EEWG NEWSLETTER

The Lower Lea Valley was the largest waterside industrial area in London when London was the world's largest industrial city and greatest port in the world.

Surviving in Fish Island and Hackney Wick is the valley's largest group of port and port-related industrial buildings, dating from the late 19th and early 20th century.

The London Legacy Development Corporation is to be congratulated on its proposals to extend two existing small conservation areas so that all the historic industrial buildings in Fish Island and Hackney Wick are protected, together with their associated waterways.

Under the proposals, the Fish Island Conservation Area (designated by LB Tower Hamlets in 2008) is to be extended northwards along the Hackney Cut and the eastern part of the Hertford Union Canal to the southside of London Overground.

The Hackney Wick Conservation Area (designated by LB Hackney in 2009) is to be extended along the northside of the London Overground to the eastern side of the Hackney Cut.

An LLDC letter about the proposals and consultation includes a map showing the proposed conservation area extensions, and contact details (see letter here).

East End Waterway Group fully supports both proposals and asks all readers of this newsletter to study the planning guide on the Legacy Corporation's website (see relevant section here) and respond in support of both proposed conservation area extensions, by 8 January 2014.

The Legacy Coporation Board has to approve the proposals (by the Planning Policy and Decisions Team) before it can designate the extended conservation areas, so your individual support is needed to ensure the "protection and beneficial use" of this vital part of the East End's unique six-mile waterway 'ring'.

You may also like to suggest that the Fish Island Conservation Area is also extended at its south-east corner to include the wooded (non-public) site of the Old Ford pumping station with its attractive 1902-03 boundary wall and adjacent section of the Northern Outfall Sewer (Greenway).  This would have the added benefit of fully protecting this section of the River Lea and both sides of the sewer bridge.

Tom Ridge