Stamford Hill area action plan

Since 2015 we’ve been working alongside the Stamford Hill community on the Stamford Hill plan – a dedicated planning document called an area action plan (AAP) for Stamford Hill.

The Stamford Hill plan aims to:

• provide specific guidance on how new developments and changes to local spaces can be made, reflecting the unique circumstances of Stamford Hill
• help to overcome the challenges the area faces, now and in the future ensure that changes in Stamford Hill benefit the local community first

Over the last 5 years we’ve undertaken extensive engagement with thousands of local people and different local organisations and developed a draft AAP that draws on what we’ve heard are the key issues and opportunities and puts forward policies and guidance to address these for the next 15 years.

Why we need a Stamford Hill plan

As Stamford Hill’s population has grown and the area has become a more popular place to live, there has been an increasing pressure not just on housing but on facilities like schools, community facilities and local spaces.

The Stamford Hill plan aims to help address these challenges and manage change in line with the needs of local people. It will set out how and where new homes can be provided, alongside planning guidance to help improve community facilities, shopping centres and public realm.

This will include identifying specific sites where larger new developments may be possible, as well as guidance for smaller new developments and changes to existing buildings.

Who we’re working with

The Stamford Hill Community Panel, a group including community representatives and members of local organisations, has played a key role in developing the Stamford Hill plan.

The make up of this group aims to reflect the demographic, faith and ethnic profile of the diverse community in Stamford Hill. The panel advises the Council on community engagement and has helped ensure that a range of local views are taken into account in the policies developed and that consultation reaches a wide audience.

We also set up a project steering group to help shape the plan’s delivery and help build support for it across the community.

What’s happened so far

So far we’ve:

• produced a broad range of evidence base studies to understand the needs of the community
• undertaken an 18-month engagement programme including drop-in events, questionnaires, sessions with local schools and workshops covering different themes, such as: leisure and social facilities, local businesses, public realm and green spaces, health and wellbeing, housing, education and learning
• used the huge amount of feedback received to inform ‘Towards a Stamford Hill Plan’ – an early document setting out a vision for the future of Stamford Hill alongside a series of objectives identified in order to meet this
• consulted on the ‘Towards a Stamford Hill Plan’ document, with more than 2,000 people giving their views over a period of eight weeks
• used the ‘Towards a Stamford Hill Plan’ consultation to inform the draft Stamford Hill plan alongside continued engagement with the community, including thematic workshops with schools and other local institutions
• grouped the key challenges and opportunities for Stamford Hill into 6 areas: housing, local enterprise and economy, community wellbeing, design and historic environment, public realm and green infrastructure

What’s happening now

Following approval at the Council’s Cabinet on 29 November 2021, public consultation has now been launched on the draft Stamford Hill Area Action Plan.  

• draft Stamford Hill AAP – full document (high resolution)
• draft Stamford Hill AAP – full document (low resolution)
• draft Stamford Hill AAP – summary document
• draft Stamford Hill AAP – policies map

We’re are now consulting on the draft Stamford Hill area action plan from 7 December 2021 to 31 January 2022.

Have your say 

You can also email your comments to: planmaking@hackney.gov.uk.

If you would like to request a hard copy of the draft Stamford Hill area action plan email planmaking@hackney.gov.uk, or visit the following libraries from Tuesday 7 December:

• Stamford Hill Library
• Stoke Newington Library
• Hackney Central Library

Printed copies of the questionnaire and freepost envelopes are available at the libraries above.

Alternatively, if you would like to request a printed copy of the questionnaire please email planmaking@hackney.gov.uk. 

Drop-in events 

•  Monday 10 January 2022, Lea View House Community Hall, Springfield Road, E5 9DX, 11am-3pm
• Saturday 15 January 2022, Sainsbury’s forecourt (outside 1 Amhurst Park, N16 5LW), 3-7pm

If you would like any more information, have any questions or would like to request to view hard copies of the relevant documents, email planmaking@hackney.gov.uk. 

What’s happening next 

The draft plan will be revised to address feedback received and we will undertake a final stage of consultation following Cabinet and Council approval in Summer 2022.

The draft Stamford Hill plan will then be submitted to the planning inspectorate for examination in public. It is this version that the Council seeks to adopt, subject to that examination, as the future framework for decision making on planning in Stamford Hill alongside the borough-wide local plan 2033.

For more information about the AAP contact planmaking@hackney.gov.uk or 020 8356 8084.

Studies so far

Since the ‘Towards a Stamford Hill Plan’ Consultation in 2017 we’ve updated and expanded the evidence base for the Stamford Hill AAP.

This has helped us develop the draft AAP, by identifying draft policy options and site guidance for the forthcoming Stamford Hill AAP. So far, the background research we’ve commissioned includes:

• Stamford Hill evidence base chapter 1 – population update
• Stamford Hill evidence base chapter 2 – housing update
• Stamford Hill evidence base chapter 3  – transport update
• Stamford Hill evidence base chapter 4 – education update
• Stamford Hill evidence base chapter 5 – open space update
• Stamford Hill evidence base chapter 6 – public realm update
• Stamford Hill evidence base chapter 7 – local economy update
• Stamford Hill evidence base chapter 8 – economic deprivation update 
• Stamford Hill evidence base chapter 9 – environmental performance update
• Stamford Hill evidence base chapter 10 – design and density update
• Stamford Hill evidence base chapter 11 – community development update
• Stamford Hill evidence base chapter 12 – health update
• Stamford Hill evidence base – Charedi survey
• Stamford Hill AAP Atkins population projections
• Stamford Hill AAP sustainability appraisal scoping report
• integrated impact assessment of the draft Stamford Hill AAP
• Stamford Hill character area analysis and overarching design framework 2016
• Hackney key corridors housing design and density study: A10 introduction
• Hackney key corridors housing design and density study: Stamford Hill
• Stamford Hill public realm study (2020)
• Stamford Hill viability assessment
• Stamford Hill housing capacity study (2020)
• design guidance for domestic roof extensions (2021)
• Hackney characterisation study – Stamford Hill (2017)
• Stamford Hill residential extensions and alterations consolidated evidence (2021)
• Stamford Hill Housing market assessment (2019)
• Stamford Hill AAP consultation statement (2019)
• social infrastructure needs assessment (2021)