Gascoigne West, London – Phase 2

Working with existing trees, topography and routes helps to ground the scheme in the context of extensive regeneration in the area. The green buffer of trees and rain gardens along St Pauls Road will enhance urban nature and biodiversity, making the busy roadside more resident- and pedestrian-friendly.

City Block Structure
To maximise the potential of the site and provide the required density of housing whilst amplifying connection to the landscape and surroundings, a combination of tower blocks and townhouses are arranged around courtyards to create three main blocks. The five towers in the scheme range between 9-20 storeys in a tenure-blind design that contains a mix of 1-, 2- and 3-bed homes. 60% of the units will be for affordable rent, the remainder for private rent, and 10% of the units across the scheme will be accessible.

Within the city block structure, the towers are rotated at different angles, creating new and interesting views, improving visual connections into and out of site and enhancing legibility of streetscape. At the corner of St Pauls Road and Gascoigne Road, the tallest of the towers overlooks a public square with active street frontage, creating a landmark and a welcoming entrance to the neighbourhood.

London Borough of Barking & Dagenham has a goal to be carbon neutral by 2030. The buildings will ‘plug into’ a wider energy and district heating network for Barking Town Centre and achieve a 10% reduction in CO2 emissions compared to Building Regulations for energy efficiency alone. The buildings are optimised for minimal energy consumption through their geometry and orientation and the green roofs of the towers all feature solar PV panels to maximise renewable energy generation.

Active Streets
This phase of Gascoigne West will focus around the creation of a new playable park at Tomlins Orchard, a shared space for community activity and socialising. In total, more than 4500m2 of play and public space will be provided. As well as the new 1500m2 park, play is incorporated within public realm and extended to include less formal play spaces and streets, which will give priority to pedestrians over vehicles and allow for a safe zone close to the homes.

The scheme will also provide secure indoor cycle parking for all residents, as well as spaces for visitors to lock up their bikes, and an underground refuse system for all residents. The landscaping of the site, as well as promoting urban nature and biodiversity, is designed for resilience and integrates green infrastructure.