Whitechapel Road Improvements Programme

The council have been working with UP Projects and artist Aya Haidar, to create a new light-focused artwork for Whitechapel.

The artwork will be developed through engagement with the local community to explore their collective memories and impressions of Whitechapel as a place and as a home, and will be inspired by conversations taken place, complemented by Aya’s own research into the history and heritage of Whitechapel.

The final artwork is anticipated to be installed in a prominent location along Whitechapel High Street in 2024.

About Aya Haidar

Aya Haidar (b. 1985, lives and works in London) is a multimedia artist; her work focuses on the use of found and recycled objects exploring loss, migration, memory, labour, domesticity and womanhood. Aya graduated with a BA in Fine Art from the Slade School of Art, and has a MSc in NGOs and Development from the London School of Economics and Political Science, her work has been showcased in several exhibitions, and is internationally collected by private collections and institutions, most recently by the Guggenheim Museum.

Southern Footway

The public realm improvement works along the southern footway of Whitechapel Road between New Road and Sidney Street are now largely complete, having been delivered by JB Riney, the Council's highway contractor. Works undertaken include:

• Replacement of concrete paving slabs with new Yorkstone paving
• Replacement of concrete kerbs on the cycle lane with new granite kerbs
• Introduction of street furniture include benches and cycle stands
• Green areas with planting towards the east of the scheme

A number of small snagging items remain to be completed, including the introduction of new lamp columns with pedestrian lighting; new bins; and the removal of a number of phone boxes. It is anticipated that these will be completed by the end of the calendar year.

Prototype Stalls

Greig & Stephenson Architects have been working with metal design and fabrication firm Contraworx on the design and manufacture of four new prototype stalls to allow Whitechapel Market Traders to test the emerging design. Installation of the prototype stalls has now been completed on the northern footway, with the stalls officially opened by Cllr Abdul Wahid on 30th August 2023.

The prototype will be tested by traders to allow them to provide feedback on the functionality of the stalls, and allow the design team to consider amendments for the next phase. Feedback on the prototype is welcome from all; use the link on the side of this page, or email lbth.regeneration@towerhamlets.gov.uk.

You may notice large concrete blocks along the back edge of the prototype. As the prototype is a temporary structure, the concrete blocks have been designed to secure the structure during testing. The final stalls will not include these blocks, as they will include foundations to support the structure.

Northern Footway

The design team are concurrently working on the evolving designs for the northern footway, including public realm works and the new market stalls. Working closely with Transport for London, the northern footway will look to bring together the public realm and market strands to improve the economic heart of Whitechapel.

As part of the Greater London Authority’s ongoing campaign for a 24-hour London, Publica and the GLA’s 24-hour team are delivering support to boroughs working on evening and night-time strategies. As part of this initiative, a night walk of Whitechapel took place on Tuesday 22nd March 2022.

The walk brought together a range of stakeholders from the local area to explore their experiences of the area at night and understand what the aspirations, priorities, issues, and opportunities are for Whitechapel’s evening and night-time economy.

We visited several points of interest including; Whitechapel Market, Whitechapel Ideastore, the New Town Hall site, Royal London Hospital, the new Life Sciences Site, local business establishments, East London Mosque, Aldgate Connect, and the Whitechapel Gallery.

Some of the discussions included:

• What the current evening and night-time offer in Whitechapel is.
• How Whitechapel is changing and what that would mean for different stakeholder groups.
• Importance of active street level uses and illuminated building frontages in animating streets and spaces after dark.
• Community safety.
• Partnership working between the Council, local businesses, workers and community groups.
• Understanding the pattens of use from day to evening to night helps identify pressures, demands and opportunities.
• Amenities for night workers and supporting their wellbeing and quality of life.

To read the GLA's summary of the night please click on the link, or visit the key documents library on the side bar.

In terms of next steps, the GLA will be in touch with resources and support they could give the Council to help shape an evening and night-time strategy in Whitechapel.

