Last updated: 28 August 2024
Next review: 12 January 2025
Blackhorse Lane is located on the western boundary of Waltham Forest and forms one of the borough’s key growth areas. In 2021 the area was designated as one of London’s Creative Enterprise Zones. This is due to the high volume of creative businesses in the area and its industrial heritage.
The Blackhorse Lane Area Action Plan (AAP) was adopted in January 2015. It recognises the area as a major housing and job growth site for Greater London, with the capacity to accommodate 2,500 new homes and 1,000 new jobs by 2026. This is supported by a number of key social and physical infrastructure projects such as:
- the new Willowfield College
- Walthamstow Wetlands
- Cheney Row Park
- the Standard Junction improvement works,
- new cycle and pedestrian links, and projects aimed at supporting the local economy.
The AAP acts as a framework to coordinate the area’s transformation in a socially, economically, and environmentally sustainable way. The council aims to ensure the existing community is involved and has the opportunity to influence the changing character of the area.
The area’s manufacturing heart has given rise to the creative industry. The area has seen a growth in makers, artists, and small-scale manufacturers due to the relatively low-cost workspaces. It is also home to many breweries and has been labelled ‘The Blackhorse Beer Mile’.