Property

Barking Riverside advances with approval for 651 family-focused homes in latest regeneration phase

Friday, 26 September 2025 4:07AM UTC

GRID Architects secures planning approval for a new phase of 651 homes at Barking Riverside, featuring a majority of family-friendly and affordable units. Backed by the Mayor of London and L&Q, the scheme continues to transform East London’s largest brownfield site into a thriving, sustainable community with extensive infrastructure upgrades.

GRID Architects has secured planning approval for a new phase of housing at Barking Riverside, delivering 651 homes as part of one of the largest regeneration projects in east London. The Barking and Dagenham Council unanimously backed the scheme, which includes 355 affordable homes, with a significant emphasis on family housing—70% of the units are designed specifically for families. The affordable homes are evenly split between Affordable Rent and London Living Rent tenures.

This latest phase builds on the progress already made at Barking Riverside, where around 2,400 homes have been completed and are occupied. The scheme is part of a masterplan created by GRID Architects with buildings ranging from six to 15 storeys, incorporating over 2,000 square metres of communal space. Parking is strategically located along a central spine road and within small courts to maintain accessibility while preserving the residential environment. Colin Veitch, director at GRID Architects, expressed pride in the project’s role in transforming East London and providing much-needed affordable housing within a sustainable, landscaped neighbourhood.

The development is the product of a collaboration including the housing association L&Q and the Mayor of London. Jacqueline Esimaje-Heath, director for growth and sales at L&Q, highlighted the association’s commitment to addressing the housing crisis by delivering genuinely affordable homes that offer people the opportunity to improve their lives. L&Q’s involvement continues to strengthen their position as a major provider of affordable housing in the borough, particularly following its recent acquisition of 167 affordable homes previously developed by Southern Housing.

Barking Riverside itself is a massive 243-acre brownfield site on the northern bank of the Thames, with plans to deliver up to 20,000 homes over the coming decades, supporting a projected community of up to 50,000 people. The Mayor of London has played a key role in facilitating this ambitious regeneration, approving masterplans and funding infrastructure improvements. In recent years, this has included a £124 million investment to prepare land and deliver flood defences, parks, and an energy centre, alongside a £500 million investment to enhance transport links and community facilities. Central to the plans is a new TfL Overground station, which will provide swift connections to central London in around 22 minutes, as well as new schools, a district centre, and health and leisure facilities.

The masterplan aims for 50% affordable housing, aligning with the latest phase’s delivery of over half the homes as affordable units. The project is designed to create not just homes but a thriving and sustainable community, with high standards of residential accommodation set out by the developers and council planners. With twelve blocks planned in River Road as part of the newest phase, the focus remains on quality and family-friendly environments.

As Barking Riverside continues to evolve, the combined efforts of GRID Architects, L&Q, the Mayor of London, and various specialist consultants—including landscape architects and engineers—are setting a new standard for large-scale urban regeneration in the capital, promising to deliver a landmark community that addresses both housing demand and quality of life in East London.

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Source: Noah Wire Services

More on this

https://www.bdonline.co.uk/news/grid-architects-secures-approval-for-651-homes-in-next-phase-of-barking-riverside-regeneration/5138377.article - Please view link - unable to able to access data
https://www.bdonline.co.uk/news/grid-architects-secures-approval-for-651-homes-in-next-phase-of-barking-riverside-regeneration/5138377.article - GRID Architects' designs for 651 new homes at Barking Riverside have been approved by Barking and Dagenham Council, marking the latest step in one of east London's largest regeneration schemes. The development will deliver 355 affordable homes, with 70% designed for families. Half of the affordable homes will be for Affordable Rent and half for London Living Rent. The scheme also provides more than 2,000 sq m of communal space, with buildings rising between six and 15 storeys. Parking is concentrated along the central spine road and in small courts.
https://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/barking-riverside-latest-homes-thames-east-london-b1249574.html - Hundreds of new flats have been approved in the latest phase of the Barking Riverside development. The 651 new homes will be built across twelve blocks in River Road, Barking, as part of the wider redevelopment of thousands of homes for the major Barking Riverside development. Councillors on Barking and Dagenham Council's planning committee approved the latest housing scheme at a meeting on Tuesday. A planning statement on behalf of developer L&Q explained the flats would form a 'high-quality' development with a 'high standard of residential accommodation'.
https://www.london.gov.uk/press-releases/mayoral/mayor-approves-up-to-10000-new-homes-in-barking - The Mayor of London has approved the masterplan for Barking Riverside, a 180-hectare brownfield site on the northern banks of the River Thames, paving the way for up to 10,000 new homes, with a target of 50% affordable housing. The development includes a new train station and transport interchange, as well as a new district centre, schools, and other community facilities. The project aims to deliver much-needed homes and create a thriving community in east London.
https://www.london.gov.uk/press-releases/mayoral/mayor-and-lq-to-invest-500m-in-barking-riverside - Barking Riverside, one of the UK’s largest regeneration projects, is to receive an injection of £500 million for transport links, parkland, and other community facilities, alongside almost 11,000 homes. The investment includes a new TfL Overground station connecting to central London in 22 minutes, land for seven schools, a new centre with 65,000 square metres of commercial, retail, and leisure space, and a combined health care and leisure facility. Half of the new homes will be affordable.
https://www.london.gov.uk/decisions/dd2429-barking-riverside-infrastructure-funding - The Mayor of London has approved £124 million funding to unlock more homes and deliver new infrastructure at Barking Riverside in east London. The funding will help prepare the land, including flood defence work and the construction of an energy centre and parks, enabling the building of another 16,500 homes on the site. This could see up to 20,000 new homes in total delivered at Barking Riverside, creating a community of up to 50,000 people.
https://www.lqgroup.org.uk/media-centre/news/lq-acquires-167-affordable-homes-in-barking-riverside-from-southern-housing - L&Q has acquired 167 affordable homes from Southern Housing at Barking Riverside. The units form part of the first delivery phase at Barking Riverside, completed before L&Q became one of the key developers onsite. Of the newly acquired stock, 115 units are socially rented homes, and the remaining 52 are intermediate market rent. This acquisition reinforces L&Q’s position as one of the Borough's leading affordable housing providers and follows the organisation’s strategy for long-term growth and investment.

Noah Fact Check Pro

The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may warrant further investigation.

Freshness check

Score: 10

Notes: The narrative is recent, published on 25 September 2025. No earlier versions with differing figures, dates, or quotes were found. The content is original and not recycled from other sources. The report is based on a press release, which typically warrants a high freshness score. No discrepancies or outdated material were identified.

Quotes check

Score: 10

Notes: The quotes from Colin Veitch and Jacqueline Esimaje-Heath are unique to this report. No identical quotes appear in earlier material, indicating original content.

Source reliability

Score: 9

Notes: The narrative originates from Building Design, a reputable UK-based publication focusing on architecture and construction. This adds credibility to the report. However, the publication is trade-specific and may not be widely known outside the industry.

Plausability check

Score: 10

Notes: The claims about the Barking Riverside development align with known facts. The development is a significant regeneration project in East London, with previous reports indicating plans for up to 20,000 homes. The involvement of GRID Architects and L&Q is consistent with their roles in the project. The tone and language are appropriate for the subject matter, and the report includes specific details such as the number of affordable homes and the design of the development, which are verifiable.

Overall assessment

Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): PASS

Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): HIGH

Summary: The narrative is recent, original, and based on a reputable source. The claims are plausible and supported by verifiable details. No significant credibility risks were identified.

Barking Riverside
Affordable Housing
Urban Regeneration