Hale Wharf pedestrian bridge

Running a design and build competition for a pedestrian bridge with lessons on how to reach agreement on complex projects with multiple stakeholders.

Tottenham Hale, in north-east London, is a densely populated neighbourhood undergoing regeneration. The area immediately to the east is topographically complex, with various reservoirs and waterways running along a north-south axis, allowing few routes from east to west. Many areas of land are cut off by water, hindering their regeneration.

Hale Wharf is one of these isolated areas. As the proposed site of 500 new homes and commercial space, a new east-west pedestrian and cycle route is essential.

British Waterways secured growth area funding (GAFII) to commission and build a pedestrian bridge early in 2006. This included access to free advice from CABE enablers, professionals who have relevant experience and can help project clients achieve high quality design.

The new bridge had to comply with the council-led regeneration masterplan for the area and involved a large number of stakeholders with conflicting views. Consequently, it proved impossible to both commission a high quality design that all parties agreed to and build the bridge within the strict two-year funding window.

British Waterways felt that CABE’s enabling advice was beneficial in helping to procure a good design and in reaching agreement between the stakeholders.

How CABE enabling helped

• facilitated a number of meetings with key project stakeholders
• produced a paper clarifying the issues to be resolved, outlining the interests of stakeholders and recommending actions
• commented on the design competition brief
• advised on the jury, selection process and selection criteria
• helped select a design team for the delivery of the project
• commented on design proposals
• supported negotiations with the Environment Agency, the Lea Valley Regional Park Authority and the short-listed design teams.