reflects the priorities and aspirations of Whitechapel’s community.

19 20 Whitechapel yesterday : historic development

A Brief History of Whitechapel

21 Whitechapel is a historic part of London. A useful and necessary starting point to understanding the area and proposing a vision for its future is to consider this history and how it has shaped development in the area to date

The Chapel of Ease built on road to , on the site of St. Mary’s church, some time in the 1200’s. It would have been whitewashed, typically for the middle ages, and is said to have lent it’s name to 1738 Whitechapel.

The road through Whitechapel, originally a dirt track, was paved by Act of Parliament in 1572, allowing easier passage for coaches. Maps from 1666 show settlement outside of the city walls at Aldgate, clustered particularly at the beginning of what was to become the A11 to Essex, through Whitechapel.

Whitechapel itself was a small village, a mile or so outside the 1792 city walls. The Trinity Almshouses were built in 1695 by Capt. Henry Mudd, to house “decayed masters and commanders of ships and their widows.” By 1738, development extended in ribbon form along the Whitechapel Road. Land use in the area was still predominantly agricultural, with evidence of larger houses, and public activity focussed on the Whitechapel Road.

1844

22 The London Hospital was built in 1757, and has expanded incrementally, now displaying a range of architectural styles and forms. Through the late 1700’s and 1800’s,

The success of the docks to the south of Whitechapel led to large scale urban expansion with the speculative extensive building of middle class terraces in the area. This saw all of the surrounding agricultural land developed for 1882 housing, forming part of what is now known as the East End.

The first Whitechapel Railway Station was opened below ground by the East London Railway in 1876, followed by the Metropolitan District Railway in 1884 (calling their station Whitechapel and Mile End). pub (built 1894) was situated on the corner of Cambridge Heath Road (formerly Dog Lane), although the story of its name is local, and predates the building by many 1952 years.

The Church of St. Mary of Matfelon was bombed in the Second World War, and never rebuilt, although its legacy lives on in name. Although new housing was being built in the 1920’s to replace the overcrowded slums of the East End, post war development and re-development has seen radical changes in the urban fabric, with a shift from Victorian terraces towards1960’s estate block Today architecture.

23 24 Whitechapel today : the case for change

Whitechapel Today

What is Holding Whitechapel Back?

The Case for Change

25 26 The Case for Change Whitechapel Today

Whitechapel today is dominated by the market which is the hub of activity and draws people into the area. The Royal London Hospital , Sainsburys , the Idea Store and green open spaces are also major draws into the area. Whitechapel has all of the ingredients of a much more successful area, although cnages are needed to unlock this potential.

In order to do this, Whitechapel must build upon its strengths:

• The market is one its biggest strength. It has loyal customers who visit regularly, with over 30% of shoppers visit three time a week or more. It creates most of the life in the centre of Whitechapel.

• Whitechapel is already very accessible both by train and bus and allows people to reach many other parts of the borough and beyond with ease. This accessibility will be further enhanced by the East London Line upgrade, and the potential Crossrail Line one.

15 MIN UTES

StStratford OlymOlympic Park

LONDON FIELDS

VICTORIA

A10 PARK

HAGGERSTON PARK

LEE VALLEYEY PARK A11 BETHNAL GREEN GARDENS TOWER HAMLETS CEMETERY PARK

A11 MILE END WHITECHAPEL PARK

A1202 A11

A12 City of London

A13

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5 E

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Canary Wharfarf

27 BETHNAL GREEN

SUPERMARKET

SWANLEA SCHOOL

IDEAS STORE LUL

BUSES

WHITECHAPEL ROAD

ROYAL LONDON HOSPITAL

WATNEY MARKET

SHADWELL

28 WWherehere dodo peoplepeople wantwant toto go?go? • The Royal London Hospital, which is a regional resource with a national and international reputation raises the profile of the area and is a major asset.

• Whitechapel is a centre for higher education – Queen Mary’s School of Medicine and dentistry, and the Princess Alexandra School of Nursing are both in the area, and this is complemented by the adult learning services offered by the Idea Store.

• A strong sense of history, both social and physical, provides excellent opportunities for further developments and improvements that recognise the heritage of the area.

• There are a number of buildings and tourist attractions which already bring people to the area including the Idea Store, the Blizzard Building and to the west of the Area near Aldgate, Whitechapel Bell Factory. Whitechapel is also a staple on ‘’ walking tours of London.

• Formal and Informal green spaces are also a major strength, even though in some cases they are in need of investment and improvement.

• Although the property market is not large or dynamic at present, there are several potential development sites within the study area which could make a real contribution to the community and the local environment. Further, major changes in the area such as the East London Line extension, are anticipated to increase commercial interest.

KEY HOSPITAL KEY DESTINATION CAMPUS OPEN SPACE 29 What is Holding Whitechapel Back?

Despite its strengths, a number of problems are holding Whitechapel back from realising its potential as a vibrant and successful area at the heart of London’s east end:

• The Whitechapel Road (the A11) is very busy and creates a major barrier to free north – south movement in the study area. There are also a number of “shatterzones”, areas where pedestrian routes are either not provided or are undefined and fragmented.

• Those who do not know the area have difficulty finding their way around particularly around the hospital campus and the station. There is little legibility and a lack of signage

• Studies, including the TfL A11 Corridor Study undertaken by Intelligent Space, have shown that most pedestrians stay on the northern side of the road. This is for a number of reasons, including the lack of shops along the south side of the street, the fact that the station and market are both on the north side, and the difficulty of crossing the road. This increases the congestion on the north side of Whitechapel Road.

