Discover Redbridge

Enterprising and educated Temporary contemporary art Nothing Is Set In Stone – but Redbridge is rich in culture and leisure facilities All change at Ilford London’s next big opportunity Crossrail connections Four Redbridge stations – and on track for even better connectivity

DISCOVER Redbridge

4 — DISCOVER Redbridge

— Summer 2013 —

No.

01

We invest every penny back into our neighbourhoods.

Whether you want to rent somewhere, buy your own home or a combination of both, at L&Q we have something for everyone.

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4 — DISCOVER Redbridge

24 — Projects Developments under way and what is being planned – a round up of opportunities in Redbridge

Discover Redbridge — Executive editor Siobhán Crozier Head of design Rachael Schofield Art direction Katrin Smejkal Contributing editors Lucy Purdy, Sarah Herbert Production assistant Joe Davies Head of business development Paul Gussar Business development manager Shelley Cook Office manager Sue Mapara Subscriptions manager Simon Maxwell Managing director Toby Fox

Contents

32 — Enterprise In the post-Olympic glow, this east London borough is the location of choice for ambitious entrepreneurs 36 — Culture and leisure Well preserved mansions, great open spaces, Olympic sporting facilities and intriguing art installations

Cover Image Nothing is set in Stone

by Mira Calix Images Love Productions, Sebastian Kite, Crossrail, Redbridge Cycling Centre, David Bingham, Redbridge Council, TUCA, Jawad Zakariya, Meyer Bergman, James Burns JBrawimages.com, Ilford BID, Barnardo’s, Rockworks Climbing Walls, Wendy and Martin Leech, Mark Fuller, Morgan Sindall

40 — Connectivity With 10 Central line tube stations, Redbridge is well connected – and now four Crossrail stations are in the pipeline 43 — Education and skills Employers recruit Redbridge pupils and graduates for their high levels of achievement and skills for work

Printed by Bishops Printers Published by 3Fox International 375 Kennington Lane London SE11 5QY 020 7978 6840 3foxinternational.com Redbridge Council Town Hall, High Road, Ilford, Essex IG1 1DD redbridge.gov.uk investilford.co.uk Subscriptions and feedback discoverredbridge.com © 3Fox International Limited 2013.

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30 — Planning certainty Developers want quick decisions and a streamlined planning process – and Redbridge leads the way

N 6, 7 — News in brief 5 — News Updates from this east London borough’s regeneration projects

M 11, 20 — Market facts

9 — Quality of life Introducing Redbridge to potential investors – we look at what attracts residents and businesses to locate here 15 — Ilford Pioneer Point’s tall towers signal the renaissance of Ilford – we find out what’s happening on the ground 22 — Map What’s going up – and where

FSC logo Contents — 3

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NEWS

Redbridge’s Olympic legacy – and next – the Tour de France A £5 million cycling centre hosted London 2012 athletes as a Games-time training venue for cyclists. Redbridge Cycling Centre at Hog Hill, near Hainault Forest Country Park, was funded by the London Development Agency to replace the former Eastway facilities that were redeveloped for the Olympic Park.

The centre has both road and off-road, purpose-built tracks and hosts national and international events as well as providing a fantastic venue for local cyclists. It was hailed as the first piece of physical sporting legacy from the 2012 Games when it opened in 2008.

And in 2014, the third stage of the Tour de France will take a route through Redbridge, Waltham Forest and Newham, passing through the Olympic Park and down into Westminster, finishing at The Mall.

— Above Redbridge became the first borough to benefit from the London 2012 Games legacy with its state-ofthe-art cycling facility.

News — 5

N News in brief

Sculpture makes rock music

Lights, camera, action

Dog walkers and golfers enjoying the calming expanses of Fairlop Waters Country Park had a unique audio experience last summer when they heard music coming from a pile of rocks.

The sculpture Nothing Is Set In Stone was formed from the striped rock Angel Stone and devised by award-winning artist and composer Mira Calix along with mineralogists from the Natural History Museum.

It was part of a programme of free events commissioned by London mayor Boris Johnson called Secrets: Hidden London.

He called Fairlop Waters a “hidden gem”.

From bustling streets to manicured gardens, scenic spots in Redbridge are being snapped up as filming locations for hit TV shows.

Properties and open spaces in the borough have been selected by exacting location managers to film the likes of The Great British Bake Off, The Apprentice, The Charles Dickens Show and The Only Way is Essex.

Melissa Brown, from Love Productions, who filmed the second series of the hit baking show at Valentines Mansion in Ilford, said it had been the “perfect place”.

Redbridge leads on CIL

Architects serve up hotel

Developers can look forward to a fixed scale of community contribution in Redbridge after it became the first London borough to adopt the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL).

Redbridge was selected as one of eight CIL front-runners and was first in the country to implement the new system. The CIL was introduced in 2010 as a fund-raising mechanism. Redbridge applies CIL at a flat rate of £70 per sq m, the same rate applying to all types of development. This compares to proposed rates of £120 per sq m in Croydon and up to £575 in Nine Elms.

Redbridge is also affordable when it comes to the Mayoral CIL – introduced in April to help fund Crossrail. Developments in the borough will be charged £35 per sq m.

A former landmark of Ilford town centre is set to become a new icon. Agenda 21 Architects Studio, designer of Ilford’s Gurdwara Karamsar, is developing designs for the 1959-built, former Harrison and Gibson department store in Ilford High Road.

Planning consent was granted in May 2012 for a mixed-use scheme, with two floors of retail space, 234 units for a hotel and serviced apartments, a rooftop restaurant and a banqueting hall with sweeping views towards the City and east London. Estimated completion is in 2014.

Architect Narinder Assi said: “The design of the upper volume over the panoramic restaurant terrace is clad as a golden box and will be visible from miles around, signalling the return of a key building to Ilford.”

6 — DISCOVER Redbridge

Library undergoes major facelift iPads and a digital projection wall are two of the hi-tech features on offer at the refurbished Redbridge Central Library. The building underwent a sixmonth, £1 million overhaul in 2012 to incorporate current technology.

Hundreds of new titles were added and a raft of energyefficient measures implemented.

School shortlisted for design prize The Isaac Newton Academy, which welcomed its first 180 students in September 2012, was shortlisted for the prestigious New London Awards for architecture. The £30 million academy in Ilford, designed

by Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios, was one of the last to be built under the Building Schools for the Future programme.

The academy plans to open a 630-place primary school nearby in September 2014.

N News in brief

Crossrail edges closer The £16 billion Crossrail project, which will run through the heart of Redbridge, is set to bring significant growth to the Redbridge Crossrail Corridor. The new route will greatly reduce journey times to central London.

Crossrail will link Berkshire and Buckinghamshire to Essex and Kent via Greater London and is expected to open during 2018 and 2019.

Ten-car trains will run at frequencies of up to 24 trains per hour in each direction through the central tunnel section.

Mike Taylor, GVA’s director for planning, development and regeneration, and author of the Crossrail Property Impact Study, said: “Crossrail will be an important catalyst for change in the corridor east of Ilford based around high quality, mixed-use intensification of town centres along the route and the opening up of new residential and economic development opportunities, focused on the areas around each Crossrail station.

“Redbridge Council’s Crossrail Corridor Area Action Plan establishes the basis for the borough to capitalise on the new rail line, guiding the location, scale and form of new developments,” added Taylor.

