The green light has been given to a masterplan to build 10,000 new homes over the next 15 years at a development dubbed “Barcelona-on-Thames”.
Mayor Sadiq Khan approved the overall scheme for the capital’s single largest regeneration site at Barking Riverside which also includes a promenade, wildlife reserves and a marina.
Developers will now submit detailed planning applications to Barking and Dagenham council for different areas of the site, to be built in phases.
Mr Khan has set a target of 50 per cent of the homes being affordable, including properties to rent and those for first-time buyers.
Boris Johnson agreed to 28 per cent affordable homes on the site, which is owned by the Greater London Authority and housing association L&Q.
His Labour successor has allocated an extra £75 million to bring this up to at least 35 per cent — with an extra £50 million in the pipeline to take it higher. Barking council leader Darren Rodwell said it will “make an enormous contribution to solving part of the capital’s housing crisis”. Last month, he said: “Barcelona and other cities around the world have developed under-used wharves and harbours into vibrant waterfront attractions. I see no reason why Barking Riverside cannot draw on the best of these developments.”
David Montague, chief executive of L&Q, said potential for the site, previously home to three power stations and a large landfill site, was “enormous”