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FIG 38. CROSSING ROUTES BY THE HOSPITAL

30 • The severance caused by Whitechapel Road is compounded by the market. The current formation of the market is one of Whitechapel’s weaknesses as it acts as a barrier preventing easy movement across Whitechapel Road and between buses and trains. The market also masks shop fronts. Trader’s van parking is also an issue. Change is needed, but it needs to be carefully balanced to ensure it does not destabilise what is a thriving element of the local economy and social infrastructure.

• The Hospital is both an asset and a weakness, as it has little active frontage onto Whitechapel Road, and generates a lot of movement, both pedestrian and vehicular.

• Despite the fact that there are plenty of available jobs, unemployment is high as local people do not have the skills needed to access the jobs.

• The retail and activity in Whitechapel is limited to the early evening as shops close with the market. There is little night-time economy. However, there are a number of restaurants along Commercial Road.

• Crime and antisocial activity is a problem in some areas, and was highlighted as a major concern for people in the public consultation.

Crime is a significant issue in Whitechapel. Although rates of

“The TfL A11 Corridor study has shown that people can’t cross the A11 Whitechapel Road ? where they want to” “The majority of market traders are local residents” 31 BETHNAL GREEN

SHATTERZONE

RZONE TTE

HA

LINKAGE S POOR POOR

WHITECHAPEL CAR DOMINATED GATEWAYS

SHATTERZONE

SHATTERZONE

WWhathat isis stoppingstopping people?people? SHADWELL 32 most crime have fallen recently, Whitechapel remains a hotspot for street crime, violent crime and anti-social behaviour. The Whitechapel Underground Station is a particular area with a high concentration of street crime, while the streets surrounding the Royal London Hospital are one of the most significant areas in the borough for car crime (Crime and Disorder Audit, London Borough of Tower Hamlets, 2004).

Intelligent Space Partnership’s work Other with Transport for London utilised crime 10% Drug figures from 2000-2003. This chart 3% Theft from shop or shows the breakdown of crimes by building 35% incident type. Assault, Violence, Disorder 22%

Theft from the person Vehicle Robbery Criminal 13% 13% Damage 4%

FIG 29. INCIDENT TYPES

Mapping of crime data shows that there are a number of hotspots: • Sainsburys • The hospital • Along the market and around the station • Thefts of/from vehicles behind the hospital, including Milward Street.

The built and environmental quality of Whitechapel is of variable quality; inadequate street lighting, a lack of street trees and poorly maintained open spaces have all been highlighted as problems by the local community.

STREET GRID OPEN SPACES: poor links to the main pedestrian routes SHATTERZONE

SHATTERZONES: areas of poorly defined streets 33 34 The case for change

Whitechapel needs a properly thought out vision, which will set out a goal for the future development of the area, together with a plan to explain how the vision will be realised. In other words, a Masterplan.

The Masterplan must build on what is special about Whitechapel, put right what is holding Whitechapel back and respond to what the local community thinks the area should be. It also needs to fit in with the other plans and strategies covering the borough and London as a whole.

It needs to provide a planned, phased and deliverable framework, which will shape future development and growth in the area. It must:

• Build on the strength of Whitechapel Market

• Improve the shopping centre

• Create new jobs and improve access to existing jobs through skills development

• Reduce crime and make the area feel safe and welcoming

• Make sure there is enough good quality housing of all kinds both new and refurbished

• Attract visitors and create a sustainable evening economy

• Make a real contribution in terms of health, education and leisure facilities

• Improve the public realm, and create new public spaces

• Ensure that all current and future development proposals are successfully integrated with and contribute to the future development of the wider area

• Preserve and enhance the quality of the built heritage environment

• Identify improvements for both traffic and public transport

• Improve links and accessibility throughout the area and with adjoining areas

• Identify funding and attract investment

35 The Vision

38 The Vision

The vision for Whitechapel is for an attractive, accessible, safe and vibrant place at the heart of the communities that live, work and study here, and a welcoming

destination for visitors.

39 BETTER LNKS TO PARK & BEYOND

BETHNAL GREEN

BETTER NORTH-SOUTH LINKS THROUGHOUT

IMPROVED MARKET ON THE NORTH AND NEW ACTIVE USES ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF WHITECHAPEL ROAD

CROSSRAIL & LUL

BUSES

LARGER, VIBRANT, SAFE AND WELCOMING WHITECHAPEL ROAD CENTRE WITH BETTER CONNECIONS TO THE SURROUNDING AREA

ROYAL LONDON HOSPITAL BETTER PEDESTRIAN AND CYCLE LINKS AND IMPROVED PUBLIC REALM

IMPROVED LINK TO WATNEY MARKET

SHADWELL STATION

40 The vision will be achieved by:

• Developing a high quality built environment that respects the heritage buildings and streetscape, enhances the public realm and is secure by design.

• Ensuring major development projects such as the redevelopment of Royal London Hospital and the East London Line upgrade are carefully integrated into the existing urban fabric.

• Making Whitechapel an area that is easily accessible that with routes along and across Whitechapel Road and throughout the area that make movement pedestrian and cyclist friendly and where it is easy to change from one mode KEY of public transport to another.

• Creating a distinctive and vibrant town centre with a diversity core study area of shops, thriving and well organised street market and a choice of cafes and restaurants to enliven streets at the weekend and in the evening.

• Maintaining a strong and diverse local economy including Wider jobs that people can easily access, and ensuring people have Green Links the skills they need.

• Improve the accessibility and quality of open space for recreation purposes and to promote healthier lifestyles for everyone

• Building upon the world-class facilities at the Royal London

Internal Hospital to develop and enhance existing Health and Green Community Facilities Links

The Masterplan is a tool to deliver this vision which recognises Improved both the existing unique contribution of the area to the social Connections and economic life of the Borough, and the need for change.