Seven Kings, Goodmayes and Chadwell Heath stations will undergo improvement works, while Ilford station will also be fully revamped, and provide connections to Canary Wharf in 19 minutes, 25 to Bond Street and 51 to Heathrow.

Redbridge opportunities at City Hall Sitematch event Investors learned of the regeneration sites available for development in Redbridge, at a packed event in City Hall on 5 March.

Sitematch, organised by Discover Redbridge publisher, 3Fox International, brought together 35 councils, other public sector landowners and the Greater London Authority with 75 developers and 55 property advisers.

Opening the event, Tony Pidgley, chairman of housebuilder Berkeley Group, said: “The key to addressing the growing housing crisis in London is collaboration between public and private sectors and this event helps encourage that dialogue.”

3Fox International managing director Toby Fox said: “Private sector attendees value the opportunity the event gives them to meet all these bodies at the same time, in one room, face-to-face, to discuss some of the UK’s most valuable development opportunities.”

High home ownership Over 75% of Redbridge’s housing stock is in owner occupation – among London’s highest.

Neighbourhoods which developed around the Great Eastern main line and the Central line brought affluent ‘type F’, financially stable consumers to Redbridge, according to Experian Mosaic research.

Web information for investors Potential investors can view Ilford’s opportunities on Redbridge Council’s award-winning investilford.co.uk website. The site triumphed at the 2010 Local Government IT Excellence Awards. It features interactive 3D animation with a virtual fly-through of the town centre, alongside planning briefs for development sites.

Pupils lead university success At the end of year 11, 96% of Redbridge students chose to continue their studies in education and work-based learning in 2010 – significantly higher than the national average. It comes as no surprise then that only 3.6% of 16 to 18-year-olds are classed as being Neet – not in education, employment or training – beating the target set by the government.

News — 7

We’re lighting up the London skyline EPGI is proud to introduce Pioneer Point, a stunning new landmark residential and commercial development located in the heart of Ilford, London.

We would like to thank our partners in success: Helaba (Landesbank HessenThüringen) for the successful joint restructuring of the project finance, EPGI’s sister company London and Regent Construction, Redbridge Council, and the people of Ilford.

Without your support and enthusiasm Pioneer Point could not have been built.

In every sense, you have helped us touch the sky.

The Management Team, EPGI

Empire Property Group International (EPGI) is an innovative real estate development company with over 20 years of expertise in delivering design-led and world class residential, commercial and retail development projects across the United Kingdom, Europe, the United States and the Middle East.

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QUALITY OF LIFE

Place to be

By Fleur Chapman

— Continues overleaf —

Quality of life — 9

— Previous page Ilford’s thriving town centre.

— Left South Woodford, Wanstead and Woodford offer village living with excellent access to the West End. — Below Redbridge has 10 stations on the Central line.

East London is thriving and as the spotlight on Stratford fades, investors are casting a shrewd eye on the next major opportunity.

Just to the east of Newham, Redbridge is packed with possibilities: a wide range of housing options, pretty villages, culture, nightlife and great outdoor space. Excellent transport and education help make it an attractive choice. Fleur Chapman reports

For some, it’s a green haven, just minutes away from the hustle and buzz of the City.

For others, an on-trend, dynamic business hub, ideal for growing small businesses.

Parks, open spaces or wild forest make up a third of Redbridge – hence its designation as ‘the leafy borough’. At the same time, the Gants Hill area has just been awarded the coveted Purple Flag status, for its high quality, vibrant nightlife.

From aspirational, family-friendly villages in the north to the retail-oriented south, with Ilford at its epicentre, Redbridge has wide appeal and a diverse housing market.

Add to this super-fast, easy connectivity to the West End and international airports, a buoyant housing market, excellent schools,

10 — DISCOVER Redbridge

and a low crime rate – Redbridge is a great place to live or invest in.

Entrepreneur Naila Khan, who owns several businesses across London, saw the potential of the area and opened Inner Beauty, a women-only gym in Gants Hill.

“I had options for other areas,” she says, “but after doing a lot of research I chose Gants Hill because I saw the potential – there was a niche in the market, plus I felt the attractions there needed to be recognised a little bit more.

“Even though these are challenging times, now we’re two years in, would I change my decision? Not at all. I enjoy the location and people enjoy coming here. We’re easy to reach, very close to the subway and bus station. We now have 400 members from every walk of life – corporate members from the City, housewives, students. They use the gym, relax in the spa, take dance classes.

We’ve had great feedback”.

The gym’s membership reflects the diverse but cohesive communities to be found throughout Redbridge. The ‘villages’ of Woodford, South Woodford and Wanstead are proving magnets to people looking for an alternative to more urban areas.

Local estate agent Philip Mount, senior manager at Churchill Estates, says: “These very desirable suburbs are managing to buck the national trend, staying buoyant with house prices remaining stable and in some cases pushing ahead of this time last year.

“Over the last few years the area has changed a little, with several luxury apartment

“After doing a lot of research, I chose Gants Hill because I saw the potential – there was a niche in the market”

M Redbridge Education In 2011/12 pupils ranked fifth in England and Wales for achieving at least five GCSE grades A*-C

developments being built,” he adds. “There are also many more bars and restaurants to feed the supply of new young professionals who’ve made this area their home, but it’s still very popular with families who see it as a quieter, safer and greener neighbourhood in which to raise their children, while remaining close enough to central London to enjoy the best of both worlds.”

Resident Helen Watson, an editor, agrees.

“South Woodford where I live is very well connected – my husband commutes to Soho – and it’s really safe for children. We moved here from Hackney with our two young boys, there’s plenty for kids to do. Epping Forest is just down the road, so we go for lots of walks.

They also enjoy helping me choose fruit and veg from our local shop Fiori’s, who then deliver it to our home. There are lovely shops here, as well as a great Art Deco cinema and intimate neighbourhood restaurants like the Italian Wood Oven, my favourite.

“The schools are excellent,” she adds.

“Actually it’s normal for schools round here to be very good – you don’t have to fight for places or move to the ‘right’ catchment area.

They are not only ambitious for good results but truly ambitious for the kids.

“Mine also enjoy some of the extra provision on offer from Redbridge Drama Quality of life — 11

Centre. Kids can take part in cutting edge drama, learn to operate TV cameras or train with trapeze artists,” says Watson.

“Redbridge Music Service provides tuition and runs several bands – my son’s in the wind band. They can learn from contemporary composers, like Chris Wilcox, and get to take part in concerts at prestigious venues like the Royal Albert Hall.”

The green and leafy image of the area is enhanced by investment into its 12 major parks and 40 ‘pocket parks’.

Cathy Pace of Vision, which delivers Redbridge’s leisure and cultural services, says there has been a multimillion cash injection into play and leisure.

“We’re proud of the quality and range of activities available here,” she says. “Five of our parks have won green flag status, and each has a special atmosphere, for example the 70-hectare Claybury Park, which has a carefully nurtured natural environment, including ancient woodland and grass meadows, home to many protected species.

There’s a woodland art trail as well as a wonderful outdoor gym.

“Valentines Park in Ilford is a classic Victorian park which has recently benefited from a £5 million investment into the park and mansion, where The Great British Bake-Off is filmed. The Queen made a special visit here as part of the Jubilee celebrations, walking in the walled garden.

