St James St

A £2.9m heritage-led regeneration scheme in Walthamstow St James conservation area to regenerate this part of Walthamstow town centre and make it a destination in its own right. Waltham Forest Council were awarded £1.46m in Heritage Lottery Funded, which was match funded by £1.36m from the Council and around £100,000 contributions from local businesses and volunteer time.

The project aimed to deliver:
• Work to preserve and enhance up to 59 shop fronts and key historic buildings
• Public realm improvements including transforming the St James St/High Street junction into a visually appealing gateway to the area
• Targeted, specialist business support and training aimed at improving visual merchandising, shop displays and business skills 
• A dedicated project microsite providing local and project information to enable the community to engage with the project and support local businesses 
• Heritage training and engagement projects with local schools, participating businesses and Further/Higher Education establishments 
• Engagement of residents in local oral history activities and workshops

• Physical: Building conservation, repair and improvements to 59 properties – repair and restoration of historic features, brick cleaning and repairs, removal of unnecessary signage and clutter, installation of new shopfronts, and architectural lighting to landmark buildings

• Place Shaping: Transformation of St James St/High Street junction into a Gateway to the area – new heritage paving and lighting columns, bespoke benches, soft and hard landscaping, new shared pedestrian/cyclist crossings, vehicular traffic calming measures to encourage and give priority to pedestrians/cyclists;

• Adoption and development of the ‘Griffin’ figures on building pilasters as the brand for the area

• Business Support & Training: 36 local businesses provided with intensive targeted support and training in visual merchandising, promotion and marketing and employment legislation

• 2 work experience placements delivered

• 22 Volunteer local residents, with 6 gaining Oral History interviewing skills

• St James Street Business Forum established.

• Improved business curation/offer, with a High Street Strategy Study recommending a programme of further Walthamstow Market improvements

• Heritage awareness activities: delivered to 90 primary school pupils and 59 freeholders/leaseholders

• Website for St James Street established

• Catalyst for South Grove/St James SPD delivering 1,000 new homes, commercial space, activated railway arches and further public realm improvements.

If you would like more information
about the project you can email 
Chuck.Onyiliogwu@walthamforest.gov.uk.