A stylish terrace of ‘east end’ style council homes has been delivered by Be First, Barking and Dagenham Council’s pioneering development company.  

Leader of Barking and Dagenham Council, Cllr Darren Rodwell and Iain Ferguson, Commercial Director of Be First, visited the development to see how the tenants of Tarling Close, Dagenham, were settling in.  

Margaret Mitchell, who moved to Tarling Close from her four-bedroom house in Thames View Estate, said: “I love my new home, it’s roomy and gives in a lot of light. It’s not too small or large for me. It’s just right.” 

The close was built in the same style as Burbridge Close, which has been shortlisted for a RIBA’s London Award and is just yards away.  The scalloped frontages form an attractive, traffic free pathway which encourages communal interaction and increases security.  

Mrs Mitchell’s move to Tarling Close enabled a family which was on the council waiting list to move into her old house in Thames View Estate. 

Cllr Darren Rodwell: “Tarling Close is another excellent example of the superb council housing we’re now building in the borough. These east end style homes are built to foster neighbourliness, which is at the heart of what we’re trying to achieve in the borough. Plus, we’re freeing up family-sized homes for people on the waiting list.”  

Iain Ferguson, Be First’s Commercial Director, said: “Tarling Close brings the total number of homes we have completed since Be First was created to just over 250, and we’re gearing up to deliver 2,500 more in the next few years.   

“Both developments are an excellent example of what we’re trying to achieve. We’re not just building affordable homes but communities too.”  

Notes for editors: 

Tarling Close consists of eight homes – six are one bed, single storey houses and two, two bed houses.