“We’ve also invested £2 million into Fairlop Waters in the north of the borough,”

12 — DISCOVER Redbridge

Pace says. “It has an amazing history – it used to be a gravel quarry and was an aerodrome during the war, but now it’s a top attraction for nature lovers with bouldering and climbing, sailing, canoeing, windsurfing, fishing and golfing among the many activities on offer.

“There are also lovely country parks like Roding Valley Park, Wanstead Park and Hainault Forest Country Park, with great cycle routes,” Pace adds.

Throughout Redbridge there are also excellent sports facilities for tennis, cricket and football. But those in search of more cultural entertainment or high-octane fun are catered for too, with cinemas, including a multiplex in Ilford, the Kenneth More Theatre, and the famous Faces nightclub in Gants Hill.

Owner John Clark says, “We’ve been here 20 years, and it’s great that we seem to fulfil perceptions of a West End nightclub, but

— Left The Kenneth More Theatre hosts professional shows and amateur productions.

— Below Families and young professionals buy in South Woodford.

at local prices. It’s quite a stylish operation, and we look for stylish people. We get a lot of soap stars, footballers too – the Spurs and West Ham guys come in regularly – plus of course, The Only Way Is Essex crowd.

“They film TOWIE here quite regularly, we’ve also featured on Take Me Out as well as Soccer AM. We attract a pretty discerning crowd, hopefully it’s because we offer good value while keeping standards up. People travel far and wide to be here.”

Faces is at the centre of a thriving night-time scene in Gants Hill, well known also for its restaurants, with a strong showing of respected Indian eateries.

Clark adds: “There are nice bars a few doors down from us, and several wellestablished eateries – the food must be really good to keep people coming back over the years. There are American diners, a Thai – Elephant Royale, a Greek – Apollonia – and Enzo’s Pizzeria.”

It’s not only the quality of entertainment that has made Gants Hill part of the small and elite group of town centres to win a Purple Flag award. Residents, businesses, the police, the council and TfL have worked closely together to improve the streetscape and visitors’ experience, delivering improved safety and crime reduction through initiatives like taxi marshalls and car park patrols.

One of the key factors in attracting visitors and customers from outside the area is its great connectivity. With Crossrail on the way, the Central line providing easy tube access to the West End, fast rail access to Stratford and Liverpool Street and good links to international airports at London Stansted

“We seem to fulfil perceptions of a West End nightclub, but at local prices” and London City, as well as the North Circular, M11 and M25, getting to and from Redbridge couldn’t be simpler.

Ilford’s profile is rising sharply, with the iconic development Pioneer Point carving out a new skyline. This development includes 300 stunning residential apartments, combined with commercial and retail space, adding to a forward-looking new image for the area, which has already seen an £80 million acquisition of its shopping centre. This rapid growth adds to a solid base with employers as diverse as transport leaders Bombardier, the Tunnelling and Underground Construction Academy, BT and children’s charity Barnado’s making Redbridge their home.

The statistics back up this success: in 2010 Redbridge was a Top 10 performer for capital growth in London, while in August last year, it saw the highest monthly increase in values for any London borough. As David Morrison of the inward investment unit comments: “It’s a place of choice, for families and business.”

— Above Claybury Woods and Park – natural grass meadows and ancient woodlands.

Quality of life — 13

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ILFORD

Let the change begin

By Noella Pio Kivlehan

— Continues overleaf —

Ilford — 15

The Olympic legacy has contributed to central London’s eastward shift. With fresh opportunities for investment and the advent of Crossrail, the east London borough of Redbridge is seeing regeneration on a large scale and nowhere more so than in the thriving town centre of Ilford. Estates Gazette’s markets editor Noella Pio Kivlehan reports

In the last 10 years, east London has undergone one of the biggest transformations in the capital’s history, with the redevelopment of Stratford for the London 2012 Olympics. This colossal project saw construction of the Olympic Park and the opening of Europe’s largest urban shopping centre, Westfield Stratford City.

Post-Games, the Olympic legacy starts in earnest to ensure Newham’s regeneration endures. But, now it is the turn of another east London borough to create fresh opportunities for investors and its own legacy for residents and employers.

Just a nine-minute journey by train from Stratford is Ilford – in the London borough of Redbridge – which has been identified in the London Plan as an opportunity area with huge scope for growth across 20 development sites.

At the heart of the borough – birthplace of singing sensation Jessie J, who featured prominently in the Olympics closing ceremony – is Ilford. With a population of almost 54,000 according to 2011 Census figures, Ilford is larger than cities such as Canterbury.

16 — DISCOVER Redbridge

This culturally diverse and entrepreneurial town has a large minority ethnic community and is just an 18-minute train journey from the City.

“The Olympics gave us a massive opportunity and Ilford Business Improvement District [BID] recognised this almost immediately upon our ballot success in 2009,” says Marc Myers, BID chairman and general manager of The Exchange shopping centre.

“Together with Redbridge Council, we delivered the programme of activity during this period. The fact that [the Olympics] were happening so close to our business centre was a real driver to spur us on. The jobs created in Stratford are filled by east Londoners. Many of these live and shop in Redbridge and in Ilford, so the extra money in the local economy will be spent in our town,” adds Myers.

While it is true the Olympics was a catalyst, regeneration was already under way in Redbridge. It was the first London borough to adopt the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) and the first to adopt and review its Local Development Framework.

Given its strategic location, it is clear that connectivity will be the key to success for the borough’s growth. Journey times to central London are cited as a key strength and the area already has good transport links.

But the development of Crossrail – the £15 billion plus, east to west trainline due for completion in 2019 – will benefit Redbridge significantly (see panel on page 19).

Ilford Station is to undergo investment of £6 million. Crossrail stations in Redbridge:

— Previous page The London Plan has identified Ilford as an opportunity area.

— Below The recently revitalised Exchange shopping centre.

— Ilford Depot

Seven Kings, Goodmayes, Ilford and Chadwell Heath, will be upgraded and extended.

Added to this will be new development around all four stations as set out in the Crossrail Corridor Area Action Plan.

The £12.5 million Tunnelling and Underground Construction Academy (TUCA) opened in October 2011, while Ilford Depot, home to Abellio and Bombardier, is planned for investment of £42 million (see panel).

The improvements are predicted to deliver major benefits for the area.

However, Myers warns: “[While] the improved transport will make Ilford more accessible to attract businesses into the town, we must not be naive and forget that improved transport can as easily take people away from a town.”

Improvement to public realm, along with new retail, residential and leisure schemes, are significant for Redbridge.

Ian Rae of the council’s planning policy team, says: “The council has identified areas for public realm improvement, particularly around future Crossrail stations at Ilford, Seven Kings and Chadwell Heath.

— Above Ilford’s close proximity to London will be enhanced with the arrival of Crossrail.

Ilford Depot, on the eastern edge of the town centre, has two of the rail industry’s largest employers currently based at the 14-ha site.

The depot provides train stabling and maintenance facilities for the Greater Anglia rail franchise, currently held by Dutch operator Abellio. It also provides heavy duty maintenance facilities for train servicing and refurbishment, operated

by Bombardier Transportation.

Planned works at Ilford Depot are part of a £42 million investment package to provide new and refurbished facilities for Crossrail.

“Ilford Depot is essential to the delivery of Crossrail,” says Ross Whear, a planning officer with the council. “Improved connectivity is an important catalyst and is pivotal to promoting investment and regeneration, by helping to release the numerous development opportunities in anticipation of further improvements to the area’s accessibility and by increasing land values around the stations.”

