BOLD #6

BOLD BARKING AND DAGENHAM

Wider reach Perfect picture: Studios and support for artists Rolling river: culture and housing along the riverside Top town: the transformation of Barking’s centre

Barking and Dagenham

ISSUE 6 SPRING 2016

Issue 6 Spring 2016 boldmagazine.co.uk

Creating for the future One of the country’s leading developers is investing for the long term in Barking and Dagenham.

Look out for exciting new places and high-quality homes for everyone to enjoy.

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR: Siobhán Crozier EDITORS: Maria Shahid, James Wood REPORTER: Marco Cillario HEAD OF DESIGN: Rachael Schofield ART DIRECTION: Smallfury Designs PRODUCTION ASSISTANT: Christopher Hazeldine BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR: Paul Gussar BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGERS: Shelley Cook, Chris Joyce PROJECT MANAGER: Sue Mapara SUBSCRIPTIONS MANAGER: Simon Maxwell MANAGING DIRECTOR: Toby Fox

CONTENTS

COVER IMAGE: The Ice House Quarter by David Tothill IMAGES: Emil Charlaff, David Tothill, Levitt Bernstein / Allies and Morrison, Countryside, SEGRO, ninety90 / Studio Egret West. Delvendahl Martin Architects / Practice Diary, Studio 3 Arts, View Pictures / Peter Cook, Lindhill, Broadway Malyan, RMA Architects, ©Tim Crocker 2011, Lifschutz Davidson Sandilands PRINTED BY: Park Communications PUBLISHED BY: 3Fox International Southbank House Black Prince Road London SE1 7SJ 3foxinternational.com 020 7978 6840

5 NEWS

27 MAP AND PROJECTS

50 HOUSING

A round-up of the latest news from the borough

Estate renewal and opening up the riverside – the latest on regeneration schemes across the borough

With a revised masterplan for the huge Barking Riverside scheme soon to be announced, why is now the perfect time to invest in the borough?

11 ART AND CULTURE

For the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham David Harley, group manager (economic development and sustainable communities) Town Hall, 1 Town Square Barking IG11 7LU boldmagazine.co.uk © 3Fox International Limited 2016. All material is strictly copyright and all rights are reserved.

Reproduction in whole or in part without the written permission of 3Fox International Limited is strictly forbidden. The greatest care has been taken to ensure the accuracy of information in this magazine at time of going to press, but we accept no responsibility for omissions or errors. The views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of 3Fox International Limited.

Shakespeare plays and a growing cultural quarter – the borough is working hard to attract London’s artists and designers

36 GROWTH COMMISSION

Decision-makers driving Barking and Dagenham’s regeneration discuss the developments and the thinking behind the 21 TOWN CENTRE soon to be published Benefits to being in Barking Growth Commission report town centre are many and developments taking shape are enabling the 44 MARKETS transformation to continue Facts and figures

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summarise the achievements of this east London borough 46 EDUCATION The council is addressing the challenges of the primary schools’ expansion programme head on

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54 SITEMATCH An area rich in history and diversity, Barking is becoming an increasingly popular destination for those seeking London’s next opportunity area

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Countryside is proud to be supporting barking and dagenham CounCil at mipim 2016 left and right: Cgis of new homes and train station at beam park.

We are delighted to have been chosen, together with l&Q, to build up to 3,000 homes, a new railway station on the C2C line, a primary school, swimming pool and other community facilities on the 71.7 acre site.

Countryside works in partnership with public and private sector organisations to regenerate housing estates and to secure the provision of high quality mixed-use and mixed-tenure schemes. our projects are developed with local authorities, housing associations and local communities and we regard partnering as key to delivering this. We have undertaken more than 45 estate regeneration schemes since the 1980s and we have been building new homes in london and the south east since 1958.

Cgi of new homes and pharmacy at becontree heath, to be delivered by november 2019.

For further information please visit: www.countryside-properties.com

BOLD News

NEWS Mayor selects Beam Park developers Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, has selected Countryside and London and Quadrant (L&Q) Housing Trust to redevelop Beam Park – the site of a former and now derelict Ford factory plant in Dagenham.

The 29-ha scheme will see 3,000 homes, a new train station on the C2C line and community facilities developed.

The Greater London Authority said the homes will be mixed tenure, with over 35% allocated as affordable and a significant proportion available for shared ownership.

Johnson said: “This impressive site hid one of the biggest secrets ahead of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, when it was used for opening ceremony rehearsals, and it is now set to be transformed into a thriving new neighbourhood.”

Countryside and L&Q were selected from a shortlist of four options, as part of the London Development Panel procurement process, which was set up by the mayor to accelerate the delivery of housing in London.

The new train station will be open by 2020 and will enable people to reach central London in 20 minutes. Improved routes for pedestrians and cyclists will also be developed.

Leader of Barking and Dagenham Council, Councillor Darren Rodwell, said: “Barking and Dagenham, as London’s growth opportunity, has a crucial role to play in meeting London’s increasing housing and infrastructure needs. Beam Park is one of seven growth hubs in our borough, which will deliver 35,000 homes and 10,000 jobs.

“This scheme will provide much needed regeneration and investment to south Dagenham, creating a vibrant and exciting new neighbourhood.”

REACHING HIGH AT GOLF KINGDOM A freefall and hand gliding facility – the Walltopia Rollglider – has been proposed as an exciting addition to the Golf Kingdom leisure attraction in Barking and Dagenham, which it is hoped will arrive in time for the school summer holidays.

The Rollglider is a cross between a rollercoaster and a zip wire and is in its design phase, with a planning application scheduled for submission imminently.

It includes both outdoor and indoor lines, which will see people suspended from harnesses. The attraction is being marketed as “offering high levels of adrenaline in a safe environment”.

Plans for the new attraction have been drawn up since Golf Kingdom managing director Kate Cooper was appointed around six months ago. Other facilities at the attraction include adventure golf and foot golf, which combines football with the sport – participants use their feet instead of a club to guide a ball into a hole.

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BOLD News

Historic pub declared a community asset A Dagenham pub where rock bands Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd and The Velvet Underground once played has been classified as a ‘community asset’ by Barking and Dagenham Council.

The Roundhouse is located on Lodge Avenue. Its new status means the owners will have to notify the council before selling up – local community groups will then be able to make an offer.

The decision by the council was in response to an application for the community’s right to bid for an asset of community value. It was nominated by the South West Essex branch of CAMRA – (Campaign for Real Ale).

THOUSANDS OF JOBS AT EAST PLUS SCHEME Real estate investment trust Segro has announced its East Plus scheme in London Riverside has the potential to create 6,500 jobs.

The project will support around 426,720sq m of urban logistics and light industrial space, suitable for occupiers ranging from blue-chip companies to startup firms.

Building work on the first phase will begin in late 2016. The project will be delivered in partnership with the Greater London Authority (GLA) and is the largest deal of its kind between the public sector and a private land developer in the capital.

Segro, chosen by the GLA after a nine-month selection process, will carry out the redevelopment of five industrial locations spanning Newham, Barking and Dagenham and Havering over a 10-year period.

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The land will be transferred by the GLA in stages over the life of the partnership. The plans mean that 99% of all GLA land has now been released for development.

Segro’s investment is expected to be around £180 million over the coming years.

Knight Frank, Glenny and Lambert Smith Hampton have been appointed as the agents for the development.

The mayor of London, Boris Johnson, announced the plans at the beginning of October 2015. He said: "London's population is at a record high and people are increasingly looking to the east as a place to live and work.

"This site has bags of potential and I can see it becoming one of the most sought after addresses for industry – whether large or small."

Bungalows for elderly and disabled Barking and Dagenham Council was due to finish work on 29 bungalows for elderly and disabled residents by the end of February.

As well as the benefits of assisted living provided at the bungalows, the local authority said that people moving into specialist units will free up council homes for those on the waiting list.

In 2015, 37 such bungalows were opened in the borough, which made 56 bedrooms available. The next 29 homes will free up 45 bedrooms.

Deputy leader and cabinet member for housing, Councillor Saima Ashraf, said: “We are building high-quality council homes to meet the needs of our residents – these bungalows are an important part of that mix.”

BOLD News

Cambridge Road homes approved Swan Housing Group has received planning permission to deliver 274 homes in four interlinked residential towers of up to 26 storeys.

The project, on a Cambridge Road site that has been vacant since 2004, is part of the wider regeneration of Barking town centre.

It was designed by architects Studio Egret West and will be built

by NU living, Swan’s construction business. The curved buildings will be close to Barking station.

