Policy information sourced from Newham Local Plan 2018

S5 Beckton

Proposals which address and where appropriate accord with the following overarching strategic principles and vision-based spatial strategy will be supported:

  • Strategic Criteria:
    • Deliver a new well-integrated new piece of city whilst accommodating significant transport depot and waste and utilities infrastructure needs, a new internationally oriented hi-tech, knowledge-intensive business district benefiting from Enterprise Zone status, and renewal and improvements to the existing residential and industrial areas, focusing on their strengths as a green, family-oriented neighbourhood and a regionally significant centre for green industry, engineering, warehousing and logistics; and
    • Major new housing (at least 5278 units) and infrastructure provision and significant numbers of the borough’s targeted jobs growth will be delivered primarily on 4 Strategic Sites (through partial Managed Release of SIL) acting in concert with those in adjoining neighbouring areas and well integrated with their surroundings, with non-strategic opportunities, including through Managed Intensification, and sensitive infill also being identifiable at locations within the wider area.
  • Spatial Strategy:
    • Beckton Riverside will provide a new hallmark mixed use area, building on the strengths of the riverside location, good Strategic Road Network access, [further] scope to extend MOL, continuous riverside access and optimal pedestrian and cycling permeability, and the established retailer commitment to the location, as well as extensive infrastructure investment yielding new connections including river crossings and station(s) and accessible community facilities commensurate with the scale of development. Gallions Reach Shopping Park will co-evolve and intensify to become a Major town centre for the area focused around a transport hub, in the mix of shops and wider offer provided, the variety of unit sizes, the connections with local residential areas including new housing in vertical mixed use formats within it, and reduction in the dominance of car parking;
    • Other new residential development, community facilities and small scale business use and a local centre at the station will consolidate the new community developing around Albert Basin, ensuring it is safe, with good connections to East Beckton District Centre, neighbouring UEL and the new neighbourhoods and town centre at Beckton Riverside, and convivial, continuous public space alongside the docks and river;
    • Royal Albert North will become a new state-of-the-art business quarter of international importance for high-tech, knowledge and cultural driven industries, benefiting from enhanced DLR access connecting with Crossrail, proximity to UEL and the University Technical College, green grid connections to open space and continuous dockside routes;
    • The East Beckton District Centre will be consolidated at the eastern end close to public transport links, and become less island-based and inward-looking, with an improved public realm, renewal of the convenience offer and a wider array of town centre uses, and better linkages between the precinct and other shops and services in the area, as well as local neighbourhoods; redevelopment of the adjacent Alpine Way retail park will enhance the centre’s vitality and viability ensuring it is more clearly the commercial and community hub for the area, and better manage its integration with the residential development to the east, and successfully manage the transition to SIL to the north;
    • London Industrial Park and Gemini Business Park will continue to act as a significant component of the Borough’s industrial offer, reflecting emerging growth sectors notably warehousing and logistics and taking advantage of links to road and river transport and SIL protection requiring their appropriate buffering, whilst through better integration with neighbouring areas, improving their comfort, convenience and permeability for pedestrians and cyclists with onward connection to public transport links and the river; Strategic Sites and to some extent unallocated retail parks offer some potential to relieve pressure on SIL, through the development of modern workspace that is more compatible (than core SIL uses) with other uses;
    • The 1980/90s suburban estate, with its good access to large areas of green and water space, and community facilities, will continue to provide an excellent location for families, with enhanced and expanded schools and healthcare provision. The area will become increasingly well-connected and legible, through improvements to bus and DLR services and efforts to reduce the barrier effects of the A13, Royal Albert Way, Royal Docks Road and the area’s disconnected street pattern, together with public realm and natural surveillance improvements, along these and Woolwich Manor Way and in the local parks, securing improved routes to the town centre and the other retail parks in the area, DLR stations, Greenway, and the riverside/dockside and employment areas in between;
    • Links will also be improved with surrounding areas, with the extension of the DLR network and station capacity enhancements (including platform lengthening), and other new river crossings, and a reduction through design and masterplanning of the barrier effects of the surrounding roads, rivers, docks, railways, industrial areas and retail parks being addressed to connect with neighbouring communities and employment in Barking and Dagenham, East Ham the Royal Docks and across the River Thames;
    • Heritage assets will be better recognised including gas workers’ cottages at Winsor Terrace, and remnants of dock-related buildings, whilst views from the Greenway, to and along the rivers, and to Shooters Hill will be enhanced;
    • The area will continue to be important for utilities infrastructure, with ongoing investment in the capacity, efficiency and [on and off site] mitigation of environmental and spatial impact at the sewage treatment works, former gasworks, and DLR depot, ensuring that overall development capacity, including in the immediate vicinity, is maximised. Modern waste processing and recycling is also compatible with industrial permissions, and should make use of river transport where feasible;
    • Low carbon local energy generation and district heating will be typical throughout the area with major developments being required to provide for connection and/or add to existing networks in addition to the provision of significant new energy transmission and ICT infrastructure to meet business, residential and transport needs; and
    • In order to deliver the above vision-based spatial strategy, the following Strategic Sites, as shown on the Policies Map, are allocated for development as set out in Appendix 1:
      • S19 Albert Basin
      • S31 Royal Albert North
      • S01 Beckton Riverside
      • S02 Alpine Way

For more information please see the Local Plan 2018