Ilford — 17

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Our development and regeneration programme is focused on building high quality affordable homes, from small developments of a handful of homes, to large developments of hundreds of homes.

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Grove Farm, Redbridge

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— Crossrail The £16 billion high-speed rail link will connect Berkshire and Buckinghamshire, via Greater London to Essex and Kent. Construction started on Europe’s largest civil engineering project in 2009 and is due to complete in 2019.

Redbridge Council is working with Crossrail, Transport for London and Barking and Dagenham Council on an Urban Integration Study for the area around Chadwell Heath station.

According to Ross Whear of Redbridge’s planning and regeneration service: “The study explores opportunities for public realm and junction improvements in the Chadwell Heath area, devising a package of measures to be undertaken in advance of the arrival of Crossrail services in Redbridge in 2019.”

Crossrail isn’t just delivering a new railway, says Whear: “It is also looking at opportunities to improve accessibility, safety and quality of the areas beyond each Crossrail station and assisting in the potential to secure funding.”

“[We are] working in partnership with stakeholders to deliver improvements that can unlock development opportunities around the stations; improve pedestrian flows, station access and create public transport hubs; boost local businesses and raise the economic profile of town centres; and increase the supply of open space.”

Retail has improved, particularly in Ilford, with £10 million spent by owners Meyer Bergman on modernising The Exchange. As a result, and despite having Europe’s largest urban shopping centre on its doorstep, footfall at the 20-year-old centre, is up two per cent since Westfield opened last year, while footfall overall in the town is still growing.

Myers admits that the unknown impact of Westfield prompted Ilford’s retailers to be cautious in investing in their businesses.

He says: “Realistically with Stratford City on the horizon for many years, it is understandable that retailers and businesses alike have been cautious about investing in our town.

“The deflection of business needs to be measured, and the first year is positive with footfall in the town still growing year-on-year.”

Ilford’s diverse demographic, particularly what Myers describes as “a prosperous Asian community who are loyal to their own town”, is reason enough for developers and businesses to view the town positively.

Pioneer Point in Winston Way, the iconic twin 25 and 33-storey, mixed-use development, is the visual symbol of the regeneration of Ilford.

— Below Public realm improvements to Cranbrook Road, part of the Ilford Station Crossrail upgrade.

Ilford — 19

— Below Ilford’s changing skyline, Pioneer Point’s residential towers.

Despite Pioneer Point Ltd – formerly Empire (SPV) Ltd – going into administration in March 2012, before the development was completed, the joint administrators to the company worked with project stakeholders to secure completion of the 294-apartment towers and commercial units.

Trevor O’Sullivan, joint administrator to Pioneer Point Ltd, said: “Both residential towers are now complete and are already making a positive contribution to Ilford’s economy and the wider regeneration of the town centre. The north residential tower is fully operational, with Go Native providing high quality, flexible let accommodation.

EasyGym is due to begin trading from one of the commercial units in spring, with JRC Global Buffet due to open later this year.

These operators mark a fantastic addition to the development, and both will complement existing retail and leisure offerings in Ilford.”

With all the changes and developments planned in Redbridge, and in particular Ilford, it seems that restaurateurs, as well as other businesses and investors, will soon be flocking to the area as the momentum of all that has gone, and is to come, pushes forward.

M Redbridge Facts & Figures Ilford is 19 minutes by train from the City and less than 10 minutes drive to Westfield Stratford City CBRE estimate average office rents in Ilford to be £18 per sq ft – compared to Jones Lang LaSalle figures of £55 per sq ft in the City, and £95 in the West End Ilford: more than 20 opportunity sites to deliver 4,500 new homes in the area

20 — DISCOVER Redbridge

Repton Gate Roding Lane North, Woodford Green, IG8 8ND

Bellway investing in Redbridge An exclusive development of just 32 elegant 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5 bedroom homes.

Bellway have recently submitted an application to transform a redundant commercial site into a traditional housing development and a new parkland.

The site is close to local amenities which provides good bus routes and close to Woodford underground station providing services into London on the Central line.

To register your interest

0845 257 9244 or log on to: www.bellway.co.uk

please call:

Major Projects Redbridge is rich in development opportunities, with investors being quick to spot its potential

South Woodford

A1

Snaresbrook

Project key

Opportunity sites: Gants Hill

4

Chadwell Heath urban integration study

5

Better Barkingside

6

Pioneer Point

7

Britannia Music Site

Leyton

06

3

Leytonstone High Road

A1

Gants Hill public realm

06

2

A4

TUCA

Leytonstone

A114

1

Redbridge

Wanstead Leyton Midland Road

Wanstead Park Forest Gate

Manor Park

Woodgrange Park

Stratford International Maryland

Pudding Mill Lane

B167

Olympic Park

Stratford

Eas Ha

Stratford High Street

Upton Park

Plaistow Abbey Road

West Ham Bromley-by-Bow

22 — DISCOVER Redbridge

A1

12

A1

Fairlop Fairlop

0 40 0 A1140

55

22

A1 A1 22

Newbury Newbury Park Park

33

8 11181 AA

Gants Gants Hill Hill

44 Seven Seven Kings Kings

A12233 A1 Ilford Ilford

Goodmayes Goodmayes

Chadwell Chadwell Heath Heath

66 77

A111122 A11

11

24 A214 A1

A1240 A1240

3 A11223 A

East st Ham am

Barkingside Barkingside

858 1151 A1A Becontree Becontree Barking Barking

Upney Upney

Dagenham Dagenham Heathway Heathway

4 A 12142 1313 AA

Dagenham Dagenham Dock Dock

Projects — 23

TUCA — Project 1 A ten-minute walk from Ilford station, the Tunnelling and Underground Construction Academy (TUCA) is a purpose-built facility, which provides training in the key skills for work in tunnel excavation, underground construction and infrastructure.

The academy will address the shortage of people with the necessary skills to work not only on Crossrail, but also on the unprecedented amount of tunnelling and underground construction work taking place in the capital over the next decade: the Thames Tideway Tunnel, National Grid and EDF electricity cable tunnels. And, in the long term, Crossrail 2 and High Speed 2.

Opened in autumn 2011, the academy will train at least 3,500 people by 2015, by replicating the tunnelling environment and to enable training on key pieces of equipment as would be used in a tunnel. It will also act as the London centre for the National Skills Academy for Railway Engineering (NSARE).

TUCA’s ultimate aim is to become an independent, not-for-profit organisation and a long-term provider of tunnelling and underground construction skills.

Crossrail is investing up to £7.5 million, £5 million is coming from the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills via the Skills Funding Agency, with further sponsorship being provided by industry.

— TUCA trainees will prepare for jobs in tunnel construction, working in conditions to simulate the live experience in industry.

24 — DISCOVER Redbridge

Projects — 25

Gants Hill public realm — Project 2

Redevelopment in Gants Hill – one of five town centres in Redbridge – had failed to keep pace with the rest of the borough, despite its excellent transport facilities and growing evening economy.

Challenges included a limited retail offer and a high vacancy rate, a busy roundabout at its centre, with five arms of heavy traffic (including the A12), forcing pedestrians to use a poorly lit subway system.