Barking and Dagenham’s Development Control Board granted permission for the project, which is now subject to a stage two referral from the mayor of London.

Located within the Barking housing zone area, funding is expected from the mayor of London’s office for the project. Shared ownership will be available for 49 of the properties. Priority for these will

be given to the residents of Barking and Dagenham.

Geoff Pearce, Swan’s executive director of development and regeneration, said: “This landmark scheme will bring a long-vacant site back into use while delivering highquality architecture.

“We are looking forward to working with our partners to contribute to the exciting regeneration happening in Barking and Dagenham.”

Swan worked in partnership with planning consultancy Iceni Projects on the plans, which received almost unanimous support at the planning committee and additional support from the Greater London Authority.

Councillor Cameron Geddes, cabinet member for regeneration, said: “This is one of the cornerstones of our housing zone scheme and will help boost the supply of quality homes in the town.”

Becontree Heath development partner selected Countryside and Newlon Housing Trust have been chosen by Barking and Dagenham Council to deliver a residential-led development in Becontree Heath.

Proposals for the scheme are for six parcels of land between Barking and Dagenham Civic Centre and the Becontree Heath Leisure Centre.

The project includes 141 homes, public realm improvements, a pharmacy and a bus station.

Barking and Dagenham’s cabinet member for regeneration, Councillor Cameron Geddes, said: “The selection of Countryside and Newlon Housing Trust as our preferred bidder is an important step towards the regeneration of the estate and the council’s commitment to ultimately deliver thousands of much-needed new homes across the borough.”

The properties will be available for private sale, shared ownership and rent, and range from family houses to apartments with courtyard gardens and balconies.

Of these, 10% will be accessible for wheelchair users.

Stitch Architects has designed the scheme. Countryside and Newlon will now consult with the community and further develop the proposals before the outline planning application is submitted.

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BOLD News

Studios for artists

Borough among London’s most affordable for housing Barking and Dagenham is among the 10 top-performing locations in the capital in 2015 for housing price growth, yet remains one of the most affordable London boroughs.

Property market expert CBRE Residential published its ‘Hot 100’ research, outlining details of last year’s London residential market.

Barking and Dagenham is placed third among London’s best performing boroughs, with a price

growth of 12%. Only Newham (16%) and Hillingdon (13%) have seen a bigger rise.

Despite this growth, the borough is still one of the 10 most affordable areas to buy in, although it fell from first to 10th place in the CBRE list.

London’s house prices grew by seven per cent and, in contrast to recent years, the outer boroughs outperformed the central areas, the research said.

CASH FOR CARE A healthy ageing innovation centre in Barking received £1.7 million in funding a few days after it opened.

Care City, a research and education site launched on 18 January 2016 in Maritime House on Linton Road, is one of seven initiatives to receive funding as an innovation test bed.

The investment was announced by NHS chief executive Simon Stevens at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, at the end of January.

Jointly founded by North East London NHS Foundation Trust and the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham, Care City aims to bring

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together social care organisations and the technology sector to explore solutions to problems associated with old age.

Anne Bristow, deputy chief executive of the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham, said: “Care City will be the place where things will happen in health and social care across our local communities.”

Care City, which also operates across Havering, Redbridge and Waltham Forest, is due to move to its permanent home on the site of the former Abbey Road Sports Centre in 2019.

Studios next to the River Roding will soon be ready for artists and designers in Barking.

Bow Arts Trust, which specialises in providing arts and creative services, is providing around 1,200sq m of workspace in Ice House Court on the River Roding. It aims to launch the facilities in April 2016 and applications are now open for the studios.

The site will supply studio space for about 20 individual creative practices, at what Bow Arts said will be an affordable rate. The aim is to help new and established artists to flourish.

The scheme is supported by the Mayor of London’s High Street Fund and is part of Barking and Dagenham Council’s plans to become London’s first Creative Industries Zone, providing units for affordable rent with shared facilities and workspace for artists.

Councillor Darren Rodwell, leader of Barking and Dagenham Council, said: “The creative industries are struggling to survive in the old east end artists’ hotspots of Shoreditch, Bethnal Green and Dalston thanks to ridiculous sky-high rents.

“It’s why many are looking further east past Bow and on to Barking. As an ambitious council, we know how valuable the creative industries are socially, culturally and economically.

“It’s why we are bidding to make Barking the capital’s first Creative Industries Zone.”

Newlon Housing Trust – working in partnership with the London Borough of Barking & Dagenham

Newlon Housing Trust has an excellent track record for regenerating communities and providing award-winning new affordable housing. We are proud to be working in partnership with Countryside in the London Borough of Barking & Dagenham.

For more information please visit: www.newlon.org.uk

BOLD Art and culture

Duffy London is an innovative, designled furniture-maker based at Barking’s Creative Quarter.

Tip of the iceberg With an ever-evolving cultural quarter and a bid to become the capital’s first Creative Industries Zone, Barking and Dagenham is clearly passionate about the arts. And now a spectacular promenade production of The Merchant of Venice is due to take place, as Maria Shahid finds out 11

BOLD Art and culture

SET ON THE River Roding, the Ice House Quarter epitomises just how seriously Barking and Dagenham views the arts. Home to heritage buildings such as the Malthouse, the Boathouse and the Granary, as well as the Abbey Ruins, the increasingly popular Creative Quarter is about to benefit from the addition of another innovative workspace for artists and designers. Ice House Court fronts the Boathouse, and has been let to the Bow Arts Trust, which is hoping to have it ready for occupation in midMarch 2016.

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Bow Arts Trust is a registered charity that aims to support community renewal in east London by delivering arts and creative services.

It won a tender to create 500sq m of studio space for artists and designers on the ground floor of Ice House Court, which is owned by the council, providing much-needed affordable workspace for around 20 to 25 individual practices.

The scheme is supported by the London mayor’s High Street Fund and is part of the council’s drive to make Barking and Dagenham the next big cultural destination in the east.

Michael Cubey is the head of creative workspaces at Bow Arts – the charity’s other sites are in Newham and Tower Hamlets. He explains how it works: “Our business model is to make sure that any surplus that we have goes back to funding our educational projects across more than 80 schools which we work with.”

Each site has its own unique flavour, adds Cubey, with the aim of creating spaces where people can connect with each other.

Delvendahl Martin Architects has been appointed to design the internal studio layout and design of Ice House Court. “Our aim is to create an affordable, open and flexible space, and to animate the building by involving the local community,” explains Cubey. “We want to create a busy, striking look from the outside, with regular displays in the floor to ceiling windows by our artists.

“The priority is local Barking and Dagenham artists and designers looking for affordable workspace, and we’re keen to hear from anyone looking for space.”

The council submitted a bid, unveiled in October 2015, to become London’s first Creative Industries Zone (CIZ) and was recently awarded £250,000 from the mayor’s London Regeneration Fund.

The bid seeks to build on Barking’s existing offer for creative industries by providing some striking additions in the form of innovative, affordable

BOLD Art and culture

workspace and living accommodation, enhanced facilities and improved networks and support.

As part of its proposal, the council is working with a number of partners across various sites to make sure that Barking’s full potential is unlocked (see box on page 16).

Councillor Darren Rodwell, leader of Barking and Dagenham Council, commented at the time of the bid’s launch in October: “The creative industries are struggling to survive in the old east end artist hotspots of Shoreditch, Bethnal Green and Dalston thanks to sky-high rents.

“It’s why many are looking further east past Bow and on to Barking. As an ambitious council we know how valuable the creative industries are socially, culturally and economically.

It’s why we are bidding to make Barking the capital’s first Creative Industries Zone.”

The CIZ is only one aspect of the borough’s cultural ambitions. Funded

by Arts Council England and Barking and Dagenham Council, Creative Barking and Dagenham (CBD) is a six-year project running until 2018 for people living, working and socialising in Barking and Dagenham.

Studio 3 Arts is the lead organisation for the delivery of CBD, along with a consortium consisting of community youth support group A New Direction, Barking and Dagenham Council, Barking and Dagenham CVS and Tahlia Coombs, a local resident and heritage expert.

CBD will receive £735,000 from Arts Council England over the next three years through the latest round of its Creative People and Places Programme. This is in addition to the £838,000 the project initially received.

The new funds will enable ambitious plans for 2016 to 2019, including a summer and winter festival programme; artist residencies; commissioning creative activity led by local individuals and organisations; a continuing professional development programme, and the further development of the already popular

Cultural Connectors network, a group of about 120 local people with an interest in arts and culture.

