The loan and grant funding will help to prepare the land for development of an additional 16,500 homes
Homes England has approved a £124m funding package for L&Q and the Mayor of London to help deliver a total of 20,000 homes at Barking Riverside.
So far 3,500 homes have been delivered or are under construction at Barking Riverside, a 443-acre brownfield site. With the new funding, an additional 16,500 homes will be built.
A minimum of 35% of the 20,000 homes will be designated as affordable.
Last month, L&Q submitted a planning application – with Stantec as lead consultant – to the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham to add another 9,200 homes to the scheme, on top of the 10,800 homes that were originally approved in 2008.
>> See also: Permission sought to double Barking Riverside delivery to 20,000 homes
The Homes England funding is a combination of loan and grant funding and will help the master developer Barking Riverside Limited , a joint venture between L&Q and the Mayor of London, to prepare the site for construction.
This includes building flood defences, an energy centre and parks.
The 3,500 homes that have already been built or are under construction at the former Barking Power Station site are being constructed by housebuilder Bellway.
Transport infrastructure to deliver the initial 10,800 homes has already been completed following a previous funding from Homes England in 2020.
The new Barking Riverside overground station opened in 2022, while the development will also give the community access to a network of footpaths and cycleways.
Future homes built at Barking Riverside will be powered by a low carbon District Heating Network, which means that heat and hot water is generated locally and brought to homes through an underground network of insulated pipes, an environmentally friendly alternative to gas boilers.
Once completed, Barking Riverside will have seven new schools. Four of these have already been completed, including two primary schools, a secondary school and a Special Educational Needs school.
Fiona Fletcher-Smith, chief executive of L&Q described the new funding as a “vital boost” for the scheme.
She added: “With demand for affordable housing soaring, housing associations like L&Q are essential to delivering solutions — but real progress depends on government support. That’s why this investment is so important: it allows us to do more, faster, and at a scale that truly meets the needs of local people.”
Fletcher-Smith stated that Barking Riverside shows what is possible “when ambition meets collaboration”.
“Through strong partnerships and a shared vision, we are transforming this brownfield site into a sustainable community, prioritising quality homes, green spaces, and new opportunities.
“The progress here is a testament to what two like-minded organisations can achieve together, and we’re excited to move forward with the next phase of homes and infrastructure for the people of east London.”
Tom Copley, the deputy mayor of London for housing and residential development, said: “I’m delighted that £124 million has been secured to help unlock 20,000 new, high-quality homes. This will help support the mayor’s plans to boost homebuilding across London and build a fairer, more prosperous city for everyone.”
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