Since it was established, Be First has been responsible for the regeneration and development of Barking and Dagenham. We have a strong and demonstrable track record of delivering for local people, communities and businesses. Our live projects add up to the value of £1bn, with another £1.5bn to £2bn in the pipeline over the next 10 to 20 years.
Barking and Dagenham is strategically located mid-way between the City of London and the M25 and has great connectivity, it is just a 20-minute rail journey to central London. The A13 provides London with 80% of its freight and, once complete, Thames Freeport will be the only freeport in the country with rail, river, and road access. The town centre itself has adopted the principles of a 15-minute city to create opportunities to grow. This means the area will be a safe and sustainable place to live, work, learn, socialise, shop and eat.
The economic focus of London has been moving East for some time, and Barking and Dagenham is increasingly at its centre. The council and its partners are committed to ensuring everyone benefits from growth and is on a mission to accelerate the pace of regeneration in the borough. As a result, there are plans to build 50,000 new homes and create 20,000 new jobs in the area over the next 20 years.
Our journey so far...
Economic growth
A brighter public realm
Power social progress
Be First is committed to delivering economic growth for our borough. We have a strong planning and delivery performance track-record, demonstrating our commitment to improving the area and creating new opportunities for businesses and residents.
One of our most exciting and innovative schemes is 12 Thames Road. It is set to transform a former industrial site into a thriving new neighbourhood that will provide a mix of homes, workspace, and community facilities. This development is expected to bring new businesses and jobs to the borough, as well as providing much-needed affordable housing for local people.
Industria is another one of our flagship developments. It is a state-of-the-art logistics and industrial facility that will provide employment opportunities for hundreds of people. This development has been designed to meet the needs of modern businesses and will contribute to the economic growth of the borough by attracting new industries and investment.
In addition to these projects, we have also been instrumental in bringing significant economic growth and new industries to the borough. For example, our work on City Markets will create a vibrant new retail and leisure destination that is set to attract thousands of visitors to the area, while our involvement in the creation of film studios at Dagenham East has helped to establish the borough as a hub for the creative industries. Furthermore, our work at London East UK Business & Technical Park has established a cluster of science companies with the intention of creating the first smart technology hub in the UK.
Our commitment to delivering innovative and sustainable schemes that create jobs, provide affordable housing, and attract new businesses to the area is making a real difference to the lives of local people and contributing to the long-term success of the borough.
We believe that a brighter public realm is essential for creating thriving communities and enhancing the quality of life for residents. We’re committed to delivering future-focused homes that are not only beautiful and functional but also energy-efficient and sustainable.
Our developments are designed to meet the highest environmental standards and include a range of energy-saving features such as solar panels, heat recovery systems, and efficient insulation. We believe that by making our homes more energy-efficient, we can help to reduce carbon emissions and make a positive contribution to the fight against climate change.
In addition to our focus on energy efficiency, we are also committed to creating more sustainable environments that incorporate trees and green spaces. Our developments are designed to be places where people can live, work, and play in harmony with nature, and we place a strong emphasis on creating green spaces that provide a range of benefits for both people and the environment.
Access to green space is essential for promoting physical and mental wellbeing, as well as for reducing air pollution and improving biodiversity. That's why we work closely with local communities to create green spaces that meet their needs and enhance the public realm.
We’re committed to delivering a brighter public realm for the people of Barking and Dagenham. Through our focus on energy efficiency, sustainability, and green space, we are creating developments that contribute to the long-term wellbeing of local communities.
We believe in powering social progress in Barking and Dagenham by producing high-quality social housing that provides a better-quality life for those living in the community.
We’re committed to creating social housing that is not only affordable but also meets the highest standards of design and construction.
We believe that everyone has the right to a decent home, and we’re working hard to deliver new social housing developments that provide safe, secure, and comfortable homes for local people. Our social housing projects are designed to be energy-efficient, accessible, and adaptable to meet the changing needs of residents over time.
We are also proactively upgrading homes and in particular social housing, rather than just focusing on new homes. Upgrading existing homes can be just as effective in improving the quality of life for residents as building new homes.
We’re retrofitting properties to add energy-saving features, improving accessibility, upgrading communal areas, and working to improve the quality of existing social housing. By doing so, we’re creating sustainable, thriving communities in Barking and Dagenham.