Liza Vallance is artistic director at Studio 3 Arts. She says that a celebration of what CBD has achieved so far took place at the end of January at the Broadway Theatre. This was also used as an opportunity for stakeholders and the public to give their views on the business plan for CBD for the next three years.

With art, film, food and performances from some of the artists the borough has been working with, the event included the premiere of Close and Remote’s new road movie commissioned by CBD, We Are What We Are, which is about the last 50 years of working lives in Barking and Dagenham.

Vallance is passionate about arts and culture in Barking and Dagenham, and has been working in the borough for 15 years. Studio 3 Arts is a creative venue for artists, communities and individuals that work in all art forms in collaboration with local communities. Based at a community-curated arts

Granary resident

Duffy London (above) is one of the businesses at the Granary. The furniture-maker has design and eco-credentials and everything is handmade to order by craftspeople using sustainable wood and other eco-friendly materials.

Duffy London’s innovative and quirky designs spring from the mind of Christopher Duffy, a design graduate from Brighton University, who also draws on his talented designers and manufacturers.

Its designs have appeared in interior design magazines such as Harper’s Bazaar Interiors, Wallpaper and Elle Decoration, as well as on several TV programmes.

Left: BD Reside’s scheme at Abbey Road by Bouygues Development forms part of Barking’s Creative Quarter, which already houses a number of artists and designers.

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BOLD Art and culture

Studio 3 Arts is about reducing barriers to engagement in the arts. A theatre can be a scary place if you don’t know the rules centre in the Gascoigne estate area, it comprises a gallery, performance space, music studio, meeting room and reference library, kitchen, bar and ‘living room’ foyer.

A pocket park has also been created in the venue, transforming the existing garden into a tranquil outdoor space with sculptures by artist Jonny Stockbridge and vegetables grown by the pupils of the local Gascoigne Primary School.

Vallance says that part of CBD’s and Studio 3’s role is to challenge

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perceptions about Barking and Dagenham and to put the area on the cultural map.

“We’re going to be putting on a promenade production of The Merchant of Venice this summer on the streets of Barking,” she explains.

“It’s one of my favourite Shakespeare plays and coincides with the 400-year anniversary of his death.

“A lot of the themes from it have played out in Barking and Dagenham.

We are at the tipping point of a lot of economic regeneration here, but it’s

still a pretty tough borough to live in for many. We’re also a very ethnically diverse borough that came together to oust the racist ideology of the BNP – there are so many parallels with The Merchant of Venice and the themes that play out in it.”

The play will start at the Broadway theatre, then travel through the town centre, with the final scene taking place at the council chambers. “Studio 3 Arts is really about reducing barriers to engagement in the arts. A theatre can be a scary place if you don’t know the rules of the game. By performing The Merchant of Venice in a public space we are hoping to overcome those fears,” adds Vallance.

The London mayor has pledged £10,000 towards the project as part of his High Street Fund, and Studio 3 Arts is raising the rest through crowdfunding. Benson Elliot provided the gap funding to ensure the project can proceed as planned.

Residents with a Barking and Dagenham postcode will get first dibs on tickets, with 70% specially set aside for them.

Following the success of the summer of events organised in 2015 to coincide with the borough’s 50th anniversary, attended by around 100,000 people, the council has already announced a Summer of Festivals programme for 2016.

In 2015, an event took place nearly every weekend over the summer, featuring the first ever Barking Folk Festival, headlined by Barking local Billy Bragg. The event attracted more than 15,000 people over two days in July.

And the Ice House Quarter itself is, as always, playing a pivotal role in Barking and Dagenham’s cultural offer. Managed and owned by construction company Rooff, the venue offers affordable studio space for those who are engaged in the creative industries.

“We are entering a new phase of post-construction work linked to completion of the original masterplan, with more studios being added to

BOLD Art and culture

Magnetic field

Hadrian Garrard is director of Create London, an arts organisation that works to explore how artists can contribute to communities. It has been involved in a number of projects in Barking and Dagenham, including a mural at the Becontree estate by artist Chad McCail (below right), and is currently working on the renovation of the White House, Edwin Hardy Amies’ former home, on the same estate. Hardy Amies is perhaps best known as a former official dressmaker for the Queen.

One of Create London’s other commissions in the borough is The Idol, Marvin Gaye Chetwynd’s permanent indoor play area for the Abbey Leisure Centre, bringing art into the social space of a public facility (pictured right).

Garrard explains what attracted Create London to the borough: “Barking and Dagenham has an amazing history. It is well known that artists are leaving London because they just can’t afford to live here any more.

“Artists really bring something to a community, and there’s a great opportunity for the borough to attract that creative talent by making it a place where they can afford to live as well as work.”

He believes that what is needed is a bold pilot scheme: “If we can get that right, there’s an opportunity to make a strong statement about the borough being a great place for artists to live.”

Far left: Studio 3 Arts is about to put on a promenade production of The Merchant of Venice.

the overall offer at the Ice House Quarter,” explains Steve Drury, Rooff’s development director.

“The Bouygues and council-owned residential element of the Creative Quarter masterplan has now been completed, and the contractor has left the site so this now frees up more studio space for creative use in the Malthouse,” he continues.

“Occupation of the residential

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BOLD Art and culture Left: The Boathouse forms part of the Ice House Quarter, and houses a cafe bar, which is about to go to tender for a permanent operator.

Further Barking Creative Industries Zone proposals Cambridge Road Creative Arts Hub and Bath House Barking permanent home

units, along with the completed new riverside walkway and open space, mark the end of a long journey, which Rooff began back in 2010 with the start of works on the Granary restoration project,” explains Drury. “Now that the majority of the physical infrastructure has been completed, we can really get to work on developing the Ice House Quarter as an established creative place for people to use. The physical buildings themselves form only one part of the story and we are really excited that more people can now visit and work here or come for leisure and share in the atmosphere.”

Also on Abbey Road, on the waterfront, is a proposed Weston Homes development of 118 apartments. The developer has been working closely with the council with the aim of creating an extension to the Ice House Quarter.

It all bodes well for Barking’s creative aspirations.

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As part of the Barking Housing Zone, the council is working with Swan New Homes’ construction arm, NU living, on a key gateway site to deliver homes, as well as a ground floor space, which would provide a creative arts hub including a permanent home for the Bath House Barking.

The council is in discussions with a number of arts organisations, which would add to the town’s creative industries offer.

Planning approval has been secured and work is due to start on-site this year.

Linton Road – workspace and artist living accommodation Behind Barking Enterprise Centre, a council-owned vacant site will be developed to provide affordable living and workspace for budding artists and creative designers.

Create London will work with the council on ensuring that the space meets artists’ requirements and that they are attracted through high-quality design. This project has secured London Regeneration Fund monies.

www.be-here.co.uk Part of the Willmott Dixon Group

Everyone’s talking about the problems with renting.

We’re solving them. be:here is a new approach to the private rented sector.

• We create vibrant new communities and then ensure they act as catalysts for local regeneration • Our homes are designed specifically for rent. For example our 2 beds have two equal sized bedrooms that both enjoy en-suite bathrooms • We have an on-site management team who resolve any issues as soon as they arise and look after the buildings

be:here Barking coming in 2018

• We provide a range of additional facilities and services that makes people’s lives easier such as superfast broadband, extra storage and dry cleaning • All of our charges are fair and transparent In short we’ve looked at every aspect of the rental experience and created a complete package that offers renters a distinctly better deal. be:here schemes also available in East India (letting now), Hayes (Summer 2016) and Kew (2018).

A new Sainsbury’s for Barking The first phase of the exciting regeneration of the Abbey Retail Park by Estates & Agency Properties Ltd for a new Sainsbury’s has now received planning consent from the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham.

The development will make a significant contribution to the on-going regeneration of Barking, and will create up to 450 new full-time and part-time jobs.

For further enquiries please contact Alun Hayes on 020 3725 3842 or email ahayes@iceniprojects.com

Estates & Agency Group has a strong track record of successful involvement in Barking. Through continued investment, Estates & Agency is making a significant contribution to the ongoing regeneration of the Borough.