Activity Centres

41 42 Whitechapel tomorrow : delivering the vision

Introduction

Principles & Actions Built Environment Transport & Movement Shopping Education & Employment Leisure & Tourism Community Health

Funding & Phasing Strategy

43 44 Introduction

The Masterplan contains an array of interventions, some of which we aim to deliver straight away, but others may take time to fund or require other things to happen first. For that reason, the actions will be delivered over three phases, along with some actions which will be ongoing throughout the life of the masterplan to 2016. The masterplan will be reviewed through the annual monitoring report.

Some aspects such as Crossrail (line one), are outside of our control and whilst we have included it as part of the final phase (it is currently scheduled for completion in 2018), its delivery will affect a number of other actions and projects. Therefore, the masterplan has been designed to be flexible and allow projects to come forward when they can be funded and implemented, and as with all forward looking plans, it needs to be able to adapt and change to meet the unforeseen developments that are going to emerge as time progresses.

Principles & Actions

In order to deliver the vision, a list of actions has been produced, each of which will contribute to the overall goal of making Whitechapel a better place. These have been divided across six broad topic areas, which are detailed over subsequent pages.

The final part of this document focusses on the actual funding and delivery mechanisms, and how projects will be phased over time. Through this process each of the actions can be assigned a short, medium or long term date for commencement.

45 46 Built Environment

Improving the built environment emerged as a central community priority in consultation and is also a key priority for both Local Area Partnerships in the area. We agree. To successfully deliver the vision, the delivery of improvements to the built environment both as stand alone projects, and as a part of larger development schemes, is key as it orchestrates all the elements that affect daily life in Whitechapel. Making sure that the buildings and spaces are well designed, attractive, welcoming and fit for purpose is one of the most important things that this masterplan can deliver.

The topic of Built Environment covers a number of specific areas. It addresses conservation and enhancement of the Historic Buildings, Street and Spaces which are located throughout the study area. It also addresses the principles that should be employed when designing and assessing New Buildings & Structures in order to ensure that they successfully integrate with the existing fabric of Whitechapel. The final area for consideration is the Public Realm throughout all of the study area, as this determines the experience that people have when moving in and around Whitechapel, and is the basis for people’s perceptions and first impressions.

Historic Buildings, Street and Spaces

The study area contains five conservation areas, and several listed buildings and structures, ranging in size from the Front Block of the Royal London Hospital to the Post Box in the Hospital Courtyard.

In many areas the setting of these is compromised by inappropriate modern developments, or they are suffering from years of poor maintenance and neglect. Where possible, new developments should seek to improve and enhance the setting of listed buildings and conservation areas, by regenerating degraded frontages, reinforcing historic grids and reinstating heritage street furniture, as these vital elements are important in providing a link between the community and its heritage.

The Royal London Hospital scheme contributes to the heritage of both the building and the others historic elements of the site, and as an early action we would seek to match this by Encouraging improvements to the shop fronts on the North side of Whitechapel Road, including building repairs and the removal of existing inappropriate signage and shutters, to improve the street environment both day and night. 47 New Buildings & Structures

The successful delivery of new developments will be achieved through a combination of individual ‘key’ development schemes, and a robust set of principles that should guide all new schemes. One of the actions will be to ensure that the principles for new buildings set out in this Masterplan are used to guide the determination of planning proposals within the study area:

High Quality Design Design is not just about how something looks or feels, it is about how it works. Any new developments will become an integral part of the fabric of Whitechapel, and must therefore be designed to work alongside the existing, and in many cases they can help to fix problems caused by current, inappropriate developments. Many of the newest buildings in the study area, such as The Idea Store, and the Blizzard Building have been designed by high profile architects that have been careful to ensure the design of the building is of the highest quality. This should continue to be promoted as the best approach to new buildings.

Active Frontage and Ground Floor Uses It is important to accommodate and encourage active frontages for a number of reasons; as a tool for providing passive surveilance of the public realm, enhancing the sense of security for pedestrians; to bring greater animation and life to the street, and to create a vibrant street scene.

Adaptability New developments should be designed to be flexible over time, and able to respond to the differing needs of users. This makes new schemes more sustainable and will extend the lifespan of new schemes. This type of adaptability is evident in many historic buildings, which have seen a range of uses over time.

Mixed Use In order to create a truly sustainable centre to Whitechapel, a mix of uses will be encouraged in all developments, both horizontally and vertically. Ideally this should be active uses at ground floor with residential above, particularly in the areas closest to the station.

48 Building scale & variety It is important to consider the context when assessing any proposals for a new development. Architectural design should consider neighbouring buildings in terms of design, height, building line, facade and frontages. Particular attention should be paid to how it integrates with the public realm. Generally the area is not suitable for tall buildings, and any new buildings should be of an appropriate height for width of the street on which they are located.

Sustainability In order to promote sustainable travel, private parking as part of new developments should be discouraged, and instead adequate provision must be made for secure cycle parking. All new residential buildings must be constructed to Lifetime Homes Standards, and all developments should minimise energy requirements, and where possible incorporate renewable energy technologies.

Designing out Crime Well designed buildings and public spaces offer an opportunity to improve the environment and people’s perceptions of the area, and lessen the opportunities for anti-social or criminal behaviour. Active frontages, mixed uses and high quality public realm will all maximise the natural surveillance of the streets. New design should have regard to the ‘Secured by Design’ initiative which encourages integrated crime prevention measures and establishes best practice on security and design matters.

Existing Buildings Effective and imaginative use of existing buildings will also be encouraged to complement new developments, particularly where existing buildings are of a high quality or historic value.

49 50 Public Realm

The public realm is the fabric that runs throughout the study area, and ultimately is what can bring all the built environment elements together. A high quality public realm can boost the local economy, improve the health of the community, and reduce crime and the fear of crime.

