North East London

5C.1 The strategic priorities for North East London

In the context of all policies in this plan, the strategic priorities for the North East London sub-region will be to:

• deliver the London element of the Government's priority for the Thames Gateway for development, regeneration and transport improvement, recognising the links with other parts of the Thames Gateway and the London-Stansted-Cambridge-Peterborough growth area
• take advantage of the sub-region's exceptional access to the CAZ and to other growth and development areas to sustain relatively high levels of economic and population growth
• promote the contribution of the sub-region to London's world city role, especially in relation to the City and the Isle of Dogs, plan for the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games and enable the necessary development for a successful sustainable Olympics (Policy 5C.2)
• optimise the development of Opportunity Areas and Areas for Intensification as set out in Policiy 5C.3
• enhance the attractiveness of town centres and manage their restructuring where necessary, including the comprehensive development of Stratford as a new commercial, retail and residential area of London, making the most of its European links and its pivotal role connecting the growth areas
• ensure that the substantial expansion of population expected in North East London is accommodated in sustainable communities, taking into account their needs for social and community infrastructure and capacity building, access to employment and services, exemplary approaches to waste, energy and water use, management and provision
• ensure improvements to the open space and Blue Ribbon Networks, in particular the Thames and network of waterways in the Lower Lea/Stratford area and the Green Arc and Green Grid concepts. Special attention should be paid to long-term flood risk
• improve public access for local communities to Lee Valley Regional Park
• plan for and secure the necessary financial resources to deliver planned transport infrastructure for the sub-region including local schemes that improve public transport, walking and cycling connections to town centres and employment locations. Particular priorities for the sub region are CTRL, Crossrail 1, East London Line extension, DLR extensions and enhancements, improved bus services, the East London Transit, new river crossings and, in the longer term, Crossrail 2
• manage the strategically significant surplus stock of industrial land in line with guidance in the Sub Regional Implementation Framework and Industrial Capacity SPG taking into account the need to accommodate additional waste management facilities including those required to address the needs of CAZ
• improve and extend strategic logistics provision, particularly inter-modal facilities, towards the east of the sub-region
• recognise that development in the sub-region will continue as a priority well beyond the plan period as major infrastructure improvements stimulate development and environmental improvements.

The Mayor will continue work with sub-regional partnerships to develop a coherent Sub-Regional Implementation Framework for North East London in which these priorities will be developed further (see Policy 5A.1).