Area 2: St James Quarter Improvements

Project Introduction

St James Quarter is a key regeneration area in Walthamstow and includes Courtenay Place, an existing Transport for London (TfL) transport hub and the St James Overground Station.

Waltham Forest Council has appointed a design team to reimagine the public spaces and a series of railway arches at Courtenay Place, along with the pedestrian path which connects Courtenay Place to Brunner Road and the area outside of St James Overground Station. Our goal is to enhance the area making it safer, more inclusive, more active, and greener for the local community.


Existing site plan of Courtenay Place and St James Path (Jazz Yard) from engagement boards. Image credit: Feix & Merlin


This will include the delivering improvements to public spaces and reviewing the potential refurbishment of railway arches in Courtenay Place, subject to landowner approvals.

The project is part funded by UK Government and forms part of the Walthamstow ‘Culture for All’ Programme of projects being delivered by Waltham Forest Council.

Over the last year, we have spoken to residents, businesses, and visitors about the improvements and what they would like to see, including:

  • Creating spaces for independent and local businesses to operate, and in turn activate public spaces.
  • Increasing green space, biodiversity and make the area more climate resilient, including new planting and trees.
  • Opportunities for new public artwork.
  • New lighting to improve visibility and make the area feel safer.
  • Clearer signage to direct people to transport hubs, cultural attractions, and points of interest.
  • New street furniture including outdoor seating.


Indicative artist impression of the proposed improvement works outside St James Overground. Image credit: Feix & Merlin


St James Economic Impact Zone

The engagement also highlighted that businesses and residents in St James wanted to see more footfall, market stalls and activity in the St James end of High Street. To respond to this, we have designated an Economic Impact Zone (EIZ) in the St James area (see map below).

The work to support the EIZ will be complemented the Culture for All programme in St James through the following:

  • Signage: better signage and improved connections to the High Street
  • Pavement Licenses: Businesses in the designated area EIZ will be eligible to apply for a Pavement Licence instead of paying more expensive Pitch Fees for table and chairs to support the animation of this stretch of the High Street
  • Market: development of a new weekly market for the St James area of the high street
  • Public artwork: installation of new co-designed public artwork
  • Events: Council facilitation and promotion support for events in the zone
  • Enforcement: Collective enforcement actions on landlords breaching planning or licensing conditions.

By creating the EIZ, we hope to develop a destination area in St James to help benefit local business and attract more investment and more regular local traders to this area of Walthamstow. We will keep you updated on developments here.


Courtenay Place - Public Engagement

Thank you for your participation in the public engagement events and online survey. These were carried out through 2024 as follows:

24th June 2024 – Invited Stakeholder Group Workshop

12th July 2024 – High Street Pop-Up Event

12th July to 18th August 2024 – Online Survey

This engagement sought to capture feedback from the local community and visitors on the proposed improvements.

Overall, there were high levels of support for the proposals, particularly the possibility to opening the existing arches for businesses. Your feedback was used to refine the design of the arches for the planning application which has now been submitted and will continue to influence the proposals to improve the public space at Courtenay Place.

You can view or download the reports on the Courtenay Place engagement by selecting the links on the right of this page.


Courtenay Place - Planning Application

A planning application was approved at planning committee in March 2025 for the conversion of 16 arches which sit beneath the St James Overground Station for town centre uses such as offices, workshops, shops, small food and drink establishments and other small-scale business use.

This is part of a wider strategic review of railway arches being undertaken by Waltham Forest Council to review opportunities and investment in the borough to create spaces for local businesses.

The planning application can be viewed on the Waltham Forest Planning Portal by following this link:

Courtenay Place Planning Application


Courtenay Place - Project Timeline

The ‘Walthamstow: Culture for All’ programme funded by UK Government, will see a range of public realm, lighting and landscape upgrades being delivered in Courtenay Place across 2025 and 2026.

As part of this programme, we are continuing to review opportunities to improve and open the railway arches. The proposed works are dependent upon ongoing surveys, discussions with rail providers and landowners, and availability of funding. If possible, works to the arches will occur in phases following the landscaping upgrades, and focus on a small number of arches initially.


St James Path Upgrade - Project Timeline

In January 2025, a leaflet was distributed to local residents which provides an overview of the proposed works to be undertaken to the public footpath between Brunner Road and Courtenay Place in 2025. You can view or download this leaflet by selection the link on the right of this page.




