John Phillips THE foundations are being laid for the 1,046-home development at the former University of East London campus in Barking. The Longbridge Road complex, now known as Academy Central, will include a new primary school and 356 homes, managed by housing associa

John Phillips

THE foundations are being laid for the 1,046-home development at the former University of East London campus in Barking.

The Longbridge Road complex, now known as Academy Central, will include a new primary school and 356 homes, managed by housing association London and Quadrant. It is now expected to be completed between 2016-2019.

All the site's buildings have been knocked down, but the landmark 1936 art deco building in Longbridge Road, a former technical college, will be turned into 100 flats.

It is hoped the first houses and flats built on the 9.58-acre site, near Mayesbrook Park, will go on sale in August and families could move in before Christmas.

Developers George Wimpey passed the final planning hurdle in February after it was approved by the office of London Mayor Boris Johnson and Barking and Dagenham Council chiefs.

The university pulled out of its 3,000-student campus in light of competition in higher education in 2007.

It concentrated on its sites in Docklands and Stratford and moved teaching to its mini-campus at the Barking Learning Centre in the Town Square.

London and Quadrant will rent its houses and flats and sell some through shared ownership schemes.

The development will have a total of 189 houses and 857 flats, built within five to 10-storey blocks.

Wimpey is also spending �6.25million building a games area for five-a-side football and tennis at the site, as part of a deal struck with council planning bosses.

Tina Dedman, Wimpey sales and marketing director for east London, said: "Through this exciting partnership in Barking, we are dedicated to creating a sustainable community to ensure the education, health and interests of local people are well catered for, and to make Academy Central a very popular place to live.