Sadly the council’s decision to push ahead with procuring yet another developer for the Arcade site doesn’t surprise me. We’ve been here twice before.
Having read your article and the council papers from the meeting, the decision appears to be largely motivated by fear that potential ‘interest’ from a hotel and cinema chain would be lost if we don’t do something “now”, and that by waiting four or so years for the recession to have bottomed out could mean that the development may no longer “viable”.
The flaws in this reasoning appear to be obvious to the majority of all parties and Walthamstow's residents, but sadly not to our council leaders. “Now” is a long time in local planning – seven years, six or so million pounds and two developers since the original demolition of the Arcade Site should have taught us this.
As opposed to smaller one to three screen cinemas, the amount of multiplexes being opened each year has declined over recent years, even before the crunch, so who can guarantee their “interested” party will still be here in three or so years time when the building is complete.
And with a lack of entertainment and nightime economy in central Wathamstow, how profitable can a hotel really be?
Consequently, has the council’s whole “Frankenstein” of a building ever been really “viable” – being a monster made from increasingly desperate ideas for a swimming pool, cinema, hotel, gym, retail space, restaurants and of course housing?
If built, the Arcade development will more than likely stand as a monument to the bad town planning of the early twenty-first century, created by a council with no clear vision for what central Walthamstow really needs.
Paul Lindt,
Grosvenor Park Road, Walthamstow
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here