Local concern led to the formation of a task force, which worked with the council to agree an action plan in 2009, identifying three major policy requirements: at least 800 new homes; traffic calming and public realm improvements; and expanded retailing, particularly a new supermarket.

Public realm improvements were agreed, as in 2005 Gants Hill had been selected as one of the Mayor of London’s 100 Public Spaces.

A £7.5 million enhancement scheme was 26 — DISCOVER Redbridge

implemented in three phases between April 2008 and October 2010.

The scheme – through excellent partnering arrangements between Transport for London (TfL), the council, the two highways authorities and the contractors – installed traffic signals and pedestrian crossings on five arms of the junction and resurfaced the roundabout with a highfriction, anti-skid surface.

Contemporary street benches and bins are in place and clutter reduced. Improved street lighting and spill-out areas for cafes and restaurants will help improve the evening economy. Barriers were removed from the central reservation of the A12 and Woodford Avenue, and cycling facilities improved with better parking for bikes, and shared footway use. Four residential-led developments have since been completed, with 527 new homes all fully occupied.

— Above Gants Hill Station offers excellent transport links for opportunity sites in this area of Redbridge.

opportunity sites: Gants Hill — Project 3

— Below Gants Hill was selected as one of the Mayor of London’s 100 Public Spaces and has undergone a multimillion-pound enhancement since 2008.

Five Gants Hill sites remain available. The sites – of between 0.16 and 0.41 hectares – have potential for around 300 apartments and a supermarket, as well as other commercial, leisure and amenity space. Retail vacancies in this lively town centre run at only 3.1%, according to a recent survey. Proposals for mixed-use development will be considered, as will taller buildings on most sites.

Gants Hill has a 24,800-strong population, excellent transport on the A12 and a Central line station (used by 45,000 people a week), a burgeoning leisure and evening economy, the rejuvenated Valentines Park and Mansion, and an enviable reputation for its local schools.

Chadwell Heath Urban Integration Study — Project 4

Crossrail coming to Chadwell Heath provides the opportunity to develop a strategy for the area between Ilford and Romford. An urban integration study by Crossrail, Transport for London (TfL) and the two boroughs straddled

by Chadwell Heath – Redbridge, and Barking and Dagenham – devises public realm and junction improvements to be undertaken in advance of Crossrail in 2019.

The study clearly showed that there was considerable room for improvement in the area in terms of connectivity between the station and the high road, crossing facilities outside the station, pedestrian areas and traffic congestion.

Following a design review and endorsement by TfL, objectives are to improve connectivity and legibility between the high road, the station and the area to the south; enhance the transport interchange at the station, with better drop-off facilities, cycle parking and a new crossing; and improve the pedestrian realm by reducing street clutter, increasing pavement widths, relocating the bus stops and adding new street trees and lighting.

The station was recently upgraded with step-free access under Network Rail’s ‘Access for All’ programme. Works including platform extensions and environmental improvements will take place as part of Crossrail.

Projects — 27

Better Barkingside — Project 5

Barkingside, a GLA project, will see the area around the leisure centre redesigned to create a new town square for events, cultural activities, markets and celebrations.

The space around the nearby library will be opened up and better links created with the high street. Improved lighting, street furniture, planting, signage and parking will complement the new square, along with an events programme, and potentially, a water feature, public art and a refreshment pavilion.

The plans strengthen the link between the high street and Fairlop Waters, now being developed as a country park, via marketing, new signage and a cycle hire scheme.

The project will cost about £2.2 million, including £200,000 from Redbridge Council.

Estimated completion is February 2014.

Pioneer Point — Project 6

— Below The former Britannia Music site is now poised to be transformed, following the council’s decision on a revised application.

Twin glass towers now dominate the skyline of Ilford in the shape of the Pioneer Point development. The towers – one of 105m and the other 82m – contain 294 apartments and are clad in 17,200sq m of glass.

A four-storey glazed podium contains about 7,200sq m of commercial space.

The internal fit-out was completed at the end of October 2012. Apartments in the 33-storey north building are operated by Go Native, providing flexible, serviced lets.

All residents of the one and two-bedroom apartments will have spectacular views of the London skyline, the City, Canary Wharf and Queen Elizabeth Park. They also enjoy the benefits of a dedicated concierge service throughout the week.

Britannia Music site — Project 7

A 23-storey tower containing 354 apartments should come to Ilford town centre after a revised scheme was passed by Redbridge Council earlier this year, subject to a S106 agreement. The Durkan Estates scheme – which will include homes and commercial space set around a new courtyard – was one of 105 schemes shortlisted for a share of the £570 million Get Britain Building fund. The former Britannia Music offices will also feature semi-private courtyards.

28 — DISCOVER Redbridge

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Planning Certainty

Plan of action

By David Gray

Redbridge’s approach to planning is at the forefront of UK local government practice. At its heart is the principle that planning requirements should never be a hindrance to appropriate development and investment. David Gray discovers why this adds up to a tempting offer in the competitive London market For regeneration to happen, planning has to help investment rather than hinder it.

Redbridge Council is leading the way in reducing risk and encouraging growth by being London’s first local authority to adopt its local development framework. It was also the first London council to implement the community infrastructure levy (CIL) on new development (in January 2013). Within London, 14 boroughs had submitted draft charging schedules for CIL by September 2012, but only Redbridge and Wandsworth had actually adopted the new levy.

Changes in planning procedures are not straightforward and the new CIL took a lot of effort. Ian Rae, from planning policy at Redbridge Council, oversaw much of the process. He says: “Many people from across the council pulled together to make CIL work.

New systems had to be established, software upgraded and people trained. We also ran seminars for private sector developers and agents so that everyone understood their role. All this effort is now paying off.”

Setting the right rate for the levy was also important, especially when economic conditions are depressed. Redbridge set its CIL at £70 per square metre of net additional floorspace, with exemptions for affordable 30 — DISCOVER Redbridge

housing and charitable development.

“We opted for a modest charge so as to ensure economic development and growth, while not killing the goose that lays the golden egg”, says Mark Lucas, the council’s chief planning and regeneration officer. “As a result nobody objected to the level of charge and the new system is working smoothly with acceptance from most developers.”

Redbridge expects the CIL to raise much more than the previous Section 106 agreements – up to £5 million a year – because it is a predictable charge and common to each proposed development.

As Lucas says: “Planning applications can be determined more quickly, which is good news for all concerned.”

The council has been leading the way in CIL implementation, too, with its CIL implementation manual being used to guide other local authorities around the country.

— Below Ilford and the A406: the borough’s progressive and transparent planning policies offer developers a straightforward and efficient system.

Presenting Ilford in the virtual world Case 1 - Ilford Blueprint an award winning online investment

Case 2 - Crossrail presented through collaboration

Case 3 - Virtual Viewing pushing partnership boundaries

When they wanted to put Ilford on the map, LB Redbridge Investment Team went looking for something special.

They found a UK-based company leading Europe in the production of city models, including a tour-de-force for Bratislava.

Virtual place-modelling is an unrivalled partnership tool. The usual approach, for stakeholders to commission separate models, has given way in Ilford to an altogether more strategic view: one model – many partners – many buildings – one set of costs. Developers offered their models to the centre-wide project, in return for using the overall model in their own marketing.

Virtual Viewing was privileged enough to be part of LB Redbridge’s campaign to put Ilford on the international investors map and with innovations such as our 360-degree immersive application for iPad, we have helped them to kick-start its transformation.

