Revised plans for a 1,000-home development on the site of the old Abbey Retail Park in Barking have been given the green light.

The latest plans have added new homes and made changes to parking spaces for residents in the new neighbourhood, which is also set to feature a gym run by Olympic champion Max Whitlock.

The development will see a number of buildings as tall as 29 storeys built along the banks of the River Roding close to Barking station. The new neighbourhood will also have a central plaza and small parks between the buildings and the waterfront.

The latest plans for the scheme - which will see some changes to the plans agreed in January 2020 - were approved unanimously by a Barking and Dagenham Council planning meeting on April 25. Council planning officers recommended the village for approval, saying that it would be a boost for residents in the borough.

The new towers will offer residents one, two and three-bedroom flats. The council said that 35 per cent of the homes would be “affordable” for London residents.

Many other features will also be on offer for residents, including a gym, a riverside walkway and “plant rooms”. The buildings will also include over 1,000 square metres of office space.

Planning documents issued ahead of the meeting state: "Since obtaining planning permission, Weston Homes have held ongoing discussions with multiple gymnastics Olympic gold medallist, Max Whitlock, regarding his brand of gymnastic centres being the occupier of this unit within the site."

The latest plans have taken away around 600 square metres of non-residential space to add 29 new flats. The towers and surrounding area are being built by developer Weston Homes. The group said the Abbey Road plans would be a great step in regenerating Barking.

Bob Weston, the developer’s chairman and chief executive, said in an article released by the company: “The regeneration of this important gateway site into a new waterfront urban village adjacent to Barking Town Centre forms part of the council’s vision of bringing aspirational waterfront living and regeneration to Barking.”