Huge 800 home development to transform area around London Stadium

Plans to build almost 800 homes near London Stadium have been submitted to Newham Council.The proposals come as stadium bosses are seeking to increase the number of concerts it hosts, as well as their permitted noise levels.Plans say the new development could also include a pub, a takeaway and a “live music performance venue or cinema”.Property developer Lendlease wants to build 782 homes across six towers on a currently vacant plot of land at Westfield Avenue, adjoining Redman Place. These could be a mix of student flats or shared living spaces.If approved, they would be the latest addition to the Stratford Cross development, which currently houses offices, businesses and universities including V&A East, BBC Music Studios and University of the Arts London.Lendlease originally intended Stratford Cross to be a commercial, rather than residential, development.Students flats and shared living spaces would be built across six towers on land at Westfield AvenueAHMM ArchitectsHowever, a planning statement submitted with its application suggests the developer now wants to change the total amount of office space it initially planned.The planning statement said: “The commercial office market is challenging and has been challenging for some time.“A significant amount of office floorspace has already been delivered at Stratford Cross, but the ability to deliver the remaining quantum of floorspace approved has been reviewed.”Lendlease already has planning permission to build two residential buildings at the west of the site.The new homes, if approved, would be some 600 metres from London Stadium.London Stadium also wants the council to approve a noise limit for these events of 75 decibels. Currently, noise is capped at 75 decibels for six of its permitted annual events, and 65 decibels for the remaining four.Read MoreDocuments submitted with Lendlease’s application say it has measured noise levels at the site to help it decide how much sound insulation it needed.Lendlease already has planning permission to build two residential buildings at the west of the siteAHMM ArchitectsHowever, while the measurement captured noise levels on two West Ham match days, it does not mention concert events.Lendlease submitted its planning application on 29th July, and it became visible to the public on the council’s website on 11th August.The council has received two public comments, both in support.One, in the name of Sebastiaan and Otto from Hows Building in Westfield Avenue, welcomed the plans for a new pub at the site.They said: “The current distance between our front door and a decent pint is frankly incompatible with the kind of future we had imagined for ourselves.“We cannot be expected to put down roots, grow old in this community and one day gaze fondly back upon lives well lived if there are no decent beverages within a reasonable distance.“What kind of legacy would that even be? What are we building towards? Where is the continuity? Where is the hope?”The pair added: “We would also ask the council to consider the very real possibility that, on any given evening, someone might say ‘pint?’“At present this can trigger an unnecessarily complex logistical operation involving maps, negotiations and the Elizabeth Line.“No modern city should require this level of emergency preparedness simply to obtain a Guinness with the lads.”The plans can be viewed and commented on at the council’s planning website using reference number 26/01741/OUT.