London Mayor's passing on Walthamstow decision makes redevelopment likely

Johnson said he would allow Waltham Forest Council, which has said it was minded to approve the plans, to determine the application itself.

The plans include the development of 294 homes, 20% of which will be affordable. Waltham Forest Council approved the application in May this year and it was then referred to the Mayor of London for approval under the Town and Country Planning Act, as the development has over 150 units. Johnson referred the application back to the Council, saying in his decision report (41-page / 3.31MB PDF) that he did not "wish to direct refusal" or to "take over the application" for his own determination.

"I share the sadness of many about the demise of dog racing from this historic corner of London," said Johnson. "However, I believe this proposal will provide a major boost for Walthamstow, creating new jobs and new homes, many of which will be affordable and attract desperately needed new investment into the area."

"Whilst no viable plan has been put forward to bring racing back I am pleased the new development will preserve many of the historic elements of the stadium including a sprint circuit along the route of the old track. In addition a huge £2 million contribution to the surrounding community has been secured from the developer which will deliver vastly improved local sports and leisure facilities for generations of east Londoners to enjoy," Johnson said.

The plans have been met with resistance among local residents. Campaign group Save Our Stow, which campaigns to get dog racing reintroduced to the stadium, has claimed that the plans are not viable and will result in a £26 million loss. The plans have also been criticised for the volume of affordable housing in them, which falls far below the Council's guideline figure of 50%.

The Council published a full viability assessment (26-page / 569KB PDF) for the scheme earlier this month as demanded by the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO). The direction followed a request by Save Our Stow under the Freedom of Information Act because the redacted viability assessment published by the Council lacked information on cost and viability. Figures in the assessment showed that L&Q could make a £14.5m loss from the scheme.

The Secretary of State (SoS) can call in the application for his determination within 21 days of the Mayor's decision. The Council will not be able to grant permission until after this period. If the SoS calls in the application, it will go to public inquiry before a decision is made.