Upper Lee Valley - Opportunity Area Planning Framework

The Greater London Authority have launched on-line the consultation draft of the Upper Lee Valley Opportunity Area Planning Framework. It says the document will be "the basis for directing public sector investment in rebuilding and regenerating local communities and investing in the areas industrial base, prioritising high standards of design, sustainability and environmental quality." Closing date for comments is Friday 13th January 2012.

It's a long document and some of the proposals seem to capture outputs from other earlier documents (such as "From Edge to Common Ground - Upperr Lea Valley Strategy" by Witherford Watson Mann Architects).

Bits of particular interest around Millfields (see p189) are summarised below.

"1. Lammas Land to Back Water
Improve existing paths across Marsh Lane playing fields, railway and across golf course. New direct path from golf course to Back River.

2. Hackney Marshes
New path across Hackney Marshes from Olympic Park to entrance of Middlesex filter beds. River edge to be naturalised along Back River with drainage cuts and river tree planting.

3. Aqueduct path - Hackney Marshes
New bridge across Back River with direct connection to Hackney Marshes. Additional entrance to Waterworks Centre, clear entrance to Middlesex Filter Beds and reconfigure pathways to Hackney Marshes. New public open space.

4. Thames Water site
Improve sight lines from Lea Valley Road to Back River with wide landscape strip, new foot and cycle path. Create view corridor through south-east section of site to the marshes with public open space.

5. Lea Bridge Road
Foot and cycle paths to be set away from road, with improved connections to Sandy Lane and the Paddocks. New secondary bridges across River Lea, Aqueduct path and flood relief channel.

6. Black path
Improve legibility of path through landscape and public realm design, signage, ramps, bridge and viewpoint on existing railway bridge.

7. Aqueduct path
Improve existing path including new path surface and clearing shrubbery at entrance. New path section from railway intersection to Coppermill.

8. Leyton Marsh

Scraping made ground, raised level to form swales/habitats."