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Work underway at the Barking Central development in Barking Town. March 2007.
The London Riverside is a redevelopment area on the north side of the River Thames in East London, England. The area was identified as a zone of change following the introduction of the Thames Gateway policy in 1995. Proposals for improvements in the area were at first developed by Havering and Barking and Dagenham councils, with a London Riverside Urban Strategy published in 2002. This was incorporated into the first London Plan published by the Mayor of London in 2004. Between 2004 and 2013 the planning powers in London Riverside and the Lower Lea Valley were the responsibility of the London Thames Gateway Development Corporation. Planning powers have now reverted to the local councils. Much of the land available for redevelopment is now owned by GLA Land and Property. There is also a London Riverside business improvement district, which covers a smaller area.
History
The potential for the southern sections of Barking and Dagenham and Havering adjacent to the Thames to be regenerated was identified in the Thames Gateway Planning Framework published in 1995.[1] The Barking/Havering Riverside area was identified as a zone of change that was named London Riverside. This was developed further by the London Riverside Action Group and in 2002 the London Riverside Urban Strategy proposed a number of regeneration and infrastructure improvements.[2]
The boundaries of the London Riverside have expanded somewhat over time. The original area was bounded by the River Thames to the south and the former A13 road (now the A1306) to the north and stretched only as far west as Barking Reach. It has since expanded to include East Beckton and Barking Town. A smaller area constitutes the London Riverside business improvement district.
