A new entrance into the Carpenters Estate at Stratford station has moved a step closer after the Mayor of Newham and councillors gave the green light for a £1m contribution to the scheme.
The decision to release the funds was approved at a meeting of Newham Council’s Cabinet on 7 May 2019. The entrance is part of a joint initiative between the council, Transport for London (TfL), who will oversee the work, and London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDC) to improve access and connections to the station and the surrounding area.
The new entrance will improve connectivity to the Carpenters Estate for the benefit of residents. It will also provide a new entrance to and from Stratford Station alongside the existing ones to Westfield Stratford City, and the bus station and Stratford Centre.
The council’s contribution will come from the Community Infrastructure Levy.
The new entrance will be located at ground level in the station, on the western concourse immediately adjacent to the Jubilee line platforms. The planning permission for the site requires TfL to begin enabling works on site by September 2019.
Local stakeholders have already been consulted on the proposals, including residents from the Carpenters Estate who welcomed the plans. All further developments around the Carpenters Estate will be subject to discussions with residents.
Mayor Rokhsana Fiaz said: “This new entrance will bring many benefits to Newham residents and I look forward to seeing work start. As Stratford continues to develop, we are seeing more people travelling through the station every day, therefore it is essential that we improve access for residents, making it easier for them to use one of the busiest stations in London. This will be a high quality design which will enhance the local area and will hopefully attract businesses to move to this part of Stratford.
“Residents living on the Carpenters Estate have long called for this entrance. I have listened to them and fought to ensure this work is carried out as soon as possible. This is an important step in ensuring that the estate is fully integrated into the rest of Stratford and all the improvement works which have been carried out in the local area. This is just one of the improvements we will be making to make the estate a better place to live.”
Lyn Garner, Chief Executive of London Legacy Development Corporation, said: “We are delighted to play our part in this initiative between Newham Council and TfL to improve access to Stratford station for residents of Carpenters Estate and indeed the many visitors to Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.”
Caroline Sheridan, London Underground’s Director of Renewals and Enhancements, said: “Stratford is one of the busiest transport hubs in London so improving access to the station for the thousands of people who use it every day is a key priority for us. We look forward to working closely with Newham Council and the LLDC on these plans for an additional entrance and making journeys easier for many of our east London customers.”