Virtual Viewing’s approach was a creative amalgam of computer gaming, product modelling, place-making and place-marketing. After competitive procurement, the first products – branding advice, web design, urban design reviews; virtual city model, flythrough and interactive exploration - were produced. Ilford Blueprint had arrived just 10 weeks from commission.

Later stages refined the presentation and LB Redbridge were delighted to win the 2010 SOLACE/SocITM national awards and be shortlisted for others.

The team has been encouraged by the quality of investment enquiries so far.

Ilford Blueprint is delivering!

Visit http://www.investilford.co.uk Call us on 020 8708 2528/2238 Email us at invest@redbridge.gov.uk

Crossrail, Europe’s biggest infrastructure project, represents a key partner. The initial Blueprint had views of the route, new rolling stock, approaches to the centre and the new station. To these, we have now added the new Tunnelling Academy and the nearby planned Depot and Maintenance Facilities.

Without the model and flythrough, the public would struggle to grasp the scale of Crossrail, and investors wouldn’t see how dramatically development opportunities in Ilford will expand.

Another success for modelling!

Online Crossrail Depot animation coming soon...

Every day we are looking for the new connections which different sectors can bring. We are currently active in; Engineering, including Formula1 (The triple world champions no less!)

Architecture Construction Energy Insurance Economic Development Resilience and counter terrorism City promotion and inward investment

No prizes for spotting that you could easily have a dozen different models for the same place. Virtual Viewing aims to bring all of these together into a single virtual world that can be viewed from any perspective.

See Virtual Viewing at http://www.youtube.com/EnterpriseLane and let’s talk...

ENTERPRISE

Ready to go

By Lucy Purdy

32 — DISCOVER Redbridge

Basking in the new east London Olympic glow, offering brilliant talent and transport links, and with plenty of public and private projects on the blocks, Redbridge is ripe and ready for regeneration, helped by its council’s clear, transparent and progressive planning policies. Lucy Purdy reports

— Left Pioneer Point, the 25 and 33-storey development in Ilford, by Empire Property Group.

— Below Olympic screenings at Ilford town centre were organised

by Ilford Business Improvement District.

Six centuries ago, the only recorded industry in Redbridge was the tannery at the northern end of Cranbrook. It wasn’t until 1840 that Redbridge began to change. The dawn of its light industry came with the arrival of Ilford Limited, Plessey and Hughes in the early 20th century and growth continued apace.

That has accelerated, with 17% taking place over the last decade alone. Redbridge is particularly strong in the professional, scientific and technical services industries, as well as transport and communications, and is set to benefit from a new focus on the knowledge economy and service industries, not to mention more than £60 million direct investment from Crossrail.

A major factor in in the borough’s growth, and a recurring theme in regeneration and development circles, is its reputation as a progressive planning authority.

Hayden Chittell, chairman of Empire Property Group (EPG), which developed the 33-storey Pioneer Point, has enjoyed an

“excellent working relationship” with the local authority over the past 10 years.

“The council has clear and wellestablished planning policies which provide the development industry with a high degree of certainty, which is not the case elsewhere in London,” he says.

“EPG has made a significant investment in Redbridge through the development of an iconic building which announces Ilford as a location for future growth.”

Chittell also praises the council’s inward investment unit, as an “effective and efficient interface for all council services”, which he believes gives developers the confidence to invest in Redbridge.

Central to the borough’s investment strategy, the unit provides a single point of contact at the council for major developers and investors, as well as the award-winning website investilford.co.uk, featuring a 3D, animated fly-through of the town centre.

The Local Development Framework – which Redbridge was one of the first boroughs to adopt – directs new growth to its town centres and the borough’s many transport nodes. It includes a series of area action plans for the Crossrail corridor, Gants Hill and Ilford, where around 50% of planned housing growth will be focused. It was also the first local authority in London to implement its community infrastructure levy, which is set at a modest rate of £70 per square metre.

Underscoring all of this are the borough’s many advantages. As Chittell says: “Redbridge has excellent transport infrastructure, which will be greatly improved by the arrival of Crossrail. Its schools are among the best in the country; an increasingly important factor in deciding where to locate high value businesses.”

It is also reaping the legacy benefit of the Olympic Games. The rebranding of Stratford has helped to generate new investor confidence in east London, previously seen as a relatively untested market.

Ilford – London’s eighth largest town centre based on retail floor space, and just Enterprise — 33

nine minutes by train from Stratford and 18 from Liverpool Street – is very much part of the new east London: accessible and flourishing yet still affordable.

Redbridge is also a member of the London-Stansted-Corridor Consortium, a private sector-led partnership bringing together business representatives and local authorities along the M11/Lee Valley corridor to encourage economic development there.

Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) are also helping boost the area. Ben Collins, manager of the Ilford BID established in 2009, says: “Ilford holds many attractions: from footfall and diversity to the quality of services and excellent road and rail connections.”

The Hainault Business Park BID (HBP) was established in 2006, and has been retained by voting traders. This dynamic business cluster represents the second largest employer within Redbridge and is now designated a major manufacturing area in the London Plan.

Chris Wyles – HBP chairman since 2003 – and BID manager Jim Ridley have worked on improvements to reduce crime, regenerate the park and help bring it to 21st century standards, as well as promote inter-company trading, with breakfast networking events proving particularly popular. Its board of directors includes local authority officers and the Metropolitan Police.

Wyles says: “Outside a business improvement district, businesses are on their own. If there is a problem, they have to deal with it themselves and they don’t always see a lot of return on their business rates.

But with the BID they can really see results.

“We have always had a very good relationship with the council and received a lot of help from them. They are always very helpful and proactive – much more so than other local authorities.”

Hills of Woodford has had a state-of-theart motor body shop on the park for several years and is one of many companies to carry out extensive work on their premises – testimony to their intention to stay put.

Jack Griffin of the nearby Select Butchery says: “We feel we can invest money and not

34 — DISCOVER Redbridge

worry about anything, as the park seems to be a great place and safe for us to trade from.”

Redbridge also has a growing evening economy, including a theatre, two cinemas, restaurants and bars, with Gants Hill – home to Faces nightclub, (well known to viewers of The Only Way Is Essex) – receiving the prestigious Purple Flag award in October 2012, in recognition of its safe managed and diverse nighttime economy. Judges were particularly impressed with the range of alcohol-free venues and partnership working between the police, council and businesses.

While South Woodford and Wanstead also have well-developed evening economies, there is considerable capacity for growth in Ilford. As the economy recovers, growth is expected in all of the borough’s main business sectors as well as in distribution, hotels and restaurants, helped by its skilled labour force and an abundance of young, talented people, which already makes Redbridge a popular destination for SMEs and start-ups. But it is also home to some global companies.

Aerospace and transportation firm Bombardier operates in more than 60 countries and has a major refurbishment facility for rail rolling stock in Ilford, while Barnado’s, the UK’s largest children’s charity, has its headquarters in Barkingside.

For those with their sights beyond industry, London City Airport promotes careers in Redbridge schools, and was represented at the annual Redbridge Job Fair in September 2012, alongside 40 other exhibitors including Debenhams, Sainsbury’s, Adecco and Virgin Active.

Looks like it’s Redbridge’s turn to fly high…

— Top South Woodford has a well developed evening economy.

— Above William Bond’s farm in Ley Street, Ilford, about 1895. The town has been completely transformed from its rural beginnings.