Sites Previously Developed by E&A

Current Property Holdings

A

Roding House Cambridge Road

E

Maritime House 1 Linton Road

1

Abbey Retail Park Abbey Road, Barking

B

Central House Cambridge Road

F

50-74 Station Parade Barking

2

Clock House East Street, Barking

C

Focal House 12/18 Station Parade

G

Radial House Ripple Road

D

Trocoll House Wakering Road

Capital Trading Estate Alfred’s Way (not on map)

At East Thames we are • Over 1,579 state-of-the-art dedicated to supporting the new homes with capacity to egeneration East London At EastofThames we are over 5,500 people • house Over 1,579 state-of-the-art dedicated the and Essex, whichtoissupporting why we’re newschools homes with capacity to • Two of with East London over 5,500 people proud toregeneration be working the • A house community centre Essex, of which is why we’re • Two schools London and Borough Barking • Retail and office spaces proud to be working with the • A community centre and Dagenham and theoflocal • • Green London Borough Barking Retail spaces, and officeincluding spaces THAMES community on the regeneration of publicspaces, squareincluding and Dagenham and the local • a Green THAMES he Gascoigne Estate deliver: of • Children’s community on thetoregeneration play areas. a public square the Gascoigne Estate to deliver:

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East Thames. Making a positive and lasting East Thames. Making a positive and lasting ontribution to the neighbourhoods in which we work. contribution to the neighbourhoods in which we work.

www.east-thames.co.uk www.east-thames.co.uk

THAMES

THAMES

THAMES THAMES

BOLD Town centre

Streets ahead With a raft of transformative schemes poised to unfold, Barking town centre is set for substantial redevelopment.

Lucy Purdy unpicks the proposals

RECENT MONTHS HAVE seen a flurry of activity in Barking and Dagenham Council’s planning office, as a host of major applications for Barking town centre have been lodged. They make for exciting reading, collectively marking a wave of redevelopment and change about which residents can be as excited as the council is.

Proposals from the likes of be:here, Benson Elliot, East Thames and Swan Housing are not all: the borough heard in January that the mayor of London had pledged £250,000 from the London Regeneration Fund – a pot that the council has pledged to match

fund to the tune of £3.83 million.

The money will fund proposals for a Creative Industries Zone, which includes turning a vacant councilowned site behind the Barking Enterprise Centre into affordable, sustainable and flexible work and living space for artists. It will also help consolidate the borough’s growing reputation as a hub for arts and culture, one kickstarted by the Ice House Quarter on the River Roding.

Announcing the funding, London mayor and chair of the London Enterprise Panel, Boris Johnson, said: “High streets and town centres

Above: As one of the capital’s housing zones, Barking town centre is about to undergo a major transformation.

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BOLD Town centre

the length and breadth of London are hives of economic activity fuelled by creative minds. It’s important that we make sure they continue to meet the needs of a rapidly evolving city and the talented people who are key to its future success.”

Town centres such as Barking will be key. Just 15 minutes from the City, it is one of the council’s seven growth hubs and also one of the capital’s first housing zones. The 97-ha housing zone is central to realising Barking’s full potential, culturally as well as economically. It will host more than

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4,000 new homes and create 2,000 jobs, as well as improved public spaces and new cultural and leisure facilities. Council leader Darren Rodwell said at the time: “A housing zone for Barking will enable faster delivery of new housing.”

Things certainly seem to be speeding up in that respect. Swan Housing received the green light to build four interlinked residential towers in Barking in January 2016, the tallest of which will be 26 storeys high.

Set to start construction this year, the scheme on Cambridge Road will

deliver 274 new homes, at least 49 of which will be available for shared ownership. Priority will be given to the borough’s residents. A large, flexible commercial unit on the ground floor will be used as a creative arts hub.

In addition, a play area has been included in the plans.

“It is one of the key sites in the town centre, adjacent to the station as you arrive in Barking. Therefore, it will be seen by everyone travelling to or through Barking,” says Geoff Pearce, executive director of regeneration and development at Swan Housing.

The project has been designed by architect Studio Egret West and includes a curved building envelope that will bring a new landmark to the area around Barking station.

Lucas Lawrence, director at Studio Egret West, promises “memorable curved forms, panoramic views generous balconies and a palette of high-quality materials”.

“We are gearing up to a start on-site this year with completion scheduled by 2019,” Pearce says. “This is an exceptional scheme and it represents a real investment in Barking by Swan.

“This is an important area for us to invest in. Town centres such as Barking have a great mix of education, cultural, leisure and retail opportunities and with this scheme we are enhancing both the cultural and residential offer for Barking.”

Councillor Cameron Geddes, cabinet member for regeneration at Barking and Dagenham Council, describes it as one of the “cornerstones” of the housing zone scheme. “This will help boost the supply of quality homes in the town and will further add to the borough’s housing mix,” he says.

Elsewhere, East Thames Group is working with the council to renew the eastern end of the Gascoigne estate, taking on shared responsibility for funding, design, construction and maintenance of the scheme.

The Gascoigne East masterplan includes 1,575 new properties, a

Left: The BD Reside scheme at Abbey Road, by Bouygues Development, incorporates a landscaped play area.

Right: Swan Housing’s scheme on Cambridge Road starts on-site in 2016.

Below right: East Thames is working with the council on the eastern end of the Gascoigne estate.

mix of affordable rent and privately owned homes of different sizes and types with a secondary and primary school and other non-residential development over the next nine years.

The aspiration is that the Gascoigne will no longer be thought of as an ‘estate’ but rather as a landmark of regeneration in Barking town centre.

Phase one will see the creation of 421 homes, a public square and shops. Designed by Levitt Bernstein architects, this initial swathe will set a precedent for architectural quality for future phases of the 1,575 dwelling masterplan, which was developed by Allies and Morrison.

In August 2015, Bouygues UK was appointed to deliver the next 190 homes. Work began late last year, and the new homes are expected to be ready in late 2017.

East Thames executive director of development, sales and asset management, Trevor Burns, says: “This is a flagship regeneration project that will transform Barking town centre and we’re proud to be delivering such a scheme hand

23

BOLD Town centre

in hand with the council. The first phase of the masterplan has already won a Housing Design Award which is testimony to its innovative and thoughtful design.”

Does Burns believe it is still important to nurture town centres?

In the age of out-of-town shopping centres and the growth of online retail, are they still relevant? “Town centres are vital economic and social hubs and provide communities with a sense of local identity,” he says.

“Barking and Dagenham is one of the east London growth boroughs and the

24

ongoing investment from the council into Barking town centre will ensure that it continues to thrive and remains relevant. East Thames will continue to support them in this key strategic aim through our own investment in the area.”

The town centre’s regeneration received a further boost after a deal was agreed between the council and property specialist Lindhill. The site of the old Abbey Sports Centre is set to be redeveloped to provide 154 private flats, around 2,230sq m of office space for use by Care City – a

healthy ageing innovation centre – a three-screen arthouse cinema and three commercial units to house new restaurants. “We are currently working through the planning process to submit an application in March 2016,” explains Lee Fitzpatrick, director at Lindhill.

“We hope to achieve planning in July or August this year with a view to start on-site by the end of 2016. This site offers the town centre residential units with great access to local amenities and great transport links.

The proposed ground floor uses of cinema and restaurants will make this a destination and, in turn, positively impact and enhance the cultural quarter of Barking town centre as well.

“We are a residential developer and saw this as a fantastic opportunity in a great location. We see Barking and Dagenham as a progressive borough with strong leadership and as a place that is up and coming.

With investment in the town and the affordable property prices, more and more people are looking to live here.”

As the town’s only covered shopping offer, Vicarage Field shopping centre – acquired by Benson Elliot in June 2015 – will also play a leading role.

It is located in the heart of Barking town centre on a 2.1-ha site, held on a long lease from the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham, and home

BOLD Town centre

to the likes of Argos, Subway, Dorothy Perkins, Burtons, Vodafone, Holland & Barrett and Timpsons, as well as longstanding local traders such as Spectacle World, Hot Shots and Vicarage Impressions.

Benson Elliot will look to reposition the retail offer at Vicarage Field, building on the firm’s strong inhouse retail expertise and leveraging occupier relationships developed through the ownership and management of its UK retail portfolio.

The company is confident it can deliver a retail offer which reflects evolving shopping trends and meet the community’s aspirations.

Retail elsewhere in Barking is also being boosted. The council has secured £291,000 from the Mayor of London’s High Street Fund as part of its £1.4 million high street improvement programme for East Street and Barking Market. The programme includes delivering new paving, street lighting and infrastructure which will bring the high street up to the standard of spaces elsewhere in the town centre,

Left: The council has secured funding for a high street improvement programme.

Below: Lindhill’s plans for the old Abbey Sports Centre include a cinema, flats and office space.

The ongoing investment from the council into Barking town centre will ensure it continues to thrive

such as Short Blue Place and Barking Town Square.