As part of the commitment to improving Whitechapel for everybody, it is important to ensure the Creation of new open spaces as part of major developments, and ensure re-provision and enhancement of open space lost to developments, in close proximity to the original location. The majority of new developments will be for private use, so it is important that there is a contribution to the public realm, as this is accessible to everybody, and will benefit the community in which the developments are located.

As well as working with developers to introduce new spaces and public realm improvements, there must be a comitment from the council to identify funding and implement changes in other areas wihtout new developments. Environmental improvements to residential areas, including better lighting, reduced street clutter and more tree planting, will make Whitechapel a more attractive place to live.

Working in conjunction with the actions and ideas explored in the movement section, the public realm should become more welcoming to pedestrians, and the dominance of the car should be reduced to help promote more sustainable movement in an area with exceptional public transport accessibility.

The public realm will seek to redress the imbalance of pedestrians between the North and South sides of Whitechapel Road, and also help to promote North - South routes through the study area generally as part of the desire to create green links between the open spaces in the wider study are and beyond.

ACTIONS New developments should seek to improve and enhance the setting of listed buildings and conservation areas, by BE1 regenerating degraded frontages, reinforcing historic grids and reinstating heritage street furniture

Encourage improvements to the shop fronts on the North side of Whitechapel Road, including building repairs and the BE2 removal of existing inappropriate signage and shutters, to improve the street environment both day and night. Ensure that the principles for new buildings set out in this Masterplan, along with the relevant Core Strategy and BE3 Development Control Document and City Fringe Area Action Plan policies are used to guide the determination of planning proposals within the study area. Encourage creation of new open spaces as part of major BE4 development sites. Environmental improvements to residential areas, including BE5 better lighting, reduced street clutter and more tree planting, will make Whitechapel a more attractive place to live. 51 52 Transport & Movement

Whitechapel is exceptionally well-connected – it is directly on the Transport for London road network (A11 Whitechapel Road) and its public transport accessibility rating is one of the highest available. Soon it will become even better connected, with the East London Line extension bringing more people to the area, new bus services and improved walking and cycling routes. In the long term, the potential Crossrail station will cut journey times to Tottenham Court Road from 19 minutes to just eight minutes.

Walking and Cycling For anyone walking down the busy market side of Whitechapel Road, struggling to cross to the other side or trying to find safe north-south cycle routes, the facts about Whitechapel’s accessibility rating are of little consolation.

There are, in fact, more pedestrians than car and bus passengers combined in Whitechapel. In the market area there are as many as in central London locations like Holborn, making the pavement very crowded.

Cycling is also growing rapidly in London and will need to be accommodated in the Whitechapel area. Many cyclists use the A11Whitechapel Road from the City to east London, but there are not enough north-south cycle routes.

It is therefore especially important to improve facilities for pedestrians and cyclists in the area. The Masterplan proposes a number of initiatives including:

• More crossings that will make it easier to cross to the other side and relieve the pressure on the busy market side. Initially, we will work with TfL to deliver a new 10m wide crossing opposite the station to make crossing Whitechapel Road easier by 2008, and further crossings could follow, if future developments and predicted increases in pedestrian numbers are realised.

• Encouraging cycling in the area with the implementation of street improvements to reduce traffic speeds - 20mph zones are planned north of the A11 that will make streets safer for cyclists. A new ‘green link’ will take cyclists directly to the expanding Royal London Hospital where convenient cycle parking will be provided as part of the redevelopment, and more cycle parking facilites will be provided near the station.

• Developing a hierarchy of routes between Whitechapel Road and Commercial Road, retaining Philpot Street as a Cycle and pedestrian route, Cavell Street and Turner Street will become pedestrian focused with widened footways, and Sidney Street and New Road will be promoted as the main vehicular routes through an appropriate design and signage approach.

• Improvements to signage and wayfinding within the study will help people find their way around Whitechapel, and complement other London-wide wayfinding initiatives.

53 Bus Nearly 3000 people an hour travel through Whitechapel on the bus. London Buses is continuing to expand bus services through the Whitechapel area and this could increase passenger numbers by about 15%. In the longer term, interchange with Crossrail services could increase demand even more.

In response to this the Masterplan takes account of the key role of the bus:

• Continuous bus lanes along the A11 are incorporated

• New and improved bus stops will be provided along Whitechapel Road, as part of Transport for London’s A11 corridor improvement scheme, facilitated by a reorganisation of the market, to reduce congestion caused by passengers getting on and off

• The station on Durward Street will be kept and could be expanded in the future to serve the Crossrail station

• Changes could be made to bus routes to improve interchange with the station and give some local people -particularly around Sidney

Street - a better service

Trains Whitechapel station is already one of the busiest in the area, handling about twice as many passengers as Aldgate every year. In the long term it could become the major station in this part of East London:

To further improve the interchange, we will work with TfL and LUL to improve Whitechapel Station including expanding capacity, and becoming accessible to all. The exact nature of these improvements will be determined by an interchange study to be carried out once the future of Crossrail is decided.

Vehicles Pedestrian and cycle movement is the priority if the masgterplan. Construction traffic is likely to increase pressure on already congested local roads in the coming years, particularly from the East London Line extension and if Crossrail goes ahead. Transport for London’s Network Management Plan (NMP) for the A11 will set performance indicators for the A11 including the efficiency of vehicle movement. Changes to roads in the area can be studied; for instance plans to remodel the gyratory at 54 Aldgate could reduce traffic demand on the A11.

The Masterplan also includes additional initiatives to minimise increases in traffic:

• Construction routes that may be needed for Crossrail are kept open and widening is proposed at the Vallance Road junction with the A11 to handle the increase in construction traffic on it

• Future developments will have strict controls on parking and travel plans to minimise increases in traffic.

