Construction starts on 651 new homes in Barking Riverside
L&Q has started construction on 651 new homes in Barking Riverside, more than half of which will be affordable.
Colleagues from the housing association gathered on Tuesday (May 26), to celebrate the start of the works on the new blocks.
They were joined by Tom Copley, Deputy Mayor of London for Housing and Residential Development, as well as London Borough of Barking and Dagenham Council Leader Cllr Dominic Twomey, and Barking Riverside Cllr Marion Hull.
The groundbreaking ceremony marks another major milestone in the transformation of the East-London neighbourhood, which is being led by master developer Barking Riverside Limited (BRL), a joint venture between housing association L&Q, and the Mayor of London.
The latest development is L&Q’s third major scheme at Barking Riverside to be delivered by its In-House Build team, and the largest project undertaken by the team to date.
Positioned to strengthen connections between the new Barking Riverside station and the Thames Clipper pier, the new homes will benefit from a range of high-quality amenities designed to support a thriving and sustainable community.
The homes will comprise of:
- 181 Affordable Rent homes
- 173 London Living Rent homes
- 297 homes for outright sale
The first homes are expected to be finished in January 2028, with final completion expected by June 2030.
The scheme has been made possible through L&Q’s partnership with Barking Riverside Limited, the Greater London Authority (GLA), and Homes England. L&Q also welcomed the GLA’s investment of more than £62 million to support the delivery of affordable homes within this phase of development.
David Lewis, Executive Group Director for Property and Investment, said:
“Breaking ground at this latest development within Barking Riverside is a hugely significant moment for L&Q and our In-House Build team.
“As our largest in-house delivered development to date, this project demonstrates our long-term commitment to building high-quality homes and investing in thriving communities across London.
“Barking Riverside is becoming one of the capital’s most exciting new neighbourhoods, and we’re proud to be delivering over 650 new homes here in the next few years, including a substantial proportion of genuinely affordable housing.”
Tom Copley, Deputy Mayor of London for Housing and Residential Development, said:
“It was fantastic to see the start of construction on over 650 new homes in Barking Riverside, which are being delivered with support from the Mayor of London.
“I am delighted that more than half of these new homes will be affordable, which will provide much needed, high-quality new housing in the borough.
“This is good news for local families and the wider community as we continue to work to build a fairer, more prosperous London for everyone.”
Leigh Johnson, Managing Director at Barking Riverside Limited, said:
“Today’s groundbreaking reflects exactly what Barking Riverside Limited was set up to do — to create development-ready neighbourhoods where our partners can get on and deliver great homes at scale.
“As master developer, we’re de-risking land, investing in a range of social and technical infrastructure, and making sure the foundations for long-term growth are firmly in place. That gives partners like L&Q the right platform to keep building.”
Barking Riverside is one of Europe’s largest and most exciting residential developments, providing East London with thousands of new homes.
Benefitting from a unique location on the banks of the River Thames, Barking Riverside comprises of 443 acres, on a brownfield site formerly occupied by the historic 1920’s Barking Power Station.
It is already home to a diverse and active community of over 6,000 residents. Existing amenities include five schools, one of which is an Ofsted Outstanding secondary school; two community hubs; cycling and walking routes; open spaces and play parks; state-of-the-art recycling and waste management facilities; and a rolling calendar of social activities, including resident-led events and festivals.