The Dalston Mill

A planning application has been submitted to erect a temporary metallic structure at 13 Dalston Lane to the rear of the Peace Mural square, for use over the summer as a community art centre, garden, workshops and a pizza oven (yummy!). You can view the application and images (reference 2009/0965) here. The sponsorship is from the Barbican Art Gallery as part of the Radical Nature festival.

The publicity states "EXYZT have been working closely with various local communities to turn a disused site in Dalston into a vibrant rural retreat for the people of the area and beyond. Literally occupying an abandoned garden, the project offers an exciting programme of events, screening and summer feasts."

Actually the site is literally an abandoned railway line (the Dalston Junction Eastern Curve) recently filled in with hardcore and gravel for car parking use.

Not all of EXYZT previous 'community art installations' have met with universal approval - as you will see from some of the comments here.

Victory for Queen’s Market campaigners

On Wednesday 13th May 2009 the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson directed Newham Council to refuse planning permission for plans to redevelop Queen’s Market in Upton Park, which include the construction of a 96 metre high residential tower block.

The Friends of Queens Market have fought a long running campaign to reach this point. A spokesperson, Lucy Rogers, said: “I feel fantastic. We can hardly believe it. I feel in some boroughs, especially in East London, there is a brutish redevelopment agenda going on which doesn't represent what people want. We are very glad the Mayor has listened. This is exactly what he should be for.”

When plans were submitted to the Mayor for consultation in May 2008, the applicant was advised that they did not conform with the London Plan on several counts, including the quality of the design of the proposed tower.

The applicant subsequently revised the plans but these still failed to address the Mayor’s concerns on the appearance and, in particular the attractiveness of the proposed tower. The plans also failed to demonstrate that a tall building of the design proposed would be appropriate on the site.


The Mayor said:

“I have carefully considered this application. However, it is obvious that a tower of this size, so much higher than any existing tall buildings in the area, is neither attractive or in proportion or suited to any of the surrounding buildings, streets or the general urban realm of Newham.

“I am not opposed to the improvements to Queen’s Market, but I am against this inappropriate tower and have, therefore, instructed Newham not to approve these current plans.”

To download a copy of the Mayor’s Planning Decision here

What's Best for Dalston? the exhibition continues...

Bootstraps, The Printhouse,
18 Ashwin St, E8 3DL

Saturday 2 May: Consultation Day, Bootstraps 

Exhibition continues:

Bank Holiday Weekend:
Saturday 2 - Monday 4 May: 10am - 4pm

Tuesday 5 - Wednesday 6 May: 9am - 8pm

If you missed out on participating in our recent consultation on Hackney Council's Masterplan for Dalston, you've still got time to get involved. We have another special consultation day, this time in Bootstraps, at The Printhouse, on Saturday 2 May 10am - 4pm. 

Once again there will be volunteers from OPEN Dalston to answer questions about the proposals contained in the Masterplan. You can view maps, see what other people think about Dalston and explore issues like the scale and height of buildings, what people want from public space and how can 1,700 new houses be fitted into Dalston in the next few years?

Material gathered during our last consultation day on the Masterplan has already been added.

‘What’s Best for Dalston?’ has been produced by OPEN Dalston with the help of people who live, work and spend time here who all want to celebrate and safeguard the energy, diversity and history of this vibrant neighbourhood.

At the same time, the exhibition gives you the opportunity to get to grips with the key issues contained in the Masterplan, which Hackney Council are consulting on until 15 May 2009. This planning document will have a major impact on life in Dalston, as it will influence building development in the area from now on.

The Masterplan identifies 21 buildings, streets and areas as ‘opportunity sites’. This means many existing buildings have been earmarked for demolition, in many cases to be replaced by bigger, higher developments. Ridley Road Market, Dalston Lane, Kingsland High Street and Ashwin Street have all been identified for major redevelopment.

Several ‘opportunity sites’ are currently home to successful family shops that have been here for many years. Others contain hundreds of thriving small businesses and community organisations. Our exhibition celebrates their stories and highlights the key Council proposals for each of the opportunity sites.

‘What's Best for Dalston?’ is growing and changing, as people add their own stories, photographs, interviews, comments and ideas, so please come along and join in.