A number of redevelopment opportuities have been identified around the Vallance Road / New Road / Whitechapel Road junction, and these woul jointly be able to fund the realignment of the junction, which in itself would provide further opportunities to develop and enhance the retail offer of the area, and at the same time improve the existing staggered road layout, which does cause confusion and accidents.

ACTIONS Work with TfL to implement a new pedestrian crossing TM1 outside the station to make crossing the Whitechapel Road easier. Provision of new and improved bus stops along Whitechapel Road, as part of Transport for London’s A11 corridor TM2 improvement scheme, facilitated by a reorganisation of the market. Provide more cycle parking facilities close to or within TM3 Whitechapel Station. Develop a hierarchy of routes between Whitechapel Road and Commercial Road, retaining Philpot Street as Cycle and TM4 pedestrian only, Cavell Street and Turner Street will become pedestrian focused and Sidney Street and New Road will be promoted as the main vehicular routes. Work with TfL and LUL to improve Whitechapel Station in- cluding expanding capacity, and becoming accessible to all. TM5 The exact nature of these improvements will be determined by an interchange study to be carried out once the future of Crossrail is decided. Work with TfL and developers to realign the Junction of New TM6 Road / Valance Road / Whitechapel Road as part of, and to enable, developments on the corner plots.

55 56 Shopping

The market has been the centre of life in Whitechapel for generations. It is the market that gives the area its character and its distinctive retail offer. It is very popular with many loyal local shoppers who visit several times a week.

There is also a Sainsburys supermarket which is a major attraction. But because of the domination of the market, Whitechapel lacks the variety of high street shops and chain stores normally found in a district centre.

The Masterplan, therefore, aims to protect and build on the unique qualities of the market, at the same time as creating a more balanced shopping centre.

The Market

Whitechapel market is one of the most successful in Tower Hamlets. Pitches are four times more requested than Petticoat Lane Market and there are none vacant. It plays a major part in the local economy and is a starting point for entrepreneurs. From the community perspective, the market provides access to healthy, affordable food and other basic goods and is an important part of the cultural life of the area.

However, when the market closes in the early evening, Whitechapel mostly closes too. There are also other issues such as crime and safety, traders parking and congested pavements.

A number of initiatives will begin to tackle the problems, at the same time as allowing the market to flourish. The improvements to the A11 Whitechapel Road being undertaken by Transport for London offer an excellent opportunity to improve the market itself, and a number of improvements will be undrertaken including a reorganisation of the market with new stall structures and ‘block’ layout, to make it easier to cross the road, and access bus stops.

Tower Hamlets Market’s team will work with the local police teams to introduce market pod to support traders & LBTH markets team as well as provide a base for local community police teams. The pod will be located on the site of the existing public toilet cubicles, which could be re-provided as part of the new structure.

The team will also work with market traders to identify secure storage facilities and implement new loading / unloading systems.

57 58 The Shops

Hand in hand with initiatives for the market will be efforts to encourage new shops, cafes and restaurants throughout the centre. This will make the area more attractive and well presented, in addition to offering more choice in shopping and eating, creating jobs and boosting the economy.

The aim will be to ensure that many are open into the evening serving people using the hospital, encouraging people to visit and stay in the area and generally making the centre of Whitechapel feel more lively, welcoming and safer.

The masterplan will encourage new developments with active ground floor uses to the South side of Whitechapel Road & New Road.

The proposed long-term development over the railway line at Vallance Road would be an ideal place to include a covered extension of the market – for local arts and crafts stalls, perhaps.

There will be new crossings to encourage people to move more freely from one side of the road to the other and to relieve the congestion on the pavements on the market side.

ACTIONS SH1 Reorganise market with new stall structures and ‘block’ layout Introduce market pod to support traders & LBTH markets SH2 team as well as provide a base for local community police teams. Work with market traders to identify secure storage facilities SH3 and implement new loading / unloading systems. Encourage new developments with active ground floor uses SH4 to the South side of Whitechapel Road & New Road.

59 60 Education & Employment

Education

Education is important in any community and especially in an area like Tower Hamlets where unemployment is high and many people lack the skills needed for the jobs available. It is therefore essential that schools are good and that training and life long learning are easily available to make it possible for adults to improve their employability.

This is a key focus for Tower Hamlets Council and its partners with many initiatives planned and underway at both borough and local level. But the Whitechapel Masterplan also has an important role to play in ensuring that there are enough education and learning facilities to support growth and academic excellence in the area and that training and learning opportunities are identified and responded to.

Schools

There are two schools actually in the core Whitechapel study area - Swanlea Mixed Secondary School and Stewart Hedlam Primary School - and several other primary schools which are attended by children living in the area.

All the schools serving the area currently have unfilled places and there should be enough places until at least 2008. However by 2016 there are expected to be about 40% more people living in the Whitechapel, which will place additional pressure on existing schools, and adult learning facilities in the area.

The Local Education Authority plans school provision at a strategic level that is wider than the Masterplan study area, but the Council will work with the LEA to deliver improved facilities where they are needed and developers building new housing will be asked to make a contribution towards expanding and improving educational facilities and equipment.

61 Employment

Tackling employment and economic issues is a major focus of the Whitechapel masterplan as unemployment is high and there is a shortage of people with the right skills to fill available jobs.

Nevertheless, Whitechapel plays a role in supporting both the City of London and Canary Wharf, where the majority of employment is concentrated in the banking, finance and insurance sector, but where numerous opportunities exist in support service roles, and back office functions. Public administration, education and health, tourism and hospitality are also important employment sectors for the people of Whitechapel. Employment growth for Tower Hamlets is estimated to be around 154,000 new jobs by 2016. This is the largest employment growth projected for any London Borough.

