WELCOME TO FOREST GATE

The projects aim to uplift existing assets along and around the high streets to increase footfall by improving people’s perceptions of the town centre’s public realm. The proposed creative public realm improvements aim to bring a sense of identity to Forest Gate by making the area welcoming to the town centre, safer and cleaner. The project aims to address recommendations in Newham High Streets Strategy: ‘Welcome to Forest Gate’, and ‘Forest Gate Youth Zone Public Realm’. The concept design proposal for the project will be developed through a community co-design process and re-landscaping of the public realm is likely to include:

• Providing opportunities for the Youth Zone and wider community to use the space (e.g. layout of paving, trees and street furniture to enable possibilities for street dance, art & craft fairs, mini-fests etc.)
• Creating a brighter more welcoming area (e.g. use of lighting in the square and under the bridge etc)
• Supporting a clean and green environment
• Re-configuring street furniture arrangements (e.g. create a secure, durable and attractive seating area, consider repaint/relocate/replace the bike racks and railings outside the Youth Zone etc.)
• Improving pavement surface condition and consider extent (e.g. ensuring even and level surfaces, consider de-paving, consider area of pedestrian priority under bridge when vehicles enter youth zone etc.)

The final design proposal for the project will be developed through a community co-design process and your opinion on the types of improvements is important. Do you have any further ideas or want to comment on the proposed improvement types above, please see the timeline at the bottom of the page for details on how to share your thoughts at each project stage.