Well after the laughter when I mention in polite company that I live in Barking something ‘cool and trendy’ to tell at dinner parties.

Details: A design competition is to be held to help create a new inspiring urban district.

An international competition for a new sustainable community has marked its deadline for interested parties as April 26, 2007. A new community is planned for Barking Riverside, London, in the midst of the Thames Gateway.

It is the aim of the competition to create one of the most important and inspiring new sustainable communities in London. It could end up housing more than 26,000 people, and it already has parkland, access to the river, improved transport connections and a close proximity to the Barking town centre. As a riverside location, Barking Riverside aspires to deliver a blend of high-density design and will offer a variety of tenures and affordable homes. This will be set in a green environment, including both parkland and open space, and will be designed for the benefit of the entire
community. Access to the riverside is a priority, and there are plans to open up 2 kilometres of riverfront to walkways and cycle paths.

The design competition aims to produce a new sustainable community where people want to settle and stay, thus creating a new, inspiring urban district. Two independent design teams will be selected to work with Barking
Riverside Ltd. on two (Eastern and Western) stages of sub-framework plans.

These plans will be the first two of four and they will be set within the context of the approved master plan and the Urban Design Guidelines, and will total the first 4,000 homes to be built on the site. For more information on the competition, please visit www.barkingriverside.co.uk.