New cafe and offices for Newham as a patch of brownfield land to be transformed

A Newham neighborhood is getting a new cafe and offices for local businesses after the council unanimously gave the plans the green light on Tuesday night (June 25). Meanwhile, Space, a CIC (Community Interest Company), has submitted plans to turn a vacant, overgrown patch of land into Manor Park and build a vibrant community center in its place.

The center consists of a cafe and kitchen on the ground floor, while the first floor will have four studio units that aim to attract artists, local entrepreneurs and professionals. An outdoor area can be rented by residents and the surrounding community for events such as senior classes, yoga classes and children’s activities.

The plans have divided residents as some were concerned the site was “unsuitable” for a cafe, although others said a new community space would help transform the area for the better. During Tuesday’s meeting, the local development committee heard from George Voss of PMV Planning, a planning consultancy working with Meanwhile Space.

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Mr Voss said: “The scheme represents an exciting opportunity to provide a new community center and space that engages and provides facilities for the local community. The scheme will make a positive contribution to Manor Park and is clearly welcomed by many in the local community. .”

A resident backing the plans who has lived in Manor Park for 23 years said having a new community space could help improve the area and reduce anti-social behavior (ASB). He explained: “We have a lot of drug users and drug dealers, there’s a lot of theft around, obviously having a community center will bring people (together) and (create a) sense of security when you’re together.” .

However, an opponent who lives directly next to the proposed site raised concerns that the cafe could cause problems with litter and rodents, and that there are already a number of cafes in Manor Park. He said: “In terms of the proposed building, the color red is not something that suits the community and the landscape. Also in terms of bins, we have a lot of rodents and we have a lot of mice.”

He went on to say that the building, which will be two stories high, would overshadow his house and make him less likely to go out into his garden. Cllr Sabia Kamali, Stratford Borough, asked if the committee could attend a site visit to assess the impact and design issues with planning officers, which Cllr Zilickaja seconded.

Cllr Kamali asked: “I think the concern is that it is not in line … with the rest of the residents. Obviously it’s a local cafe and you want the local people involved and it’s always nice to have a good relationship, but are you going to work with them as part of the whole process?”

A rep for Meanwhile Space then said: “…definitely, definitely already been. I’ve had enough pop-ups, I’ve stood in the snow outside the bus stop, collecting data on what people want to do. see there… we had stakeholder groups, we did two co-design groups.”

Another representative added: “I think it’s important to note that it’s not just a coffee shop, it’s a community event space. It is there to engage with the whole community and be a space that residents and local community organizations can rent and use for their benefit. good.” When it came to a vote, the commission unanimously approved the plans, which will see a new community centre, cafe and offices built next to 1 Forest View Road in Manor Park.

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