Wates has been appointed by Be First to build 334 new homes as part of an £874m regeneration of the Gascoigne Estate in the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham.

This will be the third project Wates has undertaken for Be First in the area, having recently completed 201 homes at Gascoigne West Phase 1.

The £142m Gascoigne East Phase 3B scheme will provide 277 apartments, 46 houses and 11 maisonettes as well as new public spaces connecting pedestrian and public transport links, centred around a garden square at the east of the site, as well as delivering £30m in social value to the area.

The build will use modern methods of construction such as offsite production of balconies, bathrooms and utilities cupboards, which will reduce construction time on site.

Be First has a strong track record in delivering new, high-quality homes for people and communities in Barking and Dagenham, with the borough named the most affordable for housing in the capital. The latest phase of this major development will complement the award-winning regeneration of the eastern side of the Gascoigne Estate, where Be First is delivering 526 new flats as part of a safer, healthier, and more sustainably designed environment.

The wider Gascoigne Estate will include tree-lined public spaces, a new 5,000 m² park – Gascoigne Square – along with public art and stunning designs in a mixture of traditional and modern styles.

Construction is due to start in Summer 2023, with homes finished by the beginning of 2026.

Alongside its commitment to the investment in new and existing homes in the borough, Be First places a strong emphasis on ensuring that local communities benefit as much as possible from the development and regeneration projects happening in the borough. This includes through social, community and employment initiatives, which all contractors are required to demonstrate and deliver when appointed to Be First projects.

The Gascoigne East Phase 3B project will allow Wates to invest in the local community through the provision of 13 apprenticeships and a minimum of 40 work placements for local people.

During the Gascogne West Phase 1 programme, the pandemic inspired Wates to find innovative ways to bring £45m in social value to the local community including the creation of 21 apprenticeships, 22 work experience placements and £89k of investment in local charities and community causes.

Phoenix Park was created as a safe and inviting meanwhile space where residents can meet, play and enjoy the outdoors, and a total of 733 young people were engaged in educational projects with 21,000 hours invested in employment and training.

Cllr Darren Rodwell, leader of Barking & Dagenham Council, said:

“Despite the current economic climate our progress continues in the Gascoigne neighbourhood, where we will continue to provide safe, warm, affordable housing for our residents. Once finished this will be one of the greenest, most affordable neighbourhoods in town.

“This project is part of our wider commitment to build 50,000 new homes by 2037 across the Borough. We look forward to seeing the development become reality and further increasing our supply of good quality housing for the people of Barking and Dagenham.”

Kevin O’Brien, managing director, BeFirst London, said:

“We’re passionate about delivering for Barking and Dagenham and making sure that the Borough is a great place to live, work, and raise a family.

“Wates shares our commitment and values and has demonstrated this on existing projects within the Borough, which is why we are happy to be working with them on this latest phase of the Gascoigne Estate – a major regeneration scheme in that the Borough that ensures Barking and Dagenham continues to be a great place to invest and work in.  It’s due to our proactive, collaborative approach that we’ve delivered more homes than anywhere else in London over the last five years.”

 Helen Bunch, executive managing director, Wates Residential, said:

“At Wates we believe everyone deserves a great place to live. This new project will provide huge economic, social and environmental benefits to local people and the local businesses that will be involved, as well as providing safe, healthy and comfortable places for communities to flourish.”