Barking Riverside
| Barking Riverside | |
|---|---|
 Rivergate Centre |
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 Barking Riverside
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| Barking Riverside shown within Greater London | |
| OS grid reference | TQ466825 |
| • Charing Cross | 10.5 mi (16.9 km) W |
| London borough | |
| Ceremonial county | Greater London |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | BARKING |
| Postcode district | IG11 |
| Dialling code | 020 |
| Police | Metropolitan |
| Fire | London |
| Ambulance | London |
| EU Parliament | London |
| UK Parliament | |
| London Assembly | |
Barking Riverside is a large area of redevelopment in East London, England. It is being built on land formerly occupied by Barking Power Station, adjacent to the River Thames. Purchased by Bellway Homes in 1994, the brownfield site has planning permission for 10,800 homes, of which only 1,200 can be built until improved public transport access is provided. The area was initially to be served by an extension of the Docklands Light Railway, but it was announced as part of the 2014 United Kingdom budget that the London Overground Gospel Oak to Barking Line would be extended to Barking Riverside to allow the development to be completed as planned.
Between 1995 and 2000 Bellway built 900 homes and since 2004 the development has been managed by Barking Riverside Ltd, a partnership between GLA Land and Property and Bellway. Building work under this partnership commenced in 2010 and the first homes were occupied in 2012. There will be three neighbourhood centres and, when complete, the development as a whole will have a population of approximately 26,000.
The development is taking place on brownfield land that was formerly occupied by Barking Power Station. Prior to being drained for industrial use, it was tidal marshland. The power station closed in 1981, with a concentration of National Grid pylons, overhead lines, cables and sub stations remaining.
In the early 1990s, the Department of Environment sought brownfield sites in the Thames Gateway area for development. The Barking project started as a public-private venture between the Greater London Authority, English Partnerships and developer Bellway Homes.National Power sold the land to Bellway Homes in 1994. The site has low land value, but the cost of converting it from industrial use caused Bellway to be concerned about profitability. Initially Bellway constructed 900 homes on the site between 1995 and 2000, but these were criticised for poor design and for being cut off from services. Barking Riverside Ltd provided essential infrastructure such as roads, utilities and community facilities. Work started in 2010, and the first homes following the establishment of Barking Riverside Ltd were completed and occupied in 2012.
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