“The market brings an energy and activity to East Street,” says Alex Jeremy, regeneration officer at the council, “and so to the town centre in general”. A revised back-to-back stall layout is being designed to create a neater appearance and improve pedestrian flow to nearby high street shops and spaces.

High Street Fund money has also delivered The Barking Food Court, a pop-up restaurant and cinema based in the former magistrates court on East Street, a Grade II-listed building which is currently being redeveloped for residential and retail use.

Created by design practice The Decorators and artist Verity-Jane Keefe, The Barking Food Court was furnished by students from the local Technical Skills Academy, while local restaurants and food vendors hosted lunches and evenings alongside themed films and evening activities.

Whichever way you look at it, Barking town centre’s time has come.

25

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BOLD Projects

PROJECTS Estate renewal, Becontree Heath Developers Countryside and Newlon Housing Trust have been selected by Barking and Dagenham Council for the regeneration of Becontree Heath, which involves building 141 homes for a mix of private and shared ownership plus affordable rental homes.

Stitch Architects has designed a blueprint which, among other objectives, aims to tackle problems of poor legibility and a car dominated public realm.

With positive new interventions in recent years – the leisure centre in particular, with the busiest swimming pool in the country – a catalyst has been provided for the transformation of the space into a traditional “piece of town”, characterised by streets designed for all users, and framed by the active frontages of attractive new buildings accommodating high-quality new homes.

The homes will create a link across six parcels of land that run between the leisure centre and civic centre and connect to the 40-hectare Central Park.

The plans also include new pedestrian links, landscaping, additional play areas and parking provision.

The next phase of the project will see Countryside and Newlon, together with the council, undertake community consultation sessions to further develop the proposals before the outline planning application is submitted.

Cabinet member for regeneration, Councillor Cameron Geddes, said: “The selection of Countryside and Newlon Housing Trust as our preferred bidder for the Becontree Heath scheme is an important step towards the regeneration of the estate and the council’s commitment to ultimately deliver thousands of much needed new homes across the borough.”

indhill’s L Barking site Barking and Dagenham’s town centre regeneration project will benefit greatly from developer Lindhill’s plans for a three-screen art house cinema, new restaurants, office space for Care City (a healthy ageing innovation centre set up by North East London NHS Foundation Trust and the council) and 147 private flats to be created on the old Abbey Sports Centre site.

The deal for the site was agreed last year between the council and property specialist Lindhill. A planning application for the £50 million scheme is expected to be submitted in early spring with hopes that construction will start in late summer 2016.

Councillor Darren Rodwell, leader of Barking and Dagenham Council, said: “The scheme will complement other developments in the town square – the Broadway Theatre and the Creative Industries Zone. It represents a significant investment and will contribute towards our longer-term aspirations for a vibrant evening economy in the town centre.”

Gary Fitzpatrick of Lindhill added: “We are confident that this development will enhance and complement the growing requirement for the borough’s aspirations.”

29

BOLD Projects

Beam Park Mayor of London, Boris Johnson announced that Countryside with London and Quadrant Housing Trust (L&Q) will develop 3,000 new homes on the Beam Park site.

The former Ford factory plant was the last site to be released as part of the mayor’s pledge to ensure all unused City Hall-owned land is available for development by the end of his mayoral term in 2016.

Following a planning application in 2016, a site start is targeted for early 2017, which would see the first homes delivered in summer 2018.

The 29-hectare riverside plot will feature a new neighbourhood with a train station on the C2C line, community facilities and 3,000 mixed tenure homes, 35% of which are aimed at being affordable.

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The new train station will open by 2020 and will transport residents to central London (Fenchurch Street) in just 20 minutes. The station is fully funded.

It will be built in partnership between Network Rail, Transport for London and C2C Rail, and has been awarded £9 million from Transport for London’s Growth Fund.

The development will also include improved routes for pedestrians and cyclists. Plans for two energy centres have also been mooted.

Richard Cherry from Countryside, said: “We look forward to working with the GLA and the London Boroughs of Barking and Dagenham and Havering to transform Beam Park into a wellconnected, sustainable place in which people can live, work and socialise.”

BOLD Projects

londoneast-uk A year after SOG launched business and technical park londoneast-uk, it now boasts a diverse range of businesses operating from the site enjoying state-of-the-art facilities.

The seven-hectare plot offers laboratories, scientific manufacturing buildings, offices, conferencing facilities, storage and warehousing.

The first tenant was facilities management specialist Arcus Solutions, which opened a technical training academy just a few weeks after SOG had acquired the site.

In the following months, a number of small businesses took up residence alongside Barking and Dagenham Chamber of Commerce – the visitors centre office block was full by March.

In November 2015, a new programme for construction industry training was established in collaboration with Barking and Dagenham College.

Additionally, film and television production companies have used londoneast-uk and Barking and Dagenham Council’s film department has relocated there.

SOG is now looking to create a ‘post-incubation centre’, offering support services to startups and emerging companies. It is also considering the possibility of creating a dedicated film studio at the site.

Ford Stamping Plant This vast site was home to Ford until it closed in 2013. Now the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham is keen to work with the new owners on planning its regeneration as a new neighbourhood offering up to 2,500 homes.

The site lies adjacent to Beam Park, where there are regeneration plans for 3,000 homes, community facilities and a train station.

31

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BOLD Projects

Gascoigne Estate This area of Barking is set for an ambitious transformation as the estate is brought up to date. The development will include more than 1,500 new homes, a primary and secondary school, community centre, retail and office space, green spaces and play areas.

Planning permission has now been granted for East Thames and the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham’s £41.5 million proposals for the site. The first phase of the project will provide 421 new homes, a medical centre, energy centre and public spaces. Bouygues UK will deliver the first 190 homes and the energy centre.

Construction work started in spring 2015.

The plans, devised by architects Levitt Bernstein and Allies & Morrison, will improve the neighbourhood by offering new facilities and open spaces as well as muchneeded affordable housing. The homes will be a mix of rental, shared ownership and for sale.

The project is due for completion in 2024 and will create hundreds of jobs. The first phase of the scheme won a ‘project award’ at the Housing Design Awards.

Ice House Quarter More improvements are on the horizon at this riverside site for creative industries. The cluster of companies based here is set to expand when the fit out of the ground floor of the front block, by Bow Arts, is completed in April. This new space will deliver additional creative studios for the Ice House Quarter.

The final phase of the residential element of the creative quarter masterplan has been completed. The scheme by Bouygues Development for Barking and Dagenham Council delivered a total of 278 apartments.

The landscaped public space is now complete and open to the public, improving waterside views and offering leisure space in the quarter.

Users of the Malthouse will benefit from upgraded security facilities to give customers peace of mind and the Boathouse Cafe Bar will be tendering for a permanent operator, given the dramatic increase in the number of neighbouring residential units, and therefore customers.

33

BOLD Projects

Barking Riverside

Barking Wharf The southern section of the Abbey Retail Park has been earmarked for new homes. The proposed housing element, designed by Broadway Malyan, will provide 650 private rental properties, which will be delivered by housing specialist be:here.

A planning application for the scheme was submitted in autumn 2015. It is hoped work will start on-site by the end of this year and the first homes will be available for rent in 2017.

Planning consent has been granted for a Sainsbury’s supermarket to be constructed on the northern section of Abbey Retail Park.

New pedestrian routes will also be implemented to link Abbey Green to the River Roding.

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Upon completion, this scheme, one of the UK’s largest regeneration programmes, will deliver a staggering 10,800 homes, 65,500sq m of commercial, retail and leisure space, five new schools, health centres, places of worship, community facilities, public open spaces and green infrastructure.

London and Quadrant is one of the partners in the scheme, delivering housing for the project. The scheme comprises 52 one and two-bedroom waterside apartments for intermediate market rent, a subsidised rental scheme typically offering up to a 20% reduction on market rent to enable first-time buyers to save for an affordable home.

The new homes, designed by RMA Architects and constructed by Bellway, all have a balcony or terrace and a parking space. The development is set in two kilometres of natural landscaped grounds alongside the River Thames.

A public exhibition was held in December 2015 to inform residents about further upcoming developments for the project (see page 50).

