Timeline

Neighbourhood planning is introduced under the Localism Act.

The Localism Act empowers communities, allowing residents and businesses to develop their own planning policies, reflecting their values and priorities to deliver local benefits.

South Woodford Society is formed by a group of residents dedicated to building a thriving community where people and businesses flourish.

Today, over 600 members in and around South Woodford – residents, businesses, and people who fell in love with the neighbourhood – are working together to build a bright future for the community.

South Woodford Society agrees on a Neighbourhood Plan Boundary with Redbridge Council.

The UK government awards South Woodford Neighbourhood Forum funding to develop a Design Code.

South Woodford Society is one of just four neighbourhood forums in England selected to participate in the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities’ Design Code Pathfinder Programme.

South Woodford Society appoints architects to help prepare a vision for how the community’s priorities could be implemented in developing key sites across South Woodford.

The architects share and discuss the design vision’s emerging principles with the public at a Sunday Market on George Lane.

South Woodford Society appoints architects to help prepare a vision for how the community’s priorities could be implemented in developing key sites across South Woodford.

The architects share and discuss the design vision’s emerging principles with the public at a Sunday Market on George Lane.

An online community portal for consulting on local priority issues is launched.

The portal uses an interactive map and engagement tools to, with regards to the local priorities previously identified, drill down and find out more about what matters what matters most to residents and visitors. People are asked to identify locations for improvement or additional amenities such as better street lighting, more trees or new play areas.

See the report, Drilling down into the detail.

Redbridge Council uses the South Woodford Design Code to help guide and inform planning decisions.

“The Design Code truly reflects the views of local people. It’s going to be a valuable and well-used asset encouraging developers and designers to realise the community’s ambitions by working within clearly defined parameters.”
– Pearl Arbenser-Simmonds, South Woodford Society Chair