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CULTURE AND LEISURE

great outdoors

By Jessica Pickard

36 — DISCOVER Redbridge

Open spaces for adventure or relaxation, good housing, excellent transport links and successful schools – these are the things that draw new residents to an area.

Redbridge benefits from all of these, but that is far from the whole story about this surprising outer London borough, writes Jessica Pickard

Well over one third of the Redbridge map is green. With 2,500 hectares of parks and open space, it’s one of the greenest corners of the capital. A meandering cycle ride from the west to the east of the borough takes you from the ancient woodlands of Epping Forest, over Buckhurst Hill and along the River Roding, into the manicured perfection of Valentines Park, then north to watery Fairlop before heading to the woodland and rough pastures of Hainault Forest.

“Access to good quality open space is really important for quality of life,” says Jacqueline Eggleston, cultural development manager for Vision - Redbridge Culture and Leisure, the charitable trust which manages facilities in the borough.

“Research shows that outdoor space is high on the list of things that impact on people’s physical and mental wellbeing.

And there’s a longer-term economic benefit.

People settle down here.”

The borough’s investment in green space was rewarded last year when five of Redbridge’s parks received the coveted Green Flag award.

Historically Redbridge has attracted first time buyers and the borough is expecting a 13% increase in population by 2021.

Developers are keen to market the many attractions of the area. However there is also a drive to establish the borough as a ‘day out’

destination in its own right. With Stratford just nine minutes by train, Liverpool Street only 18 minutes away and the new Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park developing on its borders, the time seems right to let outsiders know what Redbridge has to offer.

For example, it’s a great place for sports enthusiasts. There are three golf courses, 22 cricket pitches and 10 free tennis courts.

The borough is a delight for cyclists with extensive traffic-free routes.

London 2012 provided the catalyst for investment in sports provision, including new badminton and netball facilities at Redbridge Sports and Leisure Centre. It was used by visiting Olympians and Paralympians, as was the Olympic-sized cycle track in Hainault.

The refurbished Fullwell Cross Leisure Centre has a 65-station gym, along with new studio facilities and a spa.

The lakes at Fairlop Waters offer a wide range of activities including canoeing, windsurfing, kayaking and angling for carp, bream and huge pike. Near the lake, ramblers will be surprised to stumble upon nine huge artificial boulders, some as big as bungalows, hidden away among the trees.

It’s the largest bouldering park in England with scores of graded routes and, like much else in Redbridge, it’s free.

Children’s interests are well served with 25 play areas, two skateboard parks plus beach volleyball courts and Parkour equipment. Adults can get fit at the parks’ outdoor gyms while younger family members enjoy nearby adventure playgrounds.

A recent radical overhaul of libraries has made them more child-friendly with areas reserved for children and age-specific reading clubs.

Hainault Forest Country Park with its nature trails, fishing lake and petting zoo is a popular destination for families. Both young

DISCOVER Culture and Redbridge leisure — 37

and older children can develop their creativity through theatre and circus skills workshops at the Redbridge Drama Centre in South Woodford and in the linked TV studios.

The borough also has surprising pockets of heritage, which it preserves carefully.

Legendary highwayman Dick Turpin robbed coaches on the bridleways of Hainault and Epping Forests. Winston Churchill was MP for Epping and Woodford for 35 years and is remembered in a bronze statue on Woodford Green, which characteristically it is told, he unveiled himself.

There was a time when the original villages that now make up Redbridge were not in London. A visit to the Georgian Valentines Mansion in Ilford evokes a rich picture of country life operating within precise Downton Abbey-style social class divisions.

Upstairs the owners sat in formal splendour at their fine carved dining tables and writing desks in rooms which offered comforting views over their extensive grounds. The staff lived in a chilly world of kitchens, pantries and sculleries – the latter provided with cold water for washing up, pumped in from the garden.

Nowadays Valentines Mansion hosts exhibitions and artists’ studios – part of the

38 — DISCOVER Redbridge

borough’s determination to invest in the arts.

Redbridge has always played a strong role in art, music and theatre, centered around the Kenneth More Theatre, and a thriving voluntary sector.

Vision Redbridge has now provided further start-up funding for artists. “We feel strongly that we want to invest in artists,” says Eggleston. “They bring a lot in their wake. Look at Hoxton!”

Recently installed public art suggests there is an appetite for cutting edge work.

Nothing is set in Stone by Mira Calix is an obelisk of Turkish stone that stood on a hillock above Fairlop Lake from June until September. It emited eerie singing, chanting and sounds of running water and was strange, challenging – and extremely popular. It’s estimated that more than 6,000 new visitors came to the park just to experience the singing stones, including visitors from outside the borough, as well as local people.

Eggleston says, “I sometimes think there’s more to Redbridge than even Redbridge knows.”

— Previous page Nothing is set in Stone, an installation by Mira Calix, was positioned above Fairlop Lake from June to September.

— Top The UK’s largest boulder park at Fairlop Waters.

— Above Canoeing, windsurfing, kayaking and angling are all possible on the park’s stunning lake.

— Left Valentines Mansion is a jewel in the borough’s arts crown, hosting exhibitions and artists’ studios throughout the year.

discover redbridge partners group Joining together to support Redbridge

agenda 21

architectsstudio

— Agenda 21 Architects Cristina Cazoria cristina@agenda21arch.com

— Development Securities John Horner-Hill john@loncon.co.uk

— London Borough of Redbridge Mark Lucas mark.lucas@redbridge.gov.uk

ORIENT STAR — Metropolitan Housing Angela Epps angela.epps@metropolitan.org.uk

— Orient Star Cristina Cazoria cristina@agenda21arch.com

— Virtual Viewing Stewart Bailey stewart.bailey@virtualviewing.co.uk

For more information about these companies visit discoverredbridge.com/partners

CONNECTIVITY

The right track

By David Gray

40 — DISCOVER Redbridge

When Crossrail comes to four Redbridge stations in 2019, it will be the jewel in the connectivity crown for an already joined-up borough. David Gray reports

Lying on the old Roman Road from Whitechapel to Colchester, Redbridge has long been well connected to the capital, with commuters already benefiting from 10 Central line stations in the borough.

The coming of Crossrail in 2019 will see a quantum leap in Redbridge’s connectivity and give a huge boost to commercial and residential opportunities.

Crossrail will connect the City, Canary Wharf and the West End to Heathrow and commuter areas east and west of the capital.

Ilford, Goodmayes, Seven Kings and Chadwell Heath stations will undergo improvement works, while Ilford station will also be revamped, and provide connections to Canary Wharf in 19 minutes, 25 to Bond Street and 51 minutes to Heathrow Airport.

As well as reducing journey times and overcrowding, the greatest benefit will be connectivity. Crossrail’s strategic interchanges will provide connections with six London Underground lines, London Overground, the DLR, Thameslink and National Rail. The new line will also be more accessible and safer.

Redbridge Council has prepared for Crossrail, focusing on promoting investment and regeneration, prioritising strategic location, demography, housing need and development opportunities.

The borough’s strategic location is in two major growth areas – the LondonCambridge-Stansted-Peterborough Corridor and the Thames Gateway. Demography-wise, residents living along the Crossrail route are younger than average, with a higher

proportion of children, which increases housing need, especially to the east of Ilford town centre.