BOLD Projects

Find out why Barking and Dagenham is London’s Growth Opportunity at

www.lbbd.gov.uk/londonsgrowthopportunity Jeremy Grint Divisional Director of Regeneration and Economic Development Jeremy.grint@lbbd.gov.uk 020 8227 2443

John East Strategic Director for Growth and Homes John.east@lbbd.gov.uk 020 8227 5124

Daniel Pope Group Manager Development Planning Daniel.pope@lbbd.gov.uk 020 8227 3929

David Harley Group Manager Economic Development and Sustainable Communities David.harley@lbbd.gov.uk 020 8227 5316

boldmagazine.co.uk

www.barking-dagenham.gov.uk

Growth focus Barking and Dagenham has established a Growth Commission, which sets out long-term goals for development and ways in which to engage with the borough’s business community. BOLD brings together senior developers and council representatives to discuss the borough’s future.

Edited by Maria Shahid and James Wood

36

BACK ROW (left to right) Fiona Duncan (FD), head of area, housing, land and property at the GLA: “We have delegated housing zones to areas such as Barking town centre.”

Jeremy Grint (JG), divisional director of regeneration, Barking and Dagenham Council: “I’m responsible for planning, physical regeneration and economic development.”

Toby Fox (TF) [chair], managing director at 3Fox International: “We produce BOLD Magazine with Barking and Dagenham Council.”

Peter Vaughan (PV), director of architect Broadway Malyan: “My involvement is the former Abbey Mills Retail Park site in Barking.”

Olivier Soulier (OS), London director for Bouygues Development: “Most recently, we have worked on the Ice

House Quarter and the London Road mixed-use scheme.”

Peter Cornforth (PC), director of retail, Benson Elliot: “We’re a medium-sized private equity real estate fund and recently purchased Vicarage Field shopping centre.”

Steve Drury (SD), director for Rooff: “We are a local building contractor and developer in the SME/mediumsized market and developers of the Ice House Quarter in the Creative Industries Zone.”

Hadrian Garrard (HG), director of Create London: “We commission artists to deliver projects that actively involve communities.”

Michael Hill (MH), business strategies director, Countryside: “We have worked in east London since 1958 and recently finished Castlegreen Place.”

FRONT ROW (left to right) Trevor Burns (TB), director of development, sales and asset management for East Thames: “We have about 1,000 properties in the borough which we own and manage.

Our major project is Gascoigne East.”

Chris Naylor (CN), chief executive, Barking and Dagenham Council: “It is my job at the council to ensure that we can deliver [council leader] Darren Rodwell’s huge ambitions for the borough on the ground.”

John East (JE), strategic director of growth and homes, Barking and Dagenham Council: “I’m newly arrived from Newham. I decided to move here because of the fantastic opportunities that Barking and Dagenham provides.

My task is also to make sure that Darren [Rodwell]’s vision is delivered.”

37

BOLD Growth Commission

TF: We see London growing before our eyes. Every day the city gets busier and more active. What role, from the GLA’s perspective, Fiona, can Barking and Dagenham play in supporting the staggering growth that we’re predicting for London?

FD: Barking is still a very affordable place in London terms and it does really feel like its time has come.

We’re getting real developer interest in the town centre and the GLA is very keen to see housing numbers increase in places that are affordable to Londoners, so they remain here.

We see the borough as very accessible. You can get on a train at Fenchurch Street and be in Barking town centre in 15 minutes. Improving the town centre and diversifying its offer will be good for the people who live here now and in the future.

There is nowhere that has the same scale of opportunity as Barking and Dagenham

yes, you could develop in the borough, but you did so with relatively modest prices – and, more importantly, you did so with a relatively modest product and building typology.

What has changed in the last few years is how the demand for housing for sale, and now for private rent, has grown so rapidly in value. You’re now seeing the sort of high-density apartment schemes that 15 years ago there was no prospect of seeing.

When you look across London as a whole, there is nowhere that’s got the scale of opportunity as there is in Barking and Dagenham.

That’s partly because the rail infrastructure is now so good in terms of frequency and quality – and, with all the other investments coming into the borough, it all seems very positive to us.

TF: How does that play into the developer’s story, Michael?

PV: But, Michael, will there be a time when that PRS model might come under threat?

MH: We’ve always been interested in development in Barking and Dagenham. Fifteen, 20 years ago,

MH: It depends what you mean by threat. The challenge we’ve had in London and the south-east is making

38

BOLD Growth Commission

it viable. Having a PRS component in our schemes accelerates the speed at which we can develop, it helps return on capital, it does a number of good commercial things.

The problem we’ve had over the last few years is we can’t get it to match what we can make out of housing for sale. There are two reasons for that: one is the capital values fall short and, second, PRS investors require us to lock in a build price at the outset – we’ve then still got the risk of build cost inflation.

OS: We’re very much of the view that PRS is a safe strategy – yes, it might be sometimes less profitable than a product for sale strategy. However, in the long term, it is a very

established and be bolder and more strategic while being prepared to step back in other areas”. In terms of physical growth and regeneration it has the following to say:

Opportunity knocks The council’s chief executive, Chris Naylor, explains how and why the Growth Commission was set up Barking and Dagenham is London’s new growth opportunity.

The challenge for us is to quicken the pace, be open for business and help, not hinder, those who want to invest in our future. It is about ensuring that, as economic growth rolls in, we enable social renewal too: secure employment, raise incomes and create a population that enables people to live independent and more sustainable lives.

To help us respond to these challenges, we appointed former treasury economist and architect of the Manchester devolution deal, Mike Emmerich, to lead an independent Growth Commission.

Having assembled a world-leading group of commissioners and having considered evidence from a range of stakeholders, Mike’s report was published in February 2016.

It’s a big read with 109 recommendations for the council to consider – but its message is clear: the borough is at a key moment and it has the ambition and the political will to become an inclusive, prosperous and resilient place, in which all communities have the opportunity to fulfil their potential.

It advises that the council “needs to continue the lead it has

•C ommit to building 35,000 homes over the coming 20 years with a more diverse mix of tenures: more and better affordable, sub-market stock; a well-regulated private rented sector; and a substantially increased stock of owneroccupied housing.

•A im to create a new city district in the town centre of Barking with the variety and interest of London’s best centres.

•O pen up the River Roding as an attractive, accessible and active riverfront.

•F or other parts of the borough, develop specific visions that enable residents to shape their future and clarify opportunities for developers and investors.

•D evelop a destination attraction for London aimed at national and international visitors.

•A ttract at least two anchor institutions, such as a university.

The council welcomes these recommendations and, in the coming months, will publish its detailed response. Chief among our actions will be to commit to an arm’s-length regeneration vehicle capable of supercharging the council’s capacity to respond to the investment market.

We won’t lose sight of the social aspects of the commission’s findings. Our response will also set out a whole system approach to ensure our residents can benefit from the borough’s physical renaissance. It will be a new way of working that demands a unity of purpose across the whole organisation, with every part of the council and the community supporting and actively delivering on the new agenda.

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BOLD Growth Commission

JE: It’s not as if we’re going to put in a whole quality offer where there wasn’t one before. Quality will continue to be high on our agenda, and we’re all signed up to that and realise that in the long term it adds value.

SD: While we are very much in support of the quality agenda; scale is also quite important to consider. We bring a unique perspective – the scale of our developments is most likely to be between 20 and 30 units, so that’s something we’re quite interested in exploring with the council.

sustainable investment. From a local community point of view, it’s also very welcome.

It all adds up to improving the quality of economic and physical development across the borough

40

TB: Our strategy really is to develop outright sale housing for people who are perhaps on average incomes, in order to continue providing properties for people who are in the lower quartile of earners.

The physical side of things is really important, whether you are developing high-end for sale, for rental or for shared ownership in our case.

But it’s also about what other services you can bring alongside that.

It’s about the social and economic regeneration as well as the physical transformation.

PC: The great thing about Barking is that missing the boat completely in the 2000s actually creates the platform now for us to make that great leap forward.

It means that we can move quite close towards Darren [Rodwell], John [East] and Jeremy [Grint]’s vision.

FD: Well, the GLA has a number of different funding streams too, where it can help to deliver different things. It all adds up to improving the quality of economic and physical development across the borough.

With our Barking Riverside project, we are looking at what we need to do to actually start creating the place.

We are going to deliver 10,000 homes and a new railway line to open them up but, in the short term, are there meanwhile uses that we can have?

At the moment, it’s called Barking Riverside, but you can’t actually get to the river.

TF: A lot of work has gone into stimulating the arts, music festivals and various other initiatives. Is that something the GLA can support or sustain?

FD: At Barking Riverside, we are looking to create a new square for some sort of cultural use. In the short term, we’re looking to bring in a theatre company.

HG: One of the big problems for young artists in London and the reason why they are leaving in large numbers is that they can’t afford to live in central areas of the city.

