Out-Law News 1 min. read
15 Sep 2016, 1:00 pm
The site, which spans 180 hectares of brownfield land on the north bank of the river Thames in east London, was previously occupied by three power stations and a landfill site.
Outline planning permissions were granted in August 2007 and July 2009 for a scheme with up to 10,800 homes at Barking Riverside. However, fewer than 1,150 have been built or are under construction. Later phases of development depended on proposed transport links that did not come forward.
Funding has since been secured for an extension of the London Overground train line to Barking Riverside and a partnership between housing association London and Quadrant and the Greater London Authority applied earlier this year to alter the parameters and development parcels proposed in the 2009 permission.
The revised plans include: a new neighbourhood with nearly 10,000 more homes, of which between 35% and 50% will be affordable homes; a district centre with shops, restaurants, offices, hotels, and community and social facilities; up to three schools; playing fields; and an ecology centre.
Barking and Dagenham Council said in July that it was minded to grant planning permission for the scheme and Khan gave his consent to the plans last week.
Planning expert Victoria Lindsay of Pinsent Masons, the law firm behind Out-Law.com, said: “It is notable that the percentage of affordable homes for the scheme has increased to between 35% and 50%, an increase from 28% under the previous mayor. Khan's long term aim is for 50% affordable homes but we are seeing him approve schemes more around the 35% affordable home baseline level but with viability reviews to raise the level if viable."
"The mayor's approval for these development proposals is a key part in the regeneration of this part of London; however there are other pieces of the jigsaw that will still need to be put in place such as the new train station and transport interchange which require a Transport and Works Act Order," Lindsay said.