Project Introduction

St James Quarter is a key regeneration area in Walthamstow and includes Courtenay Place, an existing Transport for London (TfL) transport hub and the St James Overground Station.

Waltham Forest Council has appointed a design team to reimagine the public spaces and a series of railway arches at Courtenay Place, along with the pedestrian path which connects Courtenay Place to Brunner Road and the area outside of St James Overground Station. Our goal is to enhance the area making it safer, more inclusive, more active, and greener for the local community.


Existing site plan of Courtenay Place and St James Path (Jazz Yard) from engagement boards. Image credit: Feix & Merlin


This will include the delivering improvements to public spaces and reviewing the potential refurbishment of railway arches in Courtenay Place, subject to landowner approvals.

The project is part funded by UK Government and forms part of the Walthamstow ‘Culture for All’ Programme of projects being delivered by Waltham Forest Council.

Over the last year, we have spoken to residents, businesses, and visitors about the improvements and what they would like to see, including:

  • Creating spaces for independent and local businesses to operate, and in turn activate public spaces.
  • Increasing green space, biodiversity and make the area more climate resilient, including new planting and trees.
  • Opportunities for new public artwork.
  • New lighting to improve visibility and make the area feel safer.
  • Clearer signage to direct people to transport hubs, cultural attractions, and points of interest.
  • New street furniture including outdoor seating.


Indicative artist impression of the proposed improvement works outside St James Overground. Image credit: Feix & Merlin


St James Economic Impact Zone

The engagement also highlighted that businesses and residents in St James wanted to see more footfall, market stalls and activity in the St James end of High Street. To respond to this, we have designated an Economic Impact Zone (EIZ) in the St James area (see map below).

The work to support the EIZ will be complemented the Culture for All programme in St James through the following:

  • Signage: better signage and improved connections to the High Street
  • Pavement Licenses: Businesses in the designated area EIZ will be eligible to apply for a Pavement Licence instead of paying more expensive Pitch Fees for table and chairs to support the animation of this stretch of the High Street
  • Market: development of a new weekly market for the St James area of the high street
  • Public artwork: installation of new co-designed public artwork
  • Events: Council facilitation and promotion support for events in the zone
  • Enforcement: Collective enforcement actions on landlords breaching planning or licensing conditions.

By creating the EIZ, we hope to develop a destination area in St James to help benefit local business and attract more investment and more regular local traders to this area of Walthamstow. We will keep you updated on developments here.


Courtenay Place - Public Engagement

Thank you for your participation in the public engagement events and online survey. These were carried out through 2024 as follows:

24th June 2024 – Invited Stakeholder Group Workshop

12th July 2024 – High Street Pop-Up Event

12th July to 18th August 2024 – Online Survey

This engagement sought to capture feedback from the local community and visitors on the proposed improvements.

Overall, there were high levels of support for the proposals, particularly the possibility to opening the existing arches for businesses. Your feedback was used to refine the design of the arches for the planning application which has now been submitted and will continue to influence the proposals to improve the public space at Courtenay Place.

You can view or download the reports on the Courtenay Place engagement by selecting the links on the right of this page.


Courtenay Place - Planning Application

A planning application was approved at planning committee in March 2025 for the conversion of 16 arches which sit beneath the St James Overground Station for town centre uses such as offices, workshops, shops, small food and drink establishments and other small-scale business use.

This is part of a wider strategic review of railway arches being undertaken by Waltham Forest Council to review opportunities and investment in the borough to create spaces for local businesses.

The planning application can be viewed on the Waltham Forest Planning Portal by following this link:

Courtenay Place Planning Application


Courtenay Place - Project Timeline

The ‘Walthamstow: Culture for All’ programme funded by UK Government, will see a range of public realm, lighting and landscape upgrades being delivered in Courtenay Place across 2025 and 2026.

As part of this programme, we are continuing to review opportunities to improve and open the railway arches. The proposed works are dependent upon ongoing surveys, discussions with rail providers and landowners, and availability of funding. If possible, works to the arches will occur in phases following the landscaping upgrades, and focus on a small number of arches initially.


St James Path Upgrade - Project Timeline

In January 2025, a leaflet was distributed to local residents which provides an overview of the proposed works to be undertaken to the public footpath between Brunner Road and Courtenay Place in 2025. You can view or download this leaflet by selection the link on the right of this page.