Overall, we are committed to powering social progress in Barking and Dagenham by delivering high-quality social housing that meets the needs of local people.
At Be First, we are committed to delivering profit through our development projects that can be reinvested back into the community.
By delivering profitable developments, we can generate funds that can be used to support essential council services such as social care, education, and public services.
Our development projects are carefully planned and executed to ensure that they are financially viable and profitable. We work closely with our partners to identify and assess opportunities that are not only commercially sound but also deliver long-term benefits for local communities.
Profit is not just a measure of our financial success, but also our social impact. By delivering profitable development schemes, we can create a sustainable future for Barking and Dagenham, supporting economic growth.
One of the ways we reinvest our profit is by supporting essential council services like social care. We believe that social care is a crucial service that supports the most vulnerable members of our community, and we are committed to providing the funding needed to ensure that it continues to operate at the highest level.
Our journey so far...
Economic growth
A brighter public realm
Power social progress
Delivering Profit
Be First is committed to delivering economic growth for our borough. We have a strong planning and delivery performance track-record, demonstrating our commitment to improving the area and creating new opportunities for businesses and residents.
One of our most exciting and innovative schemes is 12 Thames Road. It is set to transform a former industrial site into a thriving new neighbourhood that will provide a mix of homes, workspace, and community facilities. This development is expected to bring new businesses and jobs to the borough, as well as providing much-needed affordable housing for local people.
Industria is another one of our flagship developments. It is a state-of-the-art logistics and industrial facility that will provide employment opportunities for hundreds of people. This development has been designed to meet the needs of modern businesses and will contribute to the economic growth of the borough by attracting new industries and investment.
In addition to these projects, we have also been instrumental in bringing significant economic growth and new industries to the borough. For example, our work on City Markets will create a vibrant new retail and leisure destination that is set to attract thousands of visitors to the area, while our involvement in the creation of film studios at Dagenham East has helped to establish the borough as a hub for the creative industries. Furthermore, our work at London East UK Business & Technical Park has established a cluster of science companies with the intention of creating the first smart technology hub in the UK.
Our commitment to delivering innovative and sustainable schemes that create jobs, provide affordable housing, and attract new businesses to the area is making a real difference to the lives of local people and contributing to the long-term success of the borough.
We believe that a brighter public realm is essential for creating thriving communities and enhancing the quality of life for residents. We’re committed to delivering future-focused homes that are not only beautiful and functional but also energy-efficient and sustainable.
Our developments are designed to meet the highest environmental standards and include a range of energy-saving features such as solar panels, heat recovery systems, and efficient insulation. We believe that by making our homes more energy-efficient, we can help to reduce carbon emissions and make a positive contribution to the fight against climate change.
In addition to our focus on energy efficiency, we are also committed to creating more sustainable environments that incorporate trees and green spaces. Our developments are designed to be places where people can live, work, and play in harmony with nature, and we place a strong emphasis on creating green spaces that provide a range of benefits for both people and the environment.
Access to green space is essential for promoting physical and mental wellbeing, as well as for reducing air pollution and improving biodiversity. That's why we work closely with local communities to create green spaces that meet their needs and enhance the public realm.
We’re committed to delivering a brighter public realm for the people of Barking and Dagenham. Through our focus on energy efficiency, sustainability, and green space, we are creating developments that contribute to the long-term wellbeing of local communities.
We believe in powering social progress in Barking and Dagenham by producing high-quality social housing that provides a better-quality life for those living in the community.
We’re committed to creating social housing that is not only affordable but also meets the highest standards of design and construction.
We believe that everyone has the right to a decent home, and we’re working hard to deliver new social housing developments that provide safe, secure, and comfortable homes for local people. Our social housing projects are designed to be energy-efficient, accessible, and adaptable to meet the changing needs of residents over time.
We are also proactively upgrading homes and in particular social housing, rather than just focusing on new homes. Upgrading existing homes can be just as effective in improving the quality of life for residents as building new homes.
We’re retrofitting properties to add energy-saving features, improving accessibility, upgrading communal areas, and working to improve the quality of existing social housing. By doing so, we’re creating sustainable, thriving communities in Barking and Dagenham.
Overall, we are committed to powering social progress in Barking and Dagenham by delivering high-quality social housing that meets the needs of local people.
At Be First, we are committed to delivering profit through our development projects that can be reinvested back into the community.
