Premier Construction

East City Point

East City
Written by Roma Publications

East City Point

When completed, the £3.7 billion regeneration scheme currently underway in Canning Town and Custom House will have created over 10,000 new and refurbished homes. The scheme is aimed at transforming the area physically, socially and economically.

Over the course of 15 years the new and refurbished homes will be available to a wide variety of parties. They will be complemented by vibrant town centres, more green spaces and many more choices and opportunities for both new and existing residents.

One of the major aspects of the scheme is the £98 million East City Point. The development, which began in 2011, comprises the creation of 649 new homes – including those for private sale, shared ownership and at affordable rents – and a new primary school that opened in 2014. East City Point is being brought to life through a partnership between Countryside, Newham Council and Affinity Sutton Housing Association.

The hard work and dedication that continues to be put into East City Point to get it towards completion was recently recognised with a NHBC Pride in the Job Award for the London region. Michael McDade, who manages the East City Point site, is one of six other Countryside site managers who have received regional recognition.

Graham Cherry, Chief Executive of Countryside Partnerships South, said:

“The Pride in the Job Awards are a well-respected mark of quality and we are exceptionally proud of Michael and Steve as well as all those working on these projects, whose hard work and high standards have helped mark these sites out as some of the best in London.”

Phase one of East City Point has already been completed and provided 311 new homes as well as Keir Hardie Primary School which provides a high quality environment for children, and opportunities for local people to use the school’s facilities in the evenings and at the weekend. The second phase of the development is currently under construction with completion expected in 2018. This will include a mix of housing units that are private for sale, shared ownership, intermediate rent and social rent.

All homes have been built to Lifetime Homes’ standards, while 10% are suitable for people with disabilities.

The new buildings for Keir Hardie Primary School opened in May 2014 with brand new, state-of-the-art classrooms as well as a rooftop garden and running track. The construction of the school was an important aspect of the work to help establish a wider community and feedback on it has been extremely positive.

The standout element of the second phase of the project is The Atrium Building, offering a selection of 153 contemporary apartments. The building has been created with the aim of blending the latest trends in interior design with environmentally friendly living. Set over 10 floors the building has a striking façade of glass and steel.

The spacious one or two bedroom apartments in The Atrium Building have been thoughtfully designed to make use of natural light. The properties also feature contemporary fitted kitchens with handless base and wall units, contrasting worktops with upstand, integrated electric ovens, ceramic hobs with glass splashbacks and integrated pull out extractor hoods. Integrated appliances include a fridge/freezer