A multi-million plan to develop Forest Gate’s iconic Durning Hall community space has received the thumbs up from local residents, but concerns over the skyline have seen a planned tower block on the site cut down to size.

The revised plan reduces the number of new homes to be built – from 90 down to 78 – but the change will maintain the character of the neighbourhood. “The redesign brings the plans into line with the surrounding area,” Claire Hellman, Chief Executive Officer of Aston-Mansfield, the owners of Durning Hall, told Newham Voices.

The local response has been positive, she says. A planning application is finalised and will be submitted to Newham Council this month.

The proposal includes:

78 new high-quality homes for Forest Gate, including 27 homes at “affordable” levels with a courtyard and play space for residents;
Four new shops along Woodgrange Road;
A youth enterprise pop-up space where young people will be able to develop their skills;
A creative children’s space designed for children with special needs and disabilities.

The plans were finalised after two sessions of local consultation on the future of one of Newham’s most-loved institutions.

Aston-Mansfield, a community organisation with a 130-year history of working in Newham, decided to ask businesses, residents and community groups to have their say before moving ahead with redevelopment of Durning Hall, which has been in need of renovation for some time.

Because of Covid restrictions, consultations took place ‘at a distance’. In the latest round, which concluded in November, more than 90 per cent of the respondents were local residents with 329 people responding through the website.

The overall response was backing for the priority to focus on the needs of children and young people. “Newham is underserved for children with special educational needs and disability and this plan will strengthen our strategies for working with young people,” said Claire Hellman.

Durning Hall’s long-time role as a community hub and meeting place will also change. “We won’t be providing halls for hire any longer at Durning Hall,” said Claire Hellman, “much loved though it is.”

But she says that local organisations are not forgotten. The developers have been working with local partners to ensure that there will be enough community space available in Forest Gate for organisations that currently use Durning Hall as a meeting place.

The council will consider the new application, but a response is not expected before June next year and work will begin in 2022.

Spot the Difference

The original 12-storey block proposal (looking south)

The revised 10-storey final proposal (looking north)

This article was first published on December 2nd and it was amended on December 4th.

No news is bad news

Independent news outlets like ours – reporting for the community without rich backers – are under threat of closure, turning British towns into news deserts.

The audiences they serve know less, understand less, and can do less.

If our coverage has helped you understand our community a little bit better, please consider supporting us with a monthly, yearly or one-off donation.

Choose the news. Don’t lose the news.

Monthly direct debit

Annual direct debit

£5 per month supporters get a digital copy of each month’s paper before anyone else, £10 per month supporters get a digital copy of each month’s paper before anyone else and a print copy posted to them each month. £50 annual supporters get a digital copy of each month's paper before anyone else.