Wedoany.com Report on Mar 18th, The planning committee of the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham has recently approved an expansion plan for the Barking Riverside brownfield regeneration project in East London. The plan will add 13,046 residential units and 52,848 square meters of non-residential floor space across 443 acres of land. This decision doubles the total housing allocation capacity of the site from the original approximately 10,000 units to 20,000 units, representing a significant expansion on top of the nearly 7,000 units previously approved.

Barking Riverside Limited, the site's main developer, is a joint venture between L&Q and the Greater London Authority. The project's masterplan includes two parks, a medical facility, up to three schools, two community centres, and pedestrian and cycle routes. Approximately 3,000 homes have already been completed. According to the plan, the project will provide 12% on-site affordable housing as a baseline, split equally between social rent and intermediate rent; if the project's internal rate of return exceeds 14%, the affordable housing provision will increase to 35%. The development will primarily consist of apartments, but at least 25% of the social rent units must be family-sized homes with three or more bedrooms.

Deputy Mayor for Housing and Residential Development at the Greater London Authority, Tom Copley, said: "Barking Riverside is one of the most important and exciting brownfield regeneration projects not just in London, but anywhere in the country. It's a fantastic example of large-scale brownfield regeneration supported by City Hall and partners, delivering for local communities in this vibrant part of East London." Leigh Johnson, Managing Director of BRL, said: "This successful planning approval marks a real step-change for Barking Riverside and the role it can play in London’s growth. This is not just about housing numbers, it's also about placemaking and pace of delivery." Fiona Fletcher-Smith, Group Chief Executive of L&Q, added: "Delivering well-designed affordable homes and community infrastructure at scale on Barking Riverside represents our long-term plan to tackle London’s housing crisis. We believe it can act as a blueprint for brownfield regeneration development across the country." The advancement of this brownfield regeneration project will bring large-scale housing supply and community facilities to East London.