Dog track to be turned into cheap homes for families
Walthamstow Stadium, one of London's last greyhound racing tracks, is to be redeveloped as a "familyfriendly" housing estate.
A report on the site, which closed last summer after 70 years, recommends that its 1932 art deco entrance arch with its image of a running greyhound be preserved.
It suggests the listed kennels should be used for parking bicycles or "car pool" vehicles, while the central track area should become a park.
The report, commissioned by Waltham Forest council, will provide the blueprint for the site, which is owned by London & Quadrant.
The social housing developer intends to lodge a planning application in the autumn.
"It would be desirable in any scheme to keep the early surviving parts of the complex, believed to be the tote board area and the kennels — and retain the existing ambience.
"This will ensure that future visitors (and residents) will have a clear appreciation of the operation of this oncecherished sport."
Responding to a lack of larger properties being built in the capital, the report stresses the need for family-sized units with outside space
rather than small apartments for single people and couples. By using the track area as open space, it envisages turning the site into a huge garden square.
"One of the defining characteristics of Walthamstow Stadium is the significant body of space at its heart, dictated by the size of the track," says the report.
"This sense of space, and the role that it plays in providing a meaningful setting for the listed elements of the building, should be regarded as fundamental to the nature of the site."
The report recommends the Grade II-listed entrance building be used as shops, offices or leisure space.
The closure of "The Stow" horrified greyhound racing fans, who fought to save it. David Beckham, who worked at the stadium as a teenager, said: "It's a real shame to see it go as it means so much to the area. I have great memories of Walthamstow and I know many people will miss it, including me."
Built by William Chandler in 1933, the venue was sold by the family for a rumoured £22 million after losses over three years. There are now only two dog tracks in London, at Romford and
Wimbledon.
