Forum Newsletter – May 2026
Join us for the Forum’s Annual General Meeting
12 noon, Sat. 4th July @ Bow Idea Store
1 Gladstone Place E3 (opposite Tesco)
Support the Forum and help shape the future of Bow
Link to the event on facebook
- Thanks to all our readers for your support over the past year. This has seen significant planning challenges, including:
- the proposed redevelopment of Bow Wharf, rejected for now by the Council
- recent proposals for housing at Chisenhale Art Place and the large Council owned site joining William Place and Bow Idea Store.
- concerns over much needed infrastructure being under-funded, and the local community not having a meaningful say in determining local priorities.
- We invite you to join us for a short meeting at: 12 pm, Sat. 4th July at Bow Idea Store (opposite Tesco), where we will:
- report on the past year and current issues,
- elect the Forum committee for the year ahead,
- share concerns together about our neighbourhood
- The coming year will be key in addressing current and emerging issues. Your active involvement will strengthen our impact.
- Our committee meets in person quarterly, on a weekday evening.
If you would like to serve on the committee, we would be delighted to hear from you:
Please send a short email to the address below saying why you would like to join the committee and what you think you can contribute.
Please feel free to ask any questions you may have about the Forum.
Clare House, Hawthorn Avenue, E3 5PY
The present 22 storey Clarion owned building will be replaced by:
- two 4-5 storey buildings,
- a 23 storey tower providing 145 new residential dwellings and community floorspace,
- disabled car parking spaces and cycle parking,
- 100% homes for social rent, half will be family sized.
Work recently started on the demolition of the existing building by Erith Contractors, who won the £3 million contract for the job. A detailed Demolition Management Plan will help ensure safe working at every stage. Erith expect to complete demolition by around the end of November.
Marshals will install concertina barriers across footpaths on Hawthorn Ave. to prevent pedestrian movements across the site entrance as vehicles are accessing or exiting the site. No vehicle movements will be planned outside of site operating hours 0800h – 1800h with the exception of abnormal loads.
Activities with the potential to generate dust will be visually monitored throughout the day, and water used to damp material down.
Erith are committed to work with all stakeholders, and if you have any questions, concerns or feedback they have a dedicated email address: Clarehouseresidents@erith.com
The site manager is Chris Rawlinson, Mob: 077785 455343
Mini-excavators have been lifted by crane onto the roof of the building. Their breaking hammers will pulverise the roof slab, before the excavators move down to the floor below using a ramp of broken-up material. They will then demolish that floor slab, and so on, moving down through successive floors, using a ramp of hardcore from each floor to reach the floor below.
Demolition materials will be dropped down a well-hole on the south side of the building into bins, dust being damped down with water.
Once the demolition of Clare House has reached 4th Floor, the remaining structures will be demolished using larger demolition plant at ground level.
Lorries taking material away will be covered to help prevent dust spreading.
On a typical demolition project, Erith would expect to return between 95% and 98% of materials (by weight) to the recycling process from the fabric of the buildings themselves (i.e. concrete, bricks, steel and other metals). Some material will be mechanically crushed on site and used for the foundations of the new buildings.