By delivering profitable developments, we can generate funds that can be used to support essential council services such as social care, education, and public services.
Our development projects are carefully planned and executed to ensure that they are financially viable and profitable. We work closely with our partners to identify and assess opportunities that are not only commercially sound but also deliver long-term benefits for local communities.
Profit is not just a measure of our financial success, but also our social impact. By delivering profitable development schemes, we can create a sustainable future for Barking and Dagenham, supporting economic growth.
One of the ways we reinvest our profit is by supporting essential council services like social care. We believe that social care is a crucial service that supports the most vulnerable members of our community, and we are committed to providing the funding needed to ensure that it continues to operate at the highest level.
Our journey so far...
Economic growth
Be First is committed to delivering economic growth for our borough. We have a strong planning and delivery performance track-record, demonstrating our commitment to improving the area and creating new opportunities for businesses and residents.
One of our most exciting and innovative schemes is 12 Thames Road. It is set to transform a former industrial site into a thriving new neighbourhood that will provide a mix of homes, workspace, and community facilities. This development is expected to bring new businesses and jobs to the borough, as well as providing much-needed affordable housing for local people.
Industria is another one of our flagship developments. It is a state-of-the-art logistics and industrial facility that will provide employment opportunities for hundreds of people. This development has been designed to meet the needs of modern businesses and will contribute to the economic growth of the borough by attracting new industries and investment.
In addition to these projects, we have also been instrumental in bringing significant economic growth and new industries to the borough. For example, our work on City Markets will create a vibrant new retail and leisure destination that is set to attract thousands of visitors to the area, while our involvement in the creation of film studios at Dagenham East has helped to establish the borough as a hub for the creative industries. Furthermore, our work at London East UK Business & Technical Park has established a cluster of science companies with the intention of creating the first smart technology hub in the UK.
Our commitment to delivering innovative and sustainable schemes that create jobs, provide affordable housing, and attract new businesses to the area is making a real difference to the lives of local people and contributing to the long-term success of the borough.
A brighter public realm
We believe that a brighter public realm is essential for creating thriving communities and enhancing the quality of life for residents. We’re committed to delivering future-focused homes that are not only beautiful and functional but also energy-efficient and sustainable.
Our developments are designed to meet the highest environmental standards and include a range of energy-saving features such as solar panels, heat recovery systems, and efficient insulation. We believe that by making our homes more energy-efficient, we can help to reduce carbon emissions and make a positive contribution to the fight against climate change.
In addition to our focus on energy efficiency, we are also committed to creating more sustainable environments that incorporate trees and green spaces. Our developments are designed to be places where people can live, work, and play in harmony with nature, and we place a strong emphasis on creating green spaces that provide a range of benefits for both people and the environment.
Access to green space is essential for promoting physical and mental wellbeing, as well as for reducing air pollution and improving biodiversity. That's why we work closely with local communities to create green spaces that meet their needs and enhance the public realm.
We’re committed to delivering a brighter public realm for the people of Barking and Dagenham. Through our focus on energy efficiency, sustainability, and green space, we are creating developments that contribute to the long-term wellbeing of local communities.
Power social progress
We believe in powering social progress in Barking and Dagenham by producing high-quality social housing that provides a better-quality life for those living in the community.
We’re committed to creating social housing that is not only affordable but also meets the highest standards of design and construction.
We believe that everyone has the right to a decent home, and we’re working hard to deliver new social housing developments that provide safe, secure, and comfortable homes for local people. Our social housing projects are designed to be energy-efficient, accessible, and adaptable to meet the changing needs of residents over time.
We are also proactively upgrading homes and in particular social housing, rather than just focusing on new homes. Upgrading existing homes can be just as effective in improving the quality of life for residents as building new homes.
We’re retrofitting properties to add energy-saving features, improving accessibility, upgrading communal areas, and working to improve the quality of existing social housing. By doing so, we’re creating sustainable, thriving communities in Barking and Dagenham.
Overall, we are committed to powering social progress in Barking and Dagenham by delivering high-quality social housing that meets the needs of local people.
Whats Next...
A more prosperous borough
A vision of transformation
A better connected borough
Find out more
Be First is committed to building a more prosperous Barking and Dagenham. We will build a thriving and inclusive community through our continued commitment to boost economic growth and provide new opportunities for businesses and residents.
