WALTHAMSTOW residents are being encouraged to put their creative caps on to come up with an innovative design for the long vacant Arcade site.

As part of the E17 Art Trail and the Antiscrap exhibition, residents are invited to get inspired about what they would like to see on the empty site on the corner of Walthamstow High Street and Hoe Street, which is currently being levelled and concreted over by the council for public use.

The Cleveland Park Residents' Association, whose homes back onto the site, said it was approached by artists to come up with ideas for the derelict site and has since printed thousands of postcards with a blank space, which are being distributed to artists, residents and schoolchildren.

Spokeswoman Caramel Quinn said: “With this mass participation art project we hope to inspire residents to dream up their own ideas for long-term use of the site.

“We'll be exhibiting everyone's ideas and making sure that the council sees them all too.

“We welcome the council's plans for temporary use of the Arcade site, but laying tarmac before they start consulting with residents on what that temporary use could be shows how little regard they have for our opinions.”

The site has been derelict for years and the latest publically funded development proposal has been delayed because it was found that the contract was not put out to tender in accordance with EU regulations.

Councillor Chris Robbins, who took over as leader in May, branded the empty site as "a disgrace" and said he is committed to making sure the site is used.

He said there are a number of possibilities for the site's temporary use including, a play area, a performance space or extending the farmers' market to the site.

The postcards can be collected from the following locations in Walthamstow, the Rose & Crown pub, Waterstones or the Information Point in The Mall, Selbourne Walk, Penny Fieldings Interiors in Orford Road or can be downloaded from www.fighttheheight.co.uk

Entries are encouraged from all age groups and should be posted c/o the Rose & Crown pub, Hoe Street, Walthamstow.

The exhibitions will be as part of Antiscrap's show at the Changing Room Gallery, Lloyd Park, from August 31 to September 6. And as part of the E17 Art Trail at the Rose & Crown pub from September 5 to 13.