Innovation Digital

A futuristic vision for a Barking town centre for aspirational Londoners was launched today (14 March) by Be First, Barking and Dagenham Council’s pioneering urban regeneration company. The concepts designed by architects Weston Williamson + Partners were unveiled at MIPIM Cannes to an audience of investors, developers and city planners. The centrepiece is a major […]

Barking and Dagenham Council’s leader has sent a good luck message to Sally Hawkins who has been nominated for best actress at the Oscars for her role in the Shape of Water. Councillor Darren Rodwell said: “Like most Brits, I hope Sally Hawkins grabs an Oscar, not only for her role in Shape of Water.

The race to find the operator for London’s largest film studios in 25 years is officially underway. Be First, Barking and Dagenham Council’s regeneration company, announced the official tender exercise today. Councillor Darren Rodwell, Leader of Barking and Dagenham Council, said: “We want a visionary partner to help us make the Made in Dagenham film

Barking and Dagenham’s ambition to rival Old Street area as the capital’s new tech city took a step closer to reality this week after a planning application was submitted to develop two new buildings in the borough, which will be used as data centres. NTT Communications Corporation has submitted an application to develop the 212m

A new super state of the art school has opened in east London as part of a flagship regeneration development. Greatfields School in Barking, which will eventually be part of a campus for 2,430 students, including a primary school, secondary school and sixth form first opened its doors in September 2016, and has just moved

Former civil service supremo, Lord Kerslake, has commented on the decision to add ‘housing’ to Sajid Javid’s job title. The Chair of Be First, Barking and Dagenham Council’s regeneration company said: “In what is the most urgent priority for the Government, I fear it will take a lot more than a name change to tackle

Barking and Dagenham Council’s leader has said any delays to extension of the Overground to Barking Riverside will be unacceptable. Councillor Darren Rodwell was speaking after it emerged the design tender exercise has slipped by five months, according to media reports. Cllr Rodwell said: “Any possible delay to the extension of the Overground to Barking

Former Civil Service Head and Chairman of Be First, Lord Kerslake, has branded the Chancellor’s budget ‘a mixed bag’ which will struggle to deliver the governments’ ambition on new housing. Lord Kerslake said: “I welcome the Chancellor’s announcement of £15bn of new support for housing but it doesn’t reflect the government’s ambition to solve the

Be First – Barking and Dagenham Council’s pioneering urban regeneration company – today issued an invitation to ambitious investors, entrepreneurs and businesses to help build London’s largest film studios and media complex in Dagenham. Announcing the hunt for partners, Barking and Dagenham Council’s Leader, Cllr Darren Rodwell, said: “We are looking for like-minded partners to

Although the Mayor of London has dropped plans to build a garden bridge, Barking and Dagenham Council’s leader wants a new bridge a bit further down-stream spanning the River Roding – linking two massive regeneration hotspots. Councillor Darren Rodwell, Leader of Barking and Dagenham Council, said: “With the Mayor dropping the Garden Bridge plan, I