This neighbourhood is 18 miles south-east of central London and contains Dartford, the foremost town in the borough of Dartford, Kent. The north-east border sits on the bank of the river Thames, with the rest of the neighbourhood spreading south towards Dartford town centre. This area has an eclectic range of activities within: the north is a business centre, featuring companies such as Europa Worldwide Group and LAPTELE. In the centre of the neighbourhood, around a cluster of miniature lakes, lie two highly desirable new residential developments called ‘The Bridge’ and ‘Persimmon Homes Waterside.’ The Nucleus Business and Innovation Centre is also nearby, offering flexible workspaces and conference facilities. A technology college, The Leigh UTC, is another key aspect of this neighbourhood, while Dartford Bridge Community Primary School is also just a couple of streets away. There are also a varied bunch of local shops and private businesses: from video production services to party cupcake sellers, from luxury florists to a BMW/Mini specialist, there is a lot to explore in this part of Dartford.

The River Cray has a rich history: along its banks are the remains of an Iron Age settlement. Initially the River Cray was an overwhelmingly agricultural area. However, in the sixteenth century the river became a hive of industrial activity. The linen bleaching industry rushed to set up camp here thanks to the Cray’s reliable source of clear running water. Flour mills, brick making, tiling, barge-building and tanneries also sprang into action here, drawn in by the abundance of fresh, fast-flowing water.

John Wall was a Crayford resident who is famous for bringing us closer to the stars: he invented the Crayford Focuser in the 1970s. The device is now used in most modern telescopes: it allows for very fine adjustments and has tolerances up to 100 times better than conventional focusers.

The Sainsbury’s next to Crayford stadium is a Sainsburys like no other! Sainsburys claims this store is the first in the world to be heated using natural energy captured from boreholes hundreds of metres below ground. At the time of its expansion (2010), it was also the largest Sainsburys store in England.

This neighbourhood does have a rather large emphasis on waste disposal: the Thames Road Waste Reception Centre and Transfer Station, and Longreach Sewage Treatment Works, are both located in this area. However, locals made no mention of any negative impacts of this and emphasised that they liked the busy, buzzing atmosphere in the town centre.

The Bridge Development by Prologis UK and Dartford Borough Council generated a surge of new interest in this area, particularly from young prospective homeowners when it was announced in the 2000s. The 264 acre brownfield site has been transformed into one of Europe’s largest eco-regeneration projects, with formal landscaped areas and pocket parks, wildlife habitats and three freshwater lakes linked by footpaths and cycle ways. Joining the council in this project are also Housing developers Taylor Wimpey and Persimmon Homes, who led the completion of over 1,500 new homes, skilled jobs, the Fastrack public transport system, schools, community facilities and 80 acres of public open space.