The focus of the Masterplan must therefore be on ‘up-skilling’ local people so that they are able to respond to the many employment opportunities in the area and share in the prosperity.

The council will also identify opportunities for local business to maximise the benefit from the increased footfall created by the upgrade to the East London line.

SMEs need cluster-focused training responding to sector-specific business requirements, for instance the City back office demand. They also need their general business skills improved to allow them to successfully participate in larger tendering processes and become competitive service providers for larger local companies, for instance the hospital and university.

Targeted business training is also needed for different cultural groups through programmes such as the Action Community Employment Programme.

A new job brokerage and training centre, to build upon the existing service in the Borough, will be provided within the study area. This facility will also provide skills development in addition to ensuring local people have the opportunity to access local jobs, in particular with major local employers such as the Royal London Hospital and Sainsburys.

62 SMEs

The Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) sector – less than 50 people - plays an important part in Whitechapel, employing 7,000 and representing over 85% of the total number of businesses. Distribution & wholesale and manufacturing are the main business sectors particularly fashion, fur dyeing, printing and reproduction of recorded media.

It is important, therefore, to support the SMEs and make sure that affordable and suitably located small and medium units of secondary quality space are available. Redevelopment of sites in Cavell Street and Station Perimeter Block - to the north of Whitechapel Road, between Vallance Road and Fulbourne Street – will help to meet this need.

Biomedical service hub

Another major opportunity is reinforcing the role of the hospital and Queen’s Mary University as a centre of a bio-medical service hub, hosting high value research activities which will generate new spin-offs

The proposed change in rules, to ensure that a reasonable proportion of market stalls are owned by local people will create jobs. New shops and a hotel would also increase the number of jobs available for people from Whitechapel.

ACTIONS Provide premises for a new job brokerage and training centre, to facilitate the appointment of local people into major EE1 employment centres, such as Crossrail & The Royal London Hospital and improve job skills. The masterplan will identify opportunities for local business to EE2 maximise the benefit from the increased footfall created by the upgrade to the East London line. Develop biomedical learning hub around the Royal London EE3 Hospital, in partnership with HE institutions, and building upon existing links and facilities.

63 64 Leisure & Tourism

There are all sorts of opportunities for both indoor and outdoor leisure and recreation, formal and informal in Whitechapel. The largest open spaces in the area are actually outside the immediate area - Weavers Fields to the North and Mile End Park to the East. But there are a number of open spaces and squares within the study area.

The Masterplan aims to build on the existing opportunities and create new ones to meet the needs of people of all ages and to tackle problems such as fragmentation and poor access.

Open spaces The population density in Whitechapel, coupled with a high proportion of flats in the area means that there is already pressure on these existing public open spaces and future growth in population and daytime workforce will increase that pressure.

The Masterplan aims to create better links to surrounding spaces. It proposes the creation of a major new green link from Weavers Field that will pass South through Jews burial ground and Essex Wharf to a new square on Durward Street, then across Whitechapel Road to join the new Hospital Squares via a green route along Philpot Street and through Watney St Market to a proposed new space at Shadwell Station then through St George-in-the-East Churchyard to a major new space as part of the redevelopment of News International which would finally link down to the River. This puts the hospital at the heart of a green corridor that encourages both active and passive recreation and could become an exemplar for preventative healthcare.

As part of the redevelopment of Royal London Hospital a new London square will be created between the existing building on Whitechapel road and the new main buildings on Way.

There will also be better east west links in the streets off Whitechapel Road, to make exploring the interesting heritage backstreets, easier for everyone.

New developments in the area will include or contribute to provision of open space within the study area.

65 66 Sports There are already a number of indoor recreational facilities in the area available for public use. These include the Whitechapel Sports Centre, where the facilities include a 4 court sports hall and health and fitness suite.

Evening Economy In encouraging an evening economy to attract visitors and create a safer and more welcoming atmosphere into the evening, there will also be more for the community of Whitechapel to do in their leisure time. There will be restaurants and cafes reflecting local cultural diversity. The Idea Store will play an important part as a venue for events and exhibitions.

Tourism The opportunity exists to develop a stronger tourism industry in Whitechapel, as the area has the combination of a strong history which is visible in many buildings and spaces, alongside a number of new modern buildings, which are becoming more important as an element of ‘architecture tourism’. The proximity to the City of London, and its pool of tourists should be exploited to the benefit of Whitechapel. One place to start would be with improvements to signage and wayfinding within the study will help people find their way around Whitechapel, and complement other London-wide wayfinding initiatives. Another possibility would be for a hotel within the study area, which would provide a base for visitors in the area, and boost the local economy as well as provide a number of jobs.

ACTIONS Explore the possibilities of a specialist Sunday market, to complement the current ‘tourist markets’ that are located LT1 nearby, and make use of the existing & improved market infrastructure. Improvements to signage and wayfinding within the study LT2 will help people find their way around Whitechapel, and complement other London-wide wayfinding initiatives. Explore the opportunities for hotel accommodation to LT3 encourage more people to use Whitechapel as a base for their exploration of the wider area. Improvements to open spaces in the masterplan area to LT4 facilitate more recreational use, and improve accessibility for all parts of the community. Provide outdoor recreation facilities that can be shared by LT5 local schools and the community to encourage greater use and improve leisure opportunities. Support cycling and walking and other active recreation through the provision of high quality public realm and open LT6 spaces, as a tool in improving the health of local people, and encouraging a more active lifestyle. Development of green links to major public parks at Weavers Fields and Mile End, as part of a wider strategy across the LT7 whole Borough to provide better access to open spaces and leisure facilities. 67 68 Community Health

Improving the health of the people in Whitechapel and making sure they have access to good health services is central to the Masterplan’s aims.

