Courtenay Place Construction Works FAQs

In January 2023 the council successfully secured £17.2 million of Local Regeneration Funding to support the delivery of the ‘Walthamstow: Culture for All’ project (formerly Levelling Up Fund). 

The funding will unlock Walthamstow’s potential as an inclusive, safe and welcoming cultural destination and will see enhancements to its cultural spaces and hubs (Hatherley Mews, Chestnuts House and Vestry House Museum).

This includes the delivery of public space and greenspace improvements to support venues with better pedestrian connections, including at Walthamstow High Street, Hoe Street and St James Street. The projects include new lighting, improved surfacing, signage, additional planting to make the area greener and improve biodiversity, and opportunities for public art. 

The improvements to public spaces are being delivered alongside investment in Council-owned heritage buildings across the Town Centre including at Hatherley Mews, Chestnuts House and Vestry House Museum, designed to preserve and enhance their historic character and make them more accessible to the community, making Waltham Forest a great place to live and age well. 

The investment draws on extensive engagement conducted with residents, businesses, and stakeholders to develop Walthamstow’s cultural offer as a legacy from Waltham Forest being London’s first Borough of Culture in 2019, including findings from our research on Creativity and Culture in Walthamstow.

Led by feedback from residents and businesses, the works will focus on improving the route from Courtenay Place to Walthamstow High Street.

Improvements will include:

•    Walking routes - widening pavements from Courtenay Place to the High Street with new paving and lighting to create a safer, more attractive connection to the bus station, station and town centre.

•    Creation of a new greenspace - a new landscape garden with planting including 23 new trees to create a more welcoming, greener and more biodiverse space to sit and enjoy.

•    St James Street Station entrance - creating a level access entrance to the ticket hall at St James Street Station in addition to new lighting and planting. 

•    Better Night-time Safety - new lighting and upgraded CCTV to make the area feel safer and more appealing in the evening. 

•    New artworks - art and signs to celebrate the local area, community, and their history.

•    Cycling - increased cycle parking and new signs to highlight the cycle route from St James to Walthamstow High Street.

The investment will help create a safer, more inclusive, welcoming, and attractive public space making St James Street bus station and overground more accessible, including the creation of level access to the ticket hall at St James Street overground station.

The enhanced public space around these important local transport hubs will support the council’s mission to build a borough that provides equal opportunities for all, creating safe and green neighbourhoods where everyone can thrive.  

The improvements will aid in increasing footfall through the day and evening to support the town centre economy and local hospitality businesses. The project also aims to address concerns around community safety particularly in the evening and make the space feel safer, more welcoming and inclusive.

The improvement of Courtenay Place and entrance to St James Street station will also generate opportunities for wider development such as the potential conversion of railway arches at St James Street station, which in turn will support local businesses and provide pathways into employment and training.

Works to Courtenay Place will include re-configuring and re-surfacing carriageways and footways to create an improved layout for pedestrians and vehicles. This will include repositioning the carriageway to allow for the widening of footpaths and increasing the size of pedestrian areas. Landscape improvements will include new in ground planting beds, planting of trees, new lighting, street furniture and public art.

Construction works will be phased to minimise disruption however you may notice limited changes to bus services, access to Courtenay Place and parking suspensions during the works. We are working closely with TfL to coordinate the works and will be in touch again to advise on disruptions to services or access. 

During works there may also be increased levels of noise and dust however these will be mitigated where possible to minimise impact to residents and local businesses.

We will inform you of the overall programme timelines and about impact to your home or business to give you as much notice as possible. 

The contact details of the council’s Area Regeneration Team can be located at the end of this FAQs document. Please contact the team directly if you require any support or have further queries regarding the works.

To avoid disruption during Christmas period all site works will be temporarily paused over the Christmas period.  

Whilst construction works are to be phased to minimise disruption, the work to be undertaken will require the temporary suspension of some of the parking bays. Updates will be provided where possible.

On completion pedestrian and cycle access including the cycle route from Brunner Road to Walthamstow High Street which passes through Courtenay Place will remain with the widening of routes to make these safer and more accessible. Vehicle access to Courtenay Place and Courtenay Mews will be retained, however the current route from Courtenay Place to Walthamstow High Street will be closed to motor vehicles. This will create a safer, greener space for pedestrians including play features for children, and help reduce pollution.

Whilst construction works are to be phased to minimise disruption, during works access arrangements for pedestrians, cycles and motor vehicles may be restricted or changed to allow for works to take place. Updates including alternative routes will be provided where possible.

Vehicle access to serve businesses and homes on Courtenay Place and Courtenay Mews will be retained throughout the works. We will be in contact with business owners and residents to notify them of any work that will cause major disruption their premises specifically.

We have been working closely with TfL to coordinate and phase the construction works to minimise disruption to services, however limited changes to bus services will be required during construction works including periods where the bus stops within Courtenay Place will not be in use. Updates will be provided in advance of disruptions to normal services occurring including dates and alternative routes to take.

There should be no impact to London Overground services running from St James Street Station.

The construction works will take approximately 12 months subject to weather conditions, and will be phased to minimise disruption, allow access to be retained to Courtenay Place and avoid disruption to public transport services where possible. The works are expected to commence in December 2025. Please note that this indicative programme may be subject to revision, and we will update you to keep you informed of any changes.

Waste collections will continue as normal through the works.

Thank you for your cooperation during this period. If you have any questions on the project or upcoming works, please contact us via the details below: 

Waltham Forest Area Regeneration Team 

email: regeneration@walthamforest.gov.uk