A thing we’ve talked about a lot is that Hackney and Tower Hamlets were and still are Europe’s largest cultural quarters – 13,000 artists are living and working in those two boroughs.

BOLD Growth Commission

But, if you live there, the cultural participation is lowest in those two boroughs and that says a lot about the disconnect in the city.

I think there could be a flagship model here, with the borough making a very deliberate statement about wanting artists to stay in the city and in doing so, giving this place a really strong identity.

TF: Jeremy, you have been the mastermind behind this type of regeneration for years.

JG: Yes, the GLA has given us a bit of money towards providing very specific artists’ work and living spaces. There is also an organisation called The Collective, which provides housing in a slightly different way, which will be able to play into the artists’ agenda.

TF: Steve, you’ve done a lot in terms of providing spaces.

SD: Yes, but not really for living. It is still early days in terms of the cultural quarter but it is finding its feet now because of regeneration happening around that area. A lot more could be made of the river – it’s just within Barking and Dagenham’s reach.

TF: Do artists’ live and work spaces excite developers or architects?

MH: Well, we’re looking for a really mixed community – folks living, working and crafting stuff; it’s going to be part of the town centre scene.

We think people will want to come and buy or rent a place to live here because of that.

TF: Can you stimulate that in largescale developments?

OS: This is very much about sustainable regeneration. I think sustainable communities are places where people can stay and work instead of commuting to central London every day.

The office market in central London is very buoyant, and unaffordable for a lot of small companies.

We are working on developments that provide cushion space for small startups, not on long leases, but for renting an office space for one or two people for six months.

HG: I think that has to be tied up by it being an affordable place to live, because it’s unrealistic to expect creative businesses to reverse commute to Barking.

CN: Yes, but we have a real opportunity right now in Barking. It is for artistic people, but, for those who want to create any kind of business, there are so many other places on the river.

MH: It would be brilliant to have the artists living here but, at the end of the day, you’re talking about providing a relatively finite amount of affordable housing. I’m just trying to reconcile people on the waiting list who want affordable housing with an artist who turns up and gets that affordable housing because of their occupation.

HG: I would never suggest that someone who’s an artist should have priority. I think it’s a case of bringing in investment from other parties that are interested in this issue.

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BOLD Growth Commission

There are other bodies. There is the Arts Council, there is the GLA. There are people who are patrons who are interested in this crisis of artists leaving the city. What I would suggest is one or two flagship projects that incorporate artists.

CN: I totally agree, but I also think these things aren’t mutually exclusive.

The scale of opportunity here is that we can do it all. Those 5,500 people we’ve got sitting on social housing waiting lists; the answer to them is not to build more council housing.

The answer to them is how they could earn some more money so they could afford one of your PRS properties or one of our sub-market rent PRS properties, or if they’re able to build social and economic capital in some other way.

42

Barking isn’t just one amorphous mass, it’s got a number of distinct areas

That is what drives what the council does. My home town is Rotherham – they are having to halve their budget like we are. But they’re not 20 minutes away from central London, or 15 minutes away from Stratford. These are huge opportunities.

JE: One of the things coming out of the growth commission is that Barking isn’t just one amorphous mass, it’s got a number of distinct areas. What we really have to do, if we’re going to create a successful borough, is to recognise that.

TF: But how fantastic to see Barking and Dagenham in a position where it’s got some tools and some leverage it can use to address some of these problems and that the solutions are now nearer at hand than they were.

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Limited availability, selected plots only. Subject to status, terms and conditions apply. See www.barratthomes.co.uk for full details. BDW Trading Limited (number 03018173) whose registered office is at Barratt House, Cartwright Way, Forest Business Park, Bardon Hill, Coalville, Leicestershire LE67 1UF (“BDW”) BDW is a subsidiary of Barratt Developments PLC. The Homes and Communities Agency (“HCA”) provides an equity loan for 20% of the purchase price of the property. The equity loan provided by the HCA is secured as second charge on your property. The amount you have to repay to the HCA may be more than the amount of the equity loan provided. Scheme is available in England only and on properties up to £600k.

Prices correct at time of going to press. Advertising images may include upgrades as home spec can vary, purchasers of Barratt homes spend on average £3,132 on upgrades.

Brighton belle: visitor economy

9

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Project plan Updates and news from the new era of schemes planned and under way around the borough

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41

Derby’s regeneration magazine /issue number seven

BOLD Markets

FACTS AND FIGURES 90% of families in the borough get their first choice of school.

The London average is 81%

The council has received £250,000 from the mayor’s London Regeneration Fund towards its Creative Industries Zone

The borough is ranked seventh out of 380 districts for business and enterprise (Source: district place profile report

by Grant Thornton)

44

£1.4 million

of investment will go into East Street and Barking Market

Creative Barking and Dagenham is receiving £735,000 from Arts Council England, in addition to £838,000 already received

BOLD Markets

The borough hosted more than 70 events to celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2015

Barking and Dagenham

Seven growth hubs in the borough will deliver

35,000 HOMES 10,000 JOBS

Number of homes expected to be built in Barking town centre:

4,000

has moved up 15 places Barking and Dagenham is the cheapest borough in London to buy a home in, according to a 2015 Land Registry report

in the Good Food for London table

with

2,000

jobs created

45

BOLD Education

Primary objectives

Rapid population growth and the arrival of many families with young children puts pressure on all schools, particularly primaries. Jessica Pickard discovers how teachers and education ofďŹ cers are addressing the need to create more school places while raising educational standards 46

BOLD Education

Above: Manor Infant School has grown to accommodate almost triple the number of students over a fouryear period.

BARKING AND DAGENHAM is a young borough. There are more babies per head here than in any other part of London. The years 2001 to 2011 saw an astonishing 50% rise in children under the age of four. Council projections show that the upward trend will continue to the extent that 23 extra classes will be needed in the next five years for reception age alone.

In the UK, local authorities have a responsibility to ensure all children can find a school place and many are struggling to meet this requirement.

In Barking and Dagenham, eight out of every 10 primary schools have expanded their pupil intake in recent years. The council’s success in providing extra school places now means that 90% of parents get a place in their first choice school, significantly higher than the London average of 81%.

The challenge is to manage growth on this scale, while driving up standards to achieve the council’s headline ambition that every child in Barking and Dagenham will attend a school that is assessed by Ofsted as good or outstanding.

“In Barking and Dagenham, it is about schools and the council working together determinedly and persistently to support teaching and learning. This includes making sure new buildings provide well-designed, spacious classrooms,” says Jane Hargreaves, divisional director for education, youth and childcare.

There are significant indications that standards are rising. In the primary age group, national test results for seven and 11 year-olds have improved to achieve or exceed the national average for most indicators. Ofsted has confirmed that overall progress has outpaced the national rate of improvement, but the borough still expects to see this trend accelerate to get to the overall London averages for achievement.

How is this improvement being achieved against a backdrop of rapid demographic change and growth?

“If anyone tells you it has been

easy, they are lying,” says Thelma McGorrighan, headteacher of Manor Infant and Manor Longbridge, a school that gained an outstanding grade for leadership.

McGorrighan has steered changes that saw an infant school of 464 pupils grow to accommodate 1,300 pupils over the last four years. This involved opening a new building on a second site, 10 minutes from the original and very different in character.

Located in a new housing estate, Manor Longbridge was initially attended by children who had recently arrived in the borough or the UK. Several parents had no previous connections with the school or area.

The head and her staff set about creating the kind of support structures that help schools thrive, drawing upon her experience of what has made Manor Infant so successful over many years. One advantage of a rapidly growing school is that it attracts applicants who can see career pathways ahead.

The expanding Manor schools appointed new teachers with meticulous care – “one English grammar error in the job application and it went on to the ‘no’ pile,” says McGorrighan – and all applicants had to be observed teaching a class.

Teaching assistants needed to pass exams in English and maths before helping in the classroom and teachers’ lesson plans now appear on the school’s website every Friday evening so parents can know what the children will be learning, right down to new spellings they will be expected to master in the coming week.

The same energy has gone into extracurricular activities. Local ‘role model’ adults like author Kimberley Chambers have been brought in to inspire the children and ‘chatterbox’ classes set up for adults to learn English. The school is part of a borough-wide healthy eating campaign and has set itself targets for children to learn to swim. Manor School is now ranked as one of the borough’s fastest-improving schools.

47

“We have created a successful school with passion and belief,” says McGorrighan.

Recent Ofsted reports have singled out the work of senior education officers and elected council members for their “ambitious vision and clear leadership”.