Greig & Stephenson Architects have been working on designing a suitable market stall structure for Whitechapel Market. Before the design is finalised, a trail version of the stalls (a Prototype) will be installed to test its functionality with market traders. Traders will be able to use the Prototype stalls during market hours to understand how the new stalls can benefit their business and work with the project team to understand any issues which can then be addressed before the design is rolled out to the whole market.

We hosted a Trader Engagement Event on Thursday 17^th March 2022 to share plans for the prototype and colour samples for the tarpaulin, see boards from the event here.

The feedback during the event was positive and traders that attended were keen to see the prototype installed. The pilot scheme is planned to last for six months so that traders who wish to trial the stalls can. The feedback from traders during the trial is very important in shaping the final design of the new stalls.

We are currently in the process of procuring a fabricator to build the prototype and will provide a further update once an appointment has been made.

We would like to thank all those who took part in our public survey. In total we received 440 responses, with the majority of respondents welcoming improvements to Whitechapel Road, and particularly the market.

Key points from the consultation included:

• Residents, visitors, and businesses mentioned cleanliness as a key issue, with litter and infrastructure from the market and shops a recurring concern. Suggestions include better storage for refuse, facilities for recycling, and strong pest control measures.
• More than 60% of respondents cited crime and anti-social behaviour as a safety concern, with hate crime, drug-related offences, and begging mentioned by residents.
• There were approximately four times as many positive (130) to negative (33) comments about the concept designs for the market. There was support for the concept of a mix of stall types and having some semi-permanent structures to encourage and support different uses.
• Most respondents voiced a preference for brighter, colourful stalls, although there was a desire for the stalls to be in keeping with the nearby properties and have a cleaner, more modern look.
• The issue of accessibility was raised and the ability of the market area to remain clear for pedestrians out of operational hours.
• A lack of seating was highlighted by the majority of respondents. The most popular uses for the public rest areas were for meeting people, resting, eating a snack, and enjoying greenery or artwork. Cycle parking was also raised regularly to encourage sustainable travel.

We will shortly publish a report summarising the results in more detail, and all feedback is being carefully considered as we progress into the next stage of the design process.

We’re keen to hear your views on our design proposals. Come along to one of our drop-in sessions at Idea Store Whitechapel (231 Whitechapel Road) to meet the project team and see the proposals in person.

Sessions will be held on the following dates:

• Monday 6th December 3-6pm
• Thursday 9th December 4-7pm
• Monday 13th December 4-7pm

Your views are crucial in helping us develop our designs to meet the needs of the community and to shape the future of Whitechapel Road. If you are unable to attend the sessions you can view our design proposals, and complete our survey before Sunday 9th January 2022.

We are pleased to announce that Tower Hamlets Council have successfully secured £9.3m from the Governments Levelling Up Fund to support the delivery of the Whitechapel Road Improvement Programme (WRIP).

The programme covers the area of Whitechapel Road from the junctions with New Road and Vallance Road, to Cambridge Heath Road and Sydney Street and will see street improvements like better pavements and more signage and seating, as well as upgrades to market stalls and essential repairs to properties along the high street.

The programme is split into four main areas;

• Whitechapel Road Public Realm Improvement Project (PRIP) to deliver 10,000 sqm of public realm works, including improved pavements, street lighting, greening and street furniture.
• Whitechapel Market Stalls Project (MSP) to provide new market stalls supporting a better trading and shopping environment.
• Whitechapel Market Management & Maintenance Project (MMMP) to deliver improved market facilities including waste management.
• Whitechapel Road Property Repair Project, to support essential building repairs to properties along the High Street.

We want to keep our community at the heart of our proposals and have consultation events coming up, to stay informed please subscribe for project updates via the sidebar on the right.

Led by the Regeneration Team, the Council has submitted an application for funding from the Government’s Levelling Up Fund, which is investing in town centre and high street regeneration, local transport projects, and cultural assets across the UK.

If the Council is successful, the funding will support the delivery of the Whitechapel Road Improvement Programme.