Town hall approves 900 homes plan in Barking
The town hall has given a thumbs up to plans for 900 homes on the Gascoigne estate. - Credit: Studio Monolot
Plans to build 900 homes at a 1960s housing estate have been given the green light by the town hall.
The scheme at the Gascoigne Estate in Barking includes a 1.25-acre park, green roofs, solar panels, play areas and a community hub.
It has been hailed by Be First, Barking and Dagenham Council’s regeneration arm, as “a new model for green urban living”.
Cllr Darren Rodwell, Barking and Dagenham Council leader, said: “This decision means we will be creating one of the greenest and most sustainable neighbourhoods in the capital.
“It will be a new model of 21st century urban design to meet the challenges of climate change and provide quality homes for ordinary working people.”
The town hall’s approval of the two planning applications is expected to see one to three-bedroom homes offered at rents starting at £135 per week.
A Be First spokesperson said the designs for the homes will capitalise on the Gascoigne neighbourhood’s location, with the town centre, public transport, retail and leisure facilities a 15-minute walk away.
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The firm says the “15-minute” neighbourhood will encourage more sustainable living with use of green heating and power generating systems. The scheme includes 1,600 cycle parking spaces.
Cllr Andrew Achilleos, member champion for climate change, said: “This exciting project brings us another step closer to our ambition of a greener borough for the benefit of all.
“While there’s still lots of work to do, we want to play our role in helping to ensure that Barking and Dagenham is a green and sustainable place to live for future generations.”
Jacob Willson, head of design at Be First, said: “We have designed a greener, more sustainable Gascoigne which will create a healthy neighbourhood for our residents with a great new park at its heart.”
Linda Thiel, director of London Studio, White Arkitekter, said: “It’s wonderful to see our designs for the Gascoigne neighbourhood endorsed by the council.
“The projects we are working on have given us the opportunity to improve the quantity and quality of housing available for people, and enable a paradigm shift in how the public spaces can be used, a move from estate to neighbourhood.”
