Hackney Wick secures initial investment to be a greener, cleaner, healthier place
Hackney Wick Circular High Street
Hackney Wick and Fish Island Community Development Trust (HWFI CDT) is pleased to announce it and its partners have been successful in a bid to the Greater London Authority’s High Street for All Challenge.
The HWFI CDT worked with nearly 30 organisations locally to submit a bid based on a circular theme:
· establishing a circular high street in Hackney Wick by creating wayfinding and signposting to improve resident and visitor experience of the place, and spread footfall across the area
· establishing a circular economy – a practice to reuse, recycle and reduce waste and reduce carbon emissions - by bringing together communities, charity and civic organisations, businesses and institutions to design a strategy to tackle local environmental issues
The successful bid is one of only a handful of projects across London selected to go through to the next stage of the challenge.
In putting together the bid, the HWFI CDT spoke at networking and engagement events and invited people from organisations working locally to comment on what matters most when reimagining the high street.
The focus of the engagement was on finding a common theme / challenge that all parts of the community can get behind and collaborate on. Tackling waste and reducing the carbon footprint of the area benefits everyone and is a subject where everyone can participate. Equally, wayfinding and making sure the place is easy to navigate and accessible was a key issue.
There are already some local organisations delivering projects and ideas to establish a circular economy. The HWFI CDT and its partners will seek to learn and work with the groups pioneering this work.
In developing the strategy, the HWFI CDT and its partners aim to create opportunities for young people living locally through leadership roles in the project and enterprise and job opportunities created by the project.
Alex Russell, Executive Chair of the Hackney Wick and Fish Island Community Development Trust said:
“We are very grateful to the GLA, the London Borough of Hackney and London Borough of Tower Hamlets who have backed our bid, and to all the groups who have provided their support.
“The changes to global temperatures and production of waste impact all of us every day in Hackney Wick – whether its packaging left by visitors after a heavy weekend; freight deliveries coming in and out of the area or the voluminous waste created by building construction – it is on our doorstep and we need to address it.
“Our bid seeks to build on good practice and establishing a collation of voices and experiences from across different sectors and interests to come up with ideas and innovations to find solutions to these challenges and reimagine the high street as an environmentally sustainable, accessible and healthy place to be.”
Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said
“The shops, cafes and other businesses on London’s local high streets have been the heartbeat of our economy, but they’ve been hit incredibly hard by the COVID pandemic. As we start to recover, we need to be bold and innovative to ensure our high streets can survive as diverse, bustling centres of our capital’s economy.”
“I’m pleased to be able to announce new funding for projects all across the capital that are leading the way coming up with solutions for the future of our high streets. Whether it’s new ideas for shared working space, bringing old offices back into use or providing space for exciting cultural activities, these ideas will stimulate economic activity and also enrich social and cultural life in our local communities.
“I’m doing all I can to encourage Londoners to safely return to our high streets, but these ongoing partnerships with councils and businesses across the capital will be vital for guaranteeing their future growth and prosperity.”
Cllr Guy Nicholson, Deputy Mayor of Hackney Council, said
"Building a strong relationship with and supporting the Hackney Wick & Fish Island Community Development Trust has been critical in establishing and ensuring the success of one of London's first Creative Enterprise Zones.
"As part of Hackney's plans for a fair economic recovery, the Council supported the Trust's bid to secure High Streets for All Challenge funding which will help support one of the UK's most entrepreneurial and enterprising creative micro and small business communities. Hackney looks forward to working with the Trust deliver for the Wick & Fish Island community"
Mayor John Biggs, Executive Mayor of Tower Hamlets said
“I am delighted that the HWFI Community Development Trust has been successful in its bid to the GLA for High Streets For All funding. We’ve supported the HWFI Creative Enterprise Zone in a variety of ways since its inception. This funding will enable the community to progress the next step of developing its own vision for a sustainable community centre; at a time when our high streets and town centres have been so badly affected by the pandemic. Its green, clean and equitable approach will contribute to the delivery of inclusive economic growth for all and I am very much looking forward to seeing the results.”
For more information please contact Alex Russell on alex@wickcdt.org
Notes to editors
About the Hackney Wick and Fish Island Community Development Trust
We are a community-led organisation with a purpose to secure buildings and spaces for the community for the long-term. We are seeking to establish ourselves as an ethical landlord for the area.
The HWFI CDT was formed in 2017 by four local social enterprises who were concerned about the impact of property development on the heritage and culture of the local area.
We are committed to working together with the community, landlords, public authorities and developers to ensure that the identity and social fabric of the Hackney Wick and Fish Island community is retained, enterprise is supported and change benefits local people.
Click here for more information about the High Street for All challenge