Policy information sourced from the Barking & Dagenham Local Plan

SPDG 1 Delivering growth in Barking and Dagenham

1.

The Council will take a positive approach to development and will wor k with the local community, landowners, developers and other key stakeholders to proactively deliver the borough’s development vision and objectives.

2.

Policies from the main body of the Plan should be read in conjunction with the specific policy requirements for each site as set out in the individual proformas in Appendix 2.

Housing Requirement

3.

The Plan establishes a housing requirement of 38,864 over the Plan period (2020/21-2036/37). This is intended to be met (and exceeded) through the sites allocated within the Plan which indicate a supply of over 40,000 new homes.

Intelligent use of our industrial land

4.

The Council will suppor t the development of a minimum of 38,864 new homes across the Plan period, with ambitions to exceed this where possible, together with some 20,000 new jobs across the borough. This will be largely achieved through:

  • concentrating the existing industrial floor space capacity and jobs to the south of the borough as employment land and floor space
  • focus on intensifying existing sites south of the A13 and Dagenham Dock (including the Thames Freepor t in Dagenham) plus other locations such as Dagenham East and Chadwell Heath
  • releasing some industrial sites as set out in SP5, balanced by reprovision and intensification of the borough’s industrial floor space capacity elsewhere
  • where appropriate, co-location of industrial activities with other uses, including residential and other commercial activities.
  • seeking to develop the under-used rail lands for increased industrial and rail freight oppor tunities and the borough’s unique access to the rest of the UK and Europe.

5.

There is an estimated requirement of ~200,000 sqm of floor space and ~50ha of land to provide for the projected job growth in the borough’s industrial sector, with Policies SP5 and DME 1 setting out greater detail on how this will be achieved.

Transformation areas

6.

Extensive and larger scale development will be focused primarily in Transformation Areas. These are:

  • Barking Town Centre and the River Roding
  • Barking River side
  • Thames Road
  • Castle Green
  • Chadwell Heath
  • Marks Gate
  • Dagenham Dock and Freeport
  • Beam Park
  • Dagenham East
  • Dagenham Heathway.

7.

These Transformation Areas (as shown on the Policies Map) offer the potential for higher density and (with the exception of Dagenham East and Mar ks Gate) taller development (see Policy DMD 2: Tall Buildings and the relevant SPP Area Policy), par ticular ly near existing and planned transpor t hubs. Existing residential neighbourhoods, including Becontree Estate and Dagenham Village, will be the focus of smaller-scale development and improvements.

8.

Our overarching policy on tall buildings is set out in Policy DMD 2, however, individual tall building zone heights are set out within each SPP Strategic Area Policy. Any development proposals exceeding these heights will require strong justification as par t of their design and access statement as to why their proposal will not be detrimental to the area.

9.

Alongside increased densification in the Transformation Areas shown on the Policies Map, the Plan also encourages incremental intensification of existing residential areas within PTALs 3-6 or within 800m distance of a station or town centre boundary. This is to help bring forward smaller sites which also make an impor tant contribution to the borough’s housing supply.

10.

Masterplan Supplementary Planning Documents (SPDs), Area Action Plans (AAPs) and other guidance may be prepared to suppor t the achievement of cohesive communities across the Transformation Areas and adjoining areas.

Town centres

11.

Bar king’s major town centre and the district centres of Chadwell Heath, Dagenham Heathway and Green Lane, together with a proposed new district centre at Bar king River side, will remain as our focus for retail development and complementar y commercial, cultural and community uses. At a neighbourhood level, existing neighbourhood centres will also continue to have an impor tant role in providing for convenience shopping. The Town Centre hierarchy is set out in Policy DME 3.

Key transport improvements

12.

Delivery of key transport improvements, which suppor t strategic links into London, regionally and internationally will be promoted through providing greater access to the rail network, new and enhanced local public transport and walking and cycling connections, which address the nor th-south severance across the borough and the barrier created by the A13.

13.

We will plan and seek funding to deliver more sustainable travel programmes including Liveable Neighbourhoods, and continuing our School Streets Programme, which promotes good streetscape, healthy streets, and road safety through more 20mph zones. This will provide benefits in terms of air quality and health, and with new infrastructure it will encourage cycling and walking and reduce reliance on car use.

14.

Our vision, proposals and delivery plans are set out in our borough-wide Transport Strategy and Chapter 10.

Social and sustainable infrastructure

15.

We will seek the delivery of other social and sustainable infrastr ucture, identified in the Council’s most up-to-date Infrastructure Delivery Plan, which will be prioritised as follows:

  • expanded education provision;
  • primary health care facilities;
  • parks and open spaces;
  • new or improved community and cultural facilities;
  • energy infrastructure including District Heat Networks; and,
  • improved digital infrastructure.

For more information please see the Barking & Dagenham Local Plan