Through our shared love of food, we will celebrate the borough’s diversity by setting up food markets in the town centre. Not only will this support small businesses and help improve the local economy – it will foster a sense of community in the area.
We will build cinemas and film studios to encourage investment from the creative industries. The borough has so much to be proud of and we want to inspire young people in Barking and Dagenham.
We are forward thinking and will continue to support small businesses within our community. It will enable growth and prosperity.
At Be First, we are determined to make Barking and Dagenham a place to be proud of. Good, decent homes that are in an inclusive community should be accessible to everyone.
We will regenerate the town centre and add value to the public space shared by all in the community. We will make it easier for people to travel around London. We will continue to deliver quality homes and will transform areas like Dagenham Dock and 12 Thames Road.
Above all, we want to raise standards of living for everyone in the Barking and Dagenham community.
You will have a better-connected borough which will attract new job opportunities and improve the overall quality of life for residents by ensuring they can travel with ease and convenience.
We intend to develop a route to transport freight between the UK and continental Europe. This is the most convenient and cost-effective way to do so, and we want the borough of Barking and Dagenham to play a key role in this.
We have made improvements to Barking and Dagenham station to improve local transport links in the immediate area. Not only will this increase employment opportunities, but it will also help to increase social mobility, making the area more accessible for those commuting to and from.
We appreciate that people will have questions around the environmental impact of these changes. We plan to invest in sustainable transport infrastructure, to complement our clean and green approach. We want the community to be able to get to where they need to, but we don’t have to harm the environment in the process.
We hope this page has given you a better understanding of how Be First is delivering economic growth, a brighter public realm, powering social progress, and delivering profit for the borough of Barking and Dagenham.
If you're interested in finding out more about our development projects or working with us, we invite you to explore our website and get in touch with our team. We believe that by working together, we can create a sustainable future for Barking and Dagenham that benefits everyone in the community.
So whether you're a resident, a local business, or a potential partner, we encourage you to join us in our mission to make Barking and Dagenham a great place to live, work, and visit.
Whats Next...
A more prosperous borough
Be First is committed to building a more prosperous Barking and Dagenham. We will build a thriving and inclusive community through our continued commitment to boost economic growth and provide new opportunities for businesses and residents.
Through our shared love of food, we will celebrate the borough’s diversity by setting up food markets in the town centre. Not only will this support small businesses and help improve the local economy – it will foster a sense of community in the area.
We will build cinemas and film studios to encourage investment from the creative industries. The borough has so much to be proud of and we want to inspire young people in Barking and Dagenham.
We are forward thinking and will continue to support small businesses within our community. It will enable growth and prosperity.
A vision of transformation
At Be First, we are determined to make Barking and Dagenham a place to be proud of. Good, decent homes that are in an inclusive community should be accessible to everyone.
We will regenerate the town centre and add value to the public space shared by all in the community. We will make it easier for people to travel around London. We will continue to deliver quality homes and will transform areas like Dagenham Dock and 12 Thames Road.
Above all, we want to raise standards of living for everyone in the Barking and Dagenham community.
A better connected borough
You will have a better-connected borough which will attract new job opportunities and improve the overall quality of life for residents by ensuring they can travel with ease and convenience.
We intend to develop a route to transport freight between the UK and continental Europe. This is the most convenient and cost-effective way to do so, and we want the borough of Barking and Dagenham to play a key role in this.
We have made improvements to Barking and Dagenham station to improve local transport links in the immediate area. Not only will this increase employment opportunities, but it will also help to increase social mobility, making the area more accessible for those commuting to and from.
We appreciate that people will have questions around the environmental impact of these changes. We plan to invest in sustainable transport infrastructure, to complement our clean and green approach. We want the community to be able to get to where they need to, but we don’t have to harm the environment in the process.
Find out more
We hope this page has given you a better understanding of how Be First is delivering economic growth, a brighter public realm, powering social progress, and delivering profit for the borough of Barking and Dagenham.
If you're interested in finding out more about our development projects or working with us, we invite you to explore our website and get in touch with our team. We believe that by working together, we can create a sustainable future for Barking and Dagenham that benefits everyone in the community.
So whether you're a resident, a local business, or a potential partner, we encourage you to join us in our mission to make Barking and Dagenham a great place to live, work, and visit.