One successful strategy has been the council’s support for the development of strong local clusters of schools. These allow heads and schools to share best practice and provide professional development opportunities for teachers.

“The clusters really help and they bring down training costs,” says McGorrighan, citing recent joint leadership training for middle managers. The borough is fortunate to have a primary national leader of education and teaching school – Warren Junior School – led by Gary Wilder OBE, who was recognised for his services to primary education in the New Year Honours list. The teaching school co-ordinates training, supports recruitment and shares its own successful practices across the borough and more widely. This is not just about the academic curriculum. Barking and Dagenham schools formed one of the first cultural educational partnerships in

48

In Barking and Dagenham, it is about the schools and the council working together determinedly the country. This is bringing many opportunities for children to work with some of the best local and national arts and cultural organisations.

“It’s a borough where the term ‘partnership’ is genuinely evident,” says the council’s divisional director of education, youth and childcare, Jane Hargreaves.

“Parents coming to Barking and Dagenham need to know that they are coming to a place where schools and the council genuinely work together and are ambitious for their children to flourish through a rich and aspirational education.”

Above: Ofsted continues to recognise high standards at Manor Longbridge School.

速

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BOLD Housing

House and home Housing is high on the agenda in Barking and Dagenham, and the council is working hard with developers and investors to create a mix of tenures to attract diverse communities. James Wood reports

RECENT FIGURES RELEASED by the Land Registry suggest that now is the perfect time to develop housing for private sale and rent in Barking and Dagenham, and for homebuyers looking to relocate there.

While house prices are rising faster than most boroughs in London, in October 2015 the Land Registry revealed that Barking and Dagenham remains the only borough in the capital where people can purchase a home for below ÂŁ300,000.

50

Barking also hosts what is considered by the Greater London Authority (GLA) to be one of the biggest opportunities for housing development in London, at Barking Riverside. The ambitions for the site are long held and there is the potential for a colossal 10,800 homes, 65,500sq m of commercial, retail and leisure space, ďŹ ve new schools, health centres, places of worship, community facilities, new public open spaces and green infrastructure to come forward.

Above: Barking Riverside presents one of the most signiďŹ cant opportunities for development in London.

Right: Countryside and Newlon Housing Trust have been chosen to develop 141 homes at Becontree Heath.

BOLD Housing

We need to try and move away from the historic view that social rented property and home ownership are the only good models Fiona Duncan, head of area at the GLA, says: “We are looking at what things we need to do to start placemaking. The question is about how to open up the scheme and we need to look at meanwhile use. At the moment, it’s called Barking Riverside but you can’t get to the river.”

But that is all set to change. A revised masterplan for the site is expected soon, with the housing set to link up the new station, which will be built as plans progress to extend the London Overground from Barking into Barking Riverside. Improving connectivity and amenities at the site for both existing and future residents is key to the project.

Other mixed tenure housing schemes, at various stages of development, can be found throughout the borough. In the coming years, the Barking town centre housing zone will deliver 2,295 homes, built on around 100 hectares of land and the council’s aim is that 795 of these will be affordable.

The local authority believes that offering a mix of tenures will create a diverse and prosperous place.

Barking and Dagenham’s new chief

executive, Chris Naylor, explains: “We need to try and move away from the historic view that social rented property and home ownership are the only good models.

“For some of our less well-off residents, it is partly about income, but partly about how people can accumulate capital in their home. The trick is to look at whether there are other innovative vehicles, perhaps where people can part rent, part own; scale up, scale down. We are really interested in that and would be very up for conversations about how that could evolve and develop.”

Some concerns have been raised over the sheer number of private rent homes being developed and how this has the potential to result in stalling the process of offering the mix of tenures that the council hopes to attract a varied demographic with.

Planning applications for homes to be put on the market for private rent are abundant in Barking town centre, with proposals for more than 1,000 units coming forward.

Nevertheless, developers and investors are keen to contribute to the mix and are now showing a

51

BOLD Housing New homes being built

by Bouygues UK at the Gascoigne estate (right) and Abbey Road (below) make the area a desirable location for potential new residents.

willingness to develop for private sale.

Countryside has been delivering housing in east London since the 1950s. The company has a long association with the borough, and worked on a pilot phase of the Gascoigne estate in Barking at the turn of the century.

More recently, Countryside and Newlon Housing Trust have been selected to build 141 homes at Becontree Heath, creating a link between the leisure centre and the civic centre, and connecting to a 40-hectare central park, which includes paths for pedestrians and play areas. The developer has further housing schemes in the pipeline.

Countryside and London and Quadrant were selected by the GLA in January 2016 to redevelop Beam Park on the site of a former, now derelict Ford factory plant in Dagenham. Creating 35% affordable housing is the aim.

Michael Hill, new business director at Countryside, believes that despite the prevalence of private rented homes, the market for private sale homes is improving: “What has changed markedly in the last few

52

years is how the demand for housing for sale has grown so rapidly in terms of value and rate of demand,” he says.

Artists drawn by affordable studio space at schemes such as the Ice House Quarter are also taking advantage of genuinely affordable housing on the River Roding’s houseboats, where a new community of like-minded residents has been firmly established.

Bouygues UK is adding another element to this area’s appeal by regenerating the eastern end of the Gascoigne estate – building the first 190 homes there, as well as a primary and secondary school.

Provision for housebuilding is moving fast. As major development schemes continue to evolve, new investors and residents feel the time is right for Barking and Dagenham.

BOLD partners joining together to support Barking and Dagenham 01

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01 Atkins PANTONE 2925 C C85 M21 Y0 K0 Keith Sands keith.sands@atkinsglobal.com

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03 c2c Chris Atkinson chris.atkinson@nationalexpress.com

04 Golf Kingdom Scott Cranfield, scott@carzo.net

05 Iceni Projects Ian Anderson ianderson@iceniprojects.com

06 Jerram Falkus Roger Lawson roger.lawson@jerramfalkus.com

For more information about these companies, visit boldmagazine.co.uk/directory PANTONE 5473 C

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BOLD Sitematch

Barking town centre With development projects being accelerated by Barking’s housing zone allocation, Sitematch research manager Huub Nieuwstadt finds that investors are increasingly looking to this historic east London borough as a place of growth OPPORTUNITIES for development in Barking town centre have become all the more tangible.

The area was announced as part of one of London mayor Boris Johnson’s first housing zones in 2015. These are places in the capital identified by the Greater London Authority where extra funding and other support is made available to accelerate the process of building homes. Barking has been allocated £42.3 million towards the regeneration of the area.

In the coming years, 2,295 homes will be built on just over 100 hectares of land and the council’s aim is that 795 of these will be affordable. In addition, 2,000 jobs and community facilities will be created, as well as improvements made to public spaces.

The town centre is well connected: Barking station has underground, Overground and National Rail connections to central London. There are plans in place for improvements to the overall look and accessibility of the station, as well as the addition of new bus routes to improve connectivity.

Historical connotations add to Barking’s appeal. The town contains the ruins of Barking Abbey – founded in AD666 and once one of the most important nunneries in the country.

The abbey was eventually dissolved by Henry VIII in 1539.

Fishing was once Barking’s main industry. It was home to the Short Blue Fishing Fleet – at one point, England’s largest – founded in 1797.

54

Due to pollution of the Thames, the fishing industry shrunk and had disappeared completely by 1900. In the 20th century, heavy industry took over. In the 21st century, however, the council is focusing on stimulating and growing the creative industries in the area through the launch of London’s first Creative Industries Zone.

By regenerating Barking town centre, the council is progressing with its aim of attracting more investors, residents and visitors, while improving existing facilities and amenities in the area.

For more information, contact David Harley at david.harley@lbbd.gov.uk For further details about the Sitematch London event, visit sitematchlondon.com

Below: Arboretum Place in the town square is a colourful example of the type of housing available.

Tradition and Vision in Construction and Property Development

A Barking and Dagenham based business having a culture of tradition and loyalty with a proven track record of quality construction and investment within the borough. www.rooff.co.uk www.icehousequarter.co.uk The Granary, 80 Abbey Road, Barking, London, IG11 E: enquiries@rooff.co.uk T: 020 8709 1777

The Local Partner Swan is committed to supporting Barking and Dagenham to deliver its vision for regeneration.

Swan Group have over 20 years of experience of delivering homes and regeneration in East London and South Essex and a reputation for delivering innovative, sustainable homes and exemplary communities.

To discuss partnership opportunities that can make a difference, contact Graham Kauders, Senior New Business Manager, on 01277844231 or GKauders@swan.org.uk.

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