New affordable homes completing at Fellowship Square this summer
The first residential building at Waltham Forest’s Council’s flagship development, Hepworth Place at Fellowship Square, has reached a major milestone this week as the top storey was put into place. The new building will offer 61 affordable homes for local people including 27 for Waltham Forest residents on the priority housing list. In total 433 new homes will be delivered at Fellowship Square, 205 of which will be affordable.
Waltham Forest Council and its development partner, Countryside Partnerships (part of Vistry Group) celebrated the topping out by laying and grouting a stone slab on the roof opposite the Town Hall’s iconic Grade II listed clock tower on Thursday 15 February.
Construction is moving fast. Following the successful restoration of the historic Grade II listed Town Hall and the creation of Fellowship Square with its state-of-the-art fountains, Phase 2 started at the beginning of 2022 and will complete by the end of 2026.
The design of the new residential buildings will be sympathetic with the Stripped Classicism style of the Town Hall and Assembly Hall, which were designed by Phillip Hepworth and completed in 1942. The Carthago brick has been specially selected to complement the Portland Stone of the listed buildings. Additional stonework features have been introduced around window and balcony lintels to connect the new and existing buildings.
The first shared ownership homes in Block B at Fellowship Square will go on sale from March 2024.
Cllr Grace Williams, Leader of Waltham Forest Council and Cllr Ahsan Khan, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Housing and Regeneration grouting the final stone on the top floor.
At Chestnuts Field, to the back of the Town Hall, residents can look forward to a new Commemorative Garden and Sensory Garden, both opening soon. They will provide tranquil spaces for reflection, with benches and planters to create an oasis of calm. In addition, a new all-weather footpath has been installed across the western edge of Chestnuts Field, linking the Town Hall to the Feel Good Centre featuring new lighting to make people feel safer.
A new Wetlands has also been created to collect surface water drainage from across the site to mitigate flooding whilst also providing a new biodiverse habitat, all of which has been funded by the development. The gardens are set to open in early summer (pictured below).
Councillor Grace Williams, Leader of Waltham Forest Council, said: “Today is concrete proof that we are making good on our promise to deliver more high-quality affordable homes for local people right on our doorstep that will look incredible. We have delivered 463 new homes over the past year, including acquiring approximately 200 new build homes in Leyton for use as affordable housing.
This is part of our ten-year plan to create over 3,000 homes to tackle the housing crisis. This new building is just one example of how we are truly transforming underutilised space on council-owned land for the benefit of everyone who lives in Waltham Forest. It is a huge construction milestone in the Fellowship Square programme which is creating more jobs, a new neighbourhood, and a cultural destination where everyone is welcome.”
Kevin Delve, Managing Director of Vistry London East, said: “In partnership with Waltham Forest Council, we are delighted to mark this significant milestone in the transformation of the Waltham Forest Town Hall campus, which will help to meet the crucial need for new homes in the area. Ahead of next month’s launch of the shared ownership and private sale homes, construction is moving at pace and we’re looking forward to welcoming the first residents this summer.”
The Fellowship Square development is also helping to boost the local economy by creating jobs for local people throughout construction, including high-degree apprenticeships, meaningful work experience placements, and £9m spent in the local supply chain.