The fourth driver, opportunities for development, concentrates on how Crossrail can spark the transformation of underused or vacant sites into high-quality developments with new homes, schools, leisure and other community facilities.

Mark Lucas, Redbridge’s chief planning and regeneration officer, has long championed the case for Crossrail. He says: “We lobbied hard for our four stations on the Great Eastern mainline to be pick-up and drop points for Crossrail.”

Having four stations has also enabled Redbridge “to be the only authority on the route to adopt a Crossrail Corridor Area Action Plan”, to integrate the transport improvements into a programme bringing economic benefits to the area.

Property development in Ilford, “will be mixed-use but residential-led, with several sites identified and developers interested”, says Lucas. Areas around the other three Crossrail stations will have more commercial and retail uses, alongside residential. Transport for London and structural refurbishment contractor CRL have developed a hard landscape masterplan for areas within a quarter-mile of the stations, to secure benefits ahead of the 2019 Crossrail opening. The rolling stock for Crossrail will be commissioned on the Shenfield to Liverpool Street stretch, probably by 2017.

Together with other assets – the North Circular Road with access to Stansted and the planned extension of the Cycling Superhighway from Stratford to Ilford – Crossrail looks set to bring great benefits, attract investors and make Redbridge even more attractive to homebuyers.

Connectivity — 41

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Education and skills

School of thought

By Elizabeth Pears

— Continues overleaf —

Education and skills — 43

For London parents wanting to give their child the best possible opportunity of getting a university place, there’s much more than a sporting chance if they move to Redbridge, a place where aspirations are high and achievement is outstanding.

With high levels of professional skills too, it’s no wonder employers court Redbridge’s brightest for their potential workforce.

Elizabeth Pears reports

One of the things the London borough of Redbridge does best is education.

A strong commitment to excellence runs through every stage of learning in this corner of north-east London.

Its secondary schools rank fifth in England and Wales and third in the capital for pupils achieving at least five GCSE grades A* to C, including English and maths, outperforming national averages across the board. More students who go to school in Redbridge go on to higher education than in any other area of the country – 72%, according to statistics from the Department of Education (DoE).

And 14% per cent of them win places at Oxbridge or Russell Group universities. There is also a real eagerness to succeed on the part of students themselves. At the end of Year 11, 91% of Redbridge students choose to continue their studies – significantly higher than the national average of 85%.

It comes as no surprise then that only 3.6% of 16 to 18-year-olds are classed as being Neet – not in education, employment or training – beating the government’s target.

Constant scrutiny is necessary in order to maintain these high standards. In 2002, the local authority established the Redbridge Networked Learning Community which allows schools to learn from each other.

The other challenge in maintaining its high standards is having enough school places to accommodate growing pupil demand and

44 — DISCOVER Redbridge

deliver on a promise to provide a school place for every child in Redbridge.

In September 2011, the council had created 1,965 primary school places and in September 2012 a further 840 primary school places were made available.

Redbridge has secured funding for the Oftsed-rated outstanding Beal High School in Ilford, which will open a new Key Stage 3 site in September 2014, as it expands from eight to 12-form entry, creating additional capacity for 600 pupils.

The new £16.9 million wing at the specialist media and arts college will comprise general and specialist teaching spaces, a learning resources centre, an assembly hall and sports hall, incorporating the latest measures in sustainability. Features include rainwater harvesting and solar panels.

— Previous page Redbridge Central Library reopened after a £1 million upgrade.

— Above Beal School in Ilford is a specialist media and arts college with a £16.9 million wing.

“We have appointed staff who believe there is no limit for our students”

— Below Isaac Newton Academy opened its doors in September 2012 to gleaming new facilities.

This complements a brand new secondary school, built under the previous government’s Building Schools for the Future programme, which created 180 places for Year 7 pupils when it opened in September 2011.

The £35 million Isaac Newton Academy, part of the ARK schools network, is a six-form entry for 11 to 18-year-olds and will satisfy a need in the southern part of the borough.

The network is also seeking support to open a primary school as part of the academy.

Headteacher Rachel Macfarlane says: “There is a high proportion of outstanding schools with high attainment levels in Redbridge, a tradition we are confident we will live up to.

“We have great aspirations academically and have appointed staff who believe there is no limit for our students, regardless of their starting point,” she says.

“We believe every one of them, with hard work and dedication, can achieve fantastic outcomes and can go to university. It’s a wonderful opportunity to start from scratch with a completely clean slate.”

Macfarlane was appointed in February 2011 and has taken great care to put the right infrastructure in place at the maths and music specialist school.

Students will be offered two hours of music lessons each week – double that of the average curriculum – split between traditional lessons and a practical session in which each student will be given and taught a big band instrument such as the saxophone or trumpet.

“The idea is that each class will be split three ways and form their own big bands.

It’s a team-building exercise to help create a true community school, which is what we are. ”Our pupils have a key role to play and being the first intake comes with a responsibility, so we have elected student

Education and skills — 45

— Work Redbridge Work Redbridge was set up in May 2011 to provide advice and signposting to local employment, training or volunteering opportunities.

Co-ordinated by Redbridge Council in partnership with colleges and other organisations, the service is open to all residents who want to work.

The Work Redbridge information hub is on the council’s website, Redbridge i, providing information on training and support as well as job vacancies.

“It’s a referral route,” explains Julie Khan, enterprise and workforce development manager at the council.

“Redbridge has high-performing schools but there are also groups whose needs include help with English, basic IT skills or support with childcare. These are all barriers that need to be addressed before people are ready for work.”

“Work Redbridge can help people access all the support and information they need to get on a pathway to employment,” says Khan.

The team run events across Redbridge and also the council runs an apprenticeship scheme for 16 to 19-year-olds.

46 — DISCOVER Redbridge

reps who will act as role models for pupils arriving next September.”

The school is attracting great interest from parents, with school tours fully booked and already a waiting list of more than 100.

What makes education in Redbridge so good? “There is a high proportion of libraries in Redbridge which indicates to me that as a borough, it is committed to education,” says Macfarlane.

“Great libraries promote a certain ethos in a community. Reading is so important and that’s something our school is passionate about. We have made it quite clear in our job packs that every teacher who works here must consider themselves a teacher of reading.”

Redbridge has a refreshing approach to its popular libraries which since May 2011 have been managed by charitable trust Vision - Redbridge Culture and Leisure. Where other councils have closed some down entirely to make savings following public spending cuts, Redbridge was determined to keep its 13 libraries open, including its mobile library.

Ilford’s Central Library reopened in 2012 after a £1 million overhaul. It has more books, a coffee shop and more study areas – and has embraced technology, including free Wi-Fi, iPads with subscriptions, newspapers and magazines and more self-service machines, freeing staff for customer service. IT lessons are even on offer to help those who are starting from scratch on the internet.

Gareth Morley, head of libraries and culture at Vision - Redbridge, says: “We were keen to keep all our libraries open, by operating them as efficiently as possible.

Technology has made things easier and more exciting. Any day of the week there will be a library close by that is open until 8pm.”

Some 1.6 million visits are made to Redbridge’s libraries each year and 1.65 million items checked out, placing them among the capital’s most popular.

The library boasts an interactive digital wall – the Enchanted Forest – which changes during story-telling. ”Research suggests people who had a good experience with libraries as a child are more likely to come back in adulthood,” explains Morley. “We want to make sure that first library experience is a good one – and very memorable.”

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