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Welcome to the October 2025 edition of the Save Lea Marshes Newsletter!
As we head into Autumn, the changing colour of our trees is usually something to look forward to. However, after a dry Spring and Summer, the leaves of many trees had already gone brown and dropped whilst we were still on Summer walks and picnics, demonstrating that Climate Change is well and truly with us. Also in the autumnal air are the usual political developments. So we start with a longer exploration of what is going on with the Thames Water Depot site earmarked for East London Waterworks Park.
LATEST ON PROPOSALS FOR SECURE FACILITY FOR CHILDREN
On 7 October, the London Borough of Waltham Forest's Cabinet is meeting behind closed doors to discuss a report on the proposals for a secure facility for children, which the prospective developers refer to as the 'London Secure Children's Home', on the current Thames Water Depot site on Lea Bridge Road. The plan for the facility was made public early last year but since last summer the project has been shrouded in mystery. Our attempts to check the information provided by London Councils at the public consultation in February 2024 met with refusals from both London Councils and the Information Commissioner.
During the consultation the promoters of the project claimed the Thames Water Depot site was the 'only suitable' site for this project. They also said one of the criteria for selecting the site was that it had to be 'affordable'. We sent in two Environmental Information Requests to ask how they had arrived at these conclusions. Both were refused on the grounds that the information was contained in the draft pre-planning sequential assessment. The refusals were upheld by the Tribunal at appeal.
In fact, the information was actually compiled before the sequential assessment was begun, by a team which was recruited before London Councils even became involved. It is sad to see such tedious technical objections being deployed to prevent information being provided to the public.
This failure to provide the information is all the more serious as the claim made at the consultation that the Thames Water Depot was the 'only suitable site' was contradicted by the project leader who stated in a sworn statement to the appeal tribunal that it was the 'most' suitable site for the project. So it is not the 'only' suitable site. The promoters of the project completely misled the public in the 'consultation'. We will be writing a more in-depth blog about this frustrating process to access information (which should be publicly accessible) in due course.
The report to be presented to Waltham Forest's Cabinet precedes the as-yet-unknown date of a Planning Committee meeting, and concerns itself with seeking agreement to a proposal for [the] Council’s capital delivery team to join the project as development manager to lead the project’s design and build workstream
. The pan-London project is intended to provide residential, specialist care, education, health, leisure and well-being services for some of London's most vulnerable children, as there is currently no provision of this kind in London.
Point 3.8 of the report going to Cabinet states The proposed scheme has already been the subject of extensive pre-application consultation with the Local Planning Authority and Greater London Authority and there has been an initial round of public pre-application engagement with the local community to receive feedback on the design proposals.
The local community may remember this single 'consultation' event hosted at the Lee Valley Ice Centre last year, at which the dissatifaction with the process and the almost unanaimous rejection of the plans in favour of the pre-existing idea for East London Waterworks Park was evident.
In every way East London Waterworks Park is the best possible use of the site. Through years of dedicated hardwork, this is an inspiring plan for the site that has evolved as a result of (award-winning) imaginative co-creation by and for the community. Not only will the creation of the park avoid all the issues associated with the secure facility, it will provide much-needed genuinely new blue and green space for a community that will see its population expand by thousands as a result of multiple housing developments in the coming years. It would be a vital community resource and bulwark against ever-worsening climate challenges. We will continue to advocate for this vision of the future.
The Mayor has recently published A Guide to Open Water Swimming. Whilst this is generally welcomed there are some issues which affect us locally, namely: the Old River Lea is still included. This is not a suitable site for swimming under any circumstances. The Hackney bank is a Site of Metropolitan Importance for Nature Conservation and as such is a protected space for nature and wildlife. It should be kept as a place for quiet enjoyment. Great damage was done by party-goers. The river is shallow and much better sites can be created for open-water swimming. Furthermore, since the recent harm important remedial work has been done, with the support of Hackney Council, to restore both the river bank and to improve the river flow for the benefit of fish life. Hackney Council and Lea Guardians oppose this designation for swimming, and SLM will be responding in more detail to the proposals.
GETTING ON SWIMMING LEA
We're delighted to report that the pair of swans, who managed against all odds to hatch eight cygnets earlier this year, still have the fine brood of eight nearly fully-fledged swans. We hope that next year the area will not be subject to tree felling and other works while the swans are nesting.
SURF ON THE TURF
An investment of £50m has been approved by Enfield Council for the Surf London scheme, previously called "The Wave". This will be at the Picketts Lock site in the Lee Valley Regional Park, and will take up part of the current Lee Valley Golf Course and Camping and Caravan Park. The golf course will be reduced in size and the camping area redeveloped. Although it awaits final approval by the Greater London Authority (GLA) it is yet another council-approved development on the Green Belt, with another large car park.
NATURE RIDERS HACKNEY
This is a new series of guided social rides exploring the corners of London where nature still thrives. With frequent stops along the way, the guides "will take time to talk about what we see and setting the pace to match the slowest rider" (people aged over 50 are encouraged to join). Trips are led by a national standards cycle instructor and free bike tune-ups are offered. Meet at Millfields Park, Fridays at 11.00 a.m. on 3, 10, 17 and 24 October 2025. Book your free place at NatureRiders. This initiative is supported by the London Cycling Campaign.
Celia, Caroline, Julian, Peter and everyone at Save Lea Marshes