The Hospital

Over the next six years, the major redevelopment of the Royal London Hospital which covers a large part of the Masterplan area between Whitechapel Road and Commercial Road, will transform how the area looks and feels and be one of the major catalysts for the regeneration of Whitechapel.

It will also be a major boost to health services for people living in the area.

The redevelopment has been designed to allow for future growth in demand for services if more people move to the area. There is extra space built into the development so that the hospital can expand into it as the years go by.

Day to Day Healthcare

Making sure that there are enough doctors and dentists practices providing day to day healthcare for the community and that the number keeps pace with a growing population is also essential.

There is only one general practice in the Masterplan area at the moment – The Albion Health Centre. However the Jubilee Street Practice, Shah Jalal Practice, and Tower Medical Centre are all nearby and serve people living in the area. There are four dental practices - East Side Dental Practice; The Whitechapel Dental Centre; Jayesh Kothecha Dental Practice; and S Gharibnavaz Hassan Kiadeah Dental Practice.

69 70 Tower Hamlets Primary Care Trust, Tower Hamlets Partnership, and London Borough of Tower Hamlets have developed a strategy for primary and community care provision in Tower Hamlets up to 2016. The strategy plans health facilities based on neighbourhood networks of 10,000 to 20,000 people. Whitechapel straddles three of these neighbourhood networks.

New health facilities planned for Whitechapel will meet the needs of the area until 2016. Among the improvements proposed is the creation of a new and expanded Albion Health Centre, closer to the new Royal London Hospital in 2014. In the meantime the existing Albion Health Centre will be expanded to accommodate extra patients. The Shah Jalal practice in Pinching Street will be redeveloped in 2010 and expanded in the meantime.

Housing developers will be asked for a contribution to additional health facilities if their proposals are likely to put additional pressure on existing and planned facilities in the area.

Bethnal Green Weavers Fields

To Mile End

D A O R

H T A BRADY E H ST

REET E G D I R B VAL M

LANCE A C

ROAD

WHITECHAPEL ROAD IDEA STORE

WHITECHAPEL

WHITECHAPEL ROAD

CAVELL STR

TUR EET

NEW NER STR

ROAD

EET

To The City

COMMERCIAL ROAD

SHADWELL

Doctor Surgery Dentist

LLocalocal HealthHealth CareCare inin thethe surroundingsurrounding areaarea

ACTIONS Provide a new and improved Albion Health centre in the long- CH1 term 71 Phasing : The masterplan Actions

The co-ordinated delivery of the actions outlined is important, to ensure that when funding becomes available it is spent on the most effective and most needed projects first. In the case of Whitechapel, the careful integration of the existing identified major projects, some of which are already under way, alongside a number of key interventions proposed to bring immediate improvements to the physical environment is thevital first step for the area, and the key task for this document. These indicative tables explain how this could be achieved, looking at the likely costs, funding sources and phasing of each of the tasks.

ACTION PHASING

New developments should seek to improve and enhance the setting of listed buildings and conservation areas, by regenerating degraded BE1 Ongoing frontages, reinforcing historic grids and reinstating heritage street furniture. Encourage improvements to the shop fronts on the North side of Whitechapel Road, including building repairs and the removal of BE2 Ongoing existing inappropriate signage and shutters, to improve the street environment both day and night. Ensure that the principles for new buildings set out in this Masterplan BE3 are used to guide the determination of planning proposals within the Ongoing study area. built environment Encourage creation of new open spaces as part of major development BE4 Ongoing sites. Environmental improvements to residential areas, including better BE5 lighting, reduced street clutter and more tree planting, will make Ongoing Whitechapel a more attractive place to live.

Work with TfL to implement a new pedestrian crossing outside the TM1 Short-term station. Provision of new and improved bus stops along Whitechapel Road, TM2 as part of Transport for London’s A11 corridor improvement scheme, Medium-term facilitated by a reorganisation of the market.

TM3 Provide more cycle parking facilities close to Whitechapel Station. Short-term

Develop a hierarchy of routes between Whitechapel Road and Com- mercial Road, retaining Philpot Street as Cycle and pedestrian only, TM4 Cavell Street and Turner Street will become pedestrian focused and Long-term Sidney Street and New Road will be promoted as the main vehicular routes. transport & movement Work with TfL and LUL to improve Whitechapel Station including TM5 Medium-term expanding capacity, and becoming accessible to all.

Work with TfL and developers to realign the Junction of New Road TM6 / Valance Road / Whitechapel Road as part of, and to enable, Medium-term developments on the corner plots.

72 Some of the actions have got allocated funding or funding sources, but the majority do not. In these cases, an indicative cost assessment has been given, as follows: Minimum - e.g. Studies Intermediate - e.g. local infrastructure improvements High - e.g. major infrastructure improvements In all cases phasing, responsibility, delivery mechanism and funding are all indicative and will need to be agreed in due course, in discussion with the relevant agencies.

DELIVERY RESPONSIBILITY COST MECHANISM

London Borough of Tower Hamlets Development Design n/a Developers Development Control Process

London Borough of Tower Hamlets Development Design n/a Developers Development Control Process

Development Design London Borough of Tower Hamlets n/a Development Control Process

London Borough of Tower Hamlets Development Design n/a Developers Development Control Process

London Borough of Tower Hamlets Pooled Planning Obligations Intermediate

London Borough of Tower Hamlets TfL Funding (Secured) Allocated TfL Funds 07-08 Transport for London

London Borough of Tower Hamlets TfL Funding (Unsecured) Intermediate Transport for London

Planning Obligations London Borough of Tower Hamlets Intermediate LBTH Grant Scheme

London Borough of Tower Hamlets Pooled Planning Obligations Intermediate Transport for London

London Borough of Tower Hamlets Transport for London TfL / Crossrail / LBTH Joint Funding High London Underground Limited London Borough of Tower Hamlets Transport for London Planning Obligations High Developers

73 ACTION PHASING

SH1 Reorganise market with new stall structures and ‘block’ layout Short-term

Introduce market pod to support traders & LBTH markets team as well SH2 Short-term as provide a base for local community police teams.

