Barking town centre is set for a ‘mini-Manhattan’ overhaul, if new plans revealed at a property conference go ahead.
The design was unveiled at the MIPIM international property conference in Cannes, France, and is set to bring a high-rise vision to the town centre as part of the council’s urban regeneration scheme.
London-based architects, Weston Williamson and Partners, has envisaged a complete overhaul of the Barking skyline, which will deliver a variety of retail and leisure options, a revamp of the station, as well as 2,200 new homes.
An associate partner at Weston Wiliamson and Partners commented on the exciting plans, saying: “This vision realises a fantastic opportunity to reinvigorate Barking town centre through the transformation of the station and by improving connectivity between neighbourhoods.”
The station’s canopy, a Grade II listed construction based on Rome’s main station, would be preserved.
The leader of Barking and Dagenham Council, Darren Rodwell, who coined the term ‘mini-Manhattan’, said: “The new look town centre will not be a playground for the rich – it must deliver truly affordable homes and a range of great leisure and retail facilities for ordinary Londoners.”
The Managing Director of Be First, the company responsible for Barking’s regeneration, said: “We’re raising the bar for development here in Barking and Dagenham, so our vision is deliberately ambitious, designed to ignite interest among investors, and excitement among local people. It is a starting point but the end point we’re seeking is a brilliant new town centre which will serve the people of Barking and east London.”
