EMERGING LONDON 2018

There’s an undertone of affordability which we are keen to sustain and utilise to encourage new formats, ideas and community experiences. The 1.3m sq ft residential-led redevelopment at Vicarage Field is key to unlocking a series of regeneration initiatives in central Barking. PETER CORNFORTH , Project Lead at site owner Benson Elliot and JAMES SHINDLER , Director at development manager Londonewcastle tell us how perceptions of Barking are changing, explain why green spaces are important for any regeneration project and disclose why, one day, one of themwill visit Cockfosters. You’ve done a lot of public consultation as part of the planning for Vicarage Field. Did these highlight any misconceptions about Barking as a place? Peter I’d argue that a person can’t have a misconception about a place because if that’s what they think, that’s what they think. The overwhelming response to the surveys we did is essentially: ‘bring it on’. There’s a consistent local sentiment that Barking can benefit from the sort of contemporary catching-up they see in other parts of the Capital, so people are supportive as they see it delivering things they want. OK, but presumably there are still some perception issues. James The perceptions are around Barking’s old-school geography, being a close neighbour of Essex – that’s not a bad thing, it just makes it sound a bit further out. The reality is that it’s as near to central London as Ealing is on the west side of town. These sound like attitudes that will take a while to alter. Peter I’ve always believed that changes in perception emerge organically. One of the exciting things about Barking is that whilst its got its fair share of physical heritage, the centre isn’t jam packed with ancient or historic buildings; creating the opportunity to deliver a really bold and exemplary design solution with a freshness and vitality that will be interesting across a wider geography than Barking itself. I’m confident that as we work through and deliver our masterplan, perceptions will be rebased to anticipate the great things ahead. As humans we are better at dealing with things we can see in front of us, rather than on a plan. Peter Definitely true, but there’s more to it than a few buildings coming out of the ground. To inspire perceptions and empower opportunity, you need something to hang your hat on and central Barking’s a bit short of hat-hanging things at the moment. That’s about to change. The development of several projects will give the area a much stronger experiential and visual identity. And one of those projects is Vicarage Field, where the designs by Studio Egret West have been largely applauded. James This is third time we’ve worked with SEW and they are as ambitious and design-led as we are. We are conscious that our scheme should stand out in a good way. It is refreshing to work with an architect who just sees London as a wonderful place with a lot of opportunity both in terms of new buildings and preserving heritage. We’re particularly pleased that both the Council and GLA accepted the design integrity of the plans – they recognise it’s a high-quality scheme. So, we know how Vicarage Field will look. What about how the mix of uses within the scheme will work? Peter We are determined that the interaction between commercial and residential space will be socially sustainable, today and tomorrow. In terms of layout and uses we have maximum flexibility, including podium amenity (garden) space. PETER CORNFORTH RETAIL DIRECTOR, BENSON ELLIOT JAMES SHINDLER DIRECTOR, LONDONEWCASTLE CUSHMAN & WAKEFIELD  | EMERGING LONDON 23 22 SPOTLIGHT ON BARKING Barking Profile Interview