Work with market traders to identify secure storage facilities and SH3 Medium-term

Shopping implement new loading / unloading systems. Encourage new developments on the South side of Whitechapel Road SH4 Ongoing & New Road, with active ground floor uses.

Provide premises for a new job job brokerage and training centre, EE1 to facilitate the appointment of local people into major employment Medium-term centres. Work with local businesses to identify opportunities to maximise the EE2 benefit from the increased footfall created by the upgrade to the East Ongoing London line.

Education Education Develop biomedical learning hub around the Royal London Hospital, & Employment EE3 in partnership with HE institutions, and building upon existing links and Long-term facilities.

Explore the possibilities of a specialist Sunday market, to complement LT1 the current ‘tourist markets’ that are located nearby, and make use of Medium-term the existing & improved market infrastructure. Improvements to signage and wayfinding within the study will help LT2 people find their way around Whitechapel, and complement other Medium-term London-wide wayfinding initiatives. Explore the opportunities for hotel accommodation to encourage more LT3 people to use Whitechapel as a base for their exploration of the wider Long-term area. Improvements to open spaces in the masterplan area to facilitate LT4 more recreational use, and improve accessibility for all parts of the Ongoing community Provide outdoor recreation facilities that can be shared by local schools

Leisure & Tourism LT5 and the community to encourage greater use and improve leisure Long-term opportunities. Support cycling and walking and other active recreation through the LT6 Ongoing provision of high quality public realm and open spaces.

Development of green links to major public parks at Weavers Fields LT7 Long-term and Mile End.

CH1 Provide a new and improved Albion Health centre in the long-term. Long-term Health

The local authority will be seeking contributions from any development proposal coming forward within, or directly adjacent to, the Masterplan core or wider boundary. These contributions will go towards the costs of preparing and implementing the Masterplan.

74 DELIVERY RESPONSIBILITY COST MECHANISM

London Borough of Tower Hamlets Safer, Stronger Communities Fund Intermediate Market Traders Planning Obligations c. 175k possible funds London Borough of Tower Hamlets London Borough of Tower Hamlets Intermediate Metropolitan Police (Neigbourhood Renewal Fund) c. 300k possible funds Market Traders London Borough of Tower Hamlets Planning Obligations / TfL Minimum Market Traders London Borough of Tower Hamlets Development Design n/a Developers Development Control Process

London Borough of Tower Hamlets London Borough of Tower Hamlets secured S.106 funding Developers Planning Obligations from RLH redevelopment Barts & The London NHS Trust

London Borough of Tower Hamlets London Borough of Tower Hamlets Minimum

London Borough of Tower Hamlets London Borough Tower Hamlets Barts and The London NHS Trust Barts and The London NHS Trust Minimum - High HE/FE Institutions Local HE/FE Institutions

London Borough of Tower Hamlets London Borough of Tower Hamlets Minimum GLA (Business Development)

London Borough of Tower Hamlets London Borough Tower Hamlets Minimum Barts & The London NHS Trust Barts and The London NHS Trust

Private Developers / Investment London Borough of Tower Hamlets Development Control Process Minimum Developers Development Design London Borough of Tower Hamlets London Borough of Tower Hamlets Developers Intermediate Planning Obligations Greater London Authority London Borough of Tower Hamlets Developers London Borough of Tower Hamlets Minimum Greater London Authority Development Design London Borough of Tower Hamlets Minimum Development Control Process

London Borough of Tower Hamlets Planning Obligations Intermediate - High

London Borough of Tower Hamlets Planning Obligations Tower Hamlets Primary Care Trust

Such costs might include production of the Masterplan; consultant fees; support fees and project management costs associated with the on-going delivery of Masterplan documents.

75 LT7 BE1 BE2 BE3 BE4 NorthBE5

SH3 EE2 LT2 LT3 LT5

LT6

Study Area Wide Actions

LT7 TM6 TM3 TM2 TM5 LT1

SH1 TM1 CH1 SH2 EE1

TM6 SH4

TM4 TM4 TM4 TM4 TM4 EE3

LT4

76 Existing Buildings (grey)

Potential Development Sites (purple)

Restructured Market Layout & Proposed Market Pod

Proposed Crossing

Improved Pedestrian & Cyclist Route

77 WHITECHAPEL IS HOME TO A DIVERSE COMMUNITY, A THRIVING STREET MARKET, VIBRANT LOCAL SHOPS AND BUSINESSES AND THE EXPANDING ROYAL LONDON HOSPITAL. IT IS AN EASILY ACCESSIBLE DESTINATION WITH A RICH CULTURAL AND HISTORIC HERITAGE. THE MASTERPLAN RECOGNISES THE UNIQUE CONTRIBUTION OF THE AREA TO THE SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC LIFE OF THE BOROUGH. IT BUILDS UPON THESE ATTRIBUTES AND POTENTIAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES TO CREATE A SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY THAT IS SAFE, WELCOMING AND PEDESTRIAN FRIENDLY. THE MASTERPLAN WILL ENSURE THAT CHANGES IN THE AREA ARE MANAGED FOR THE BENEFIT OF PEOPLE LIVING, WORKING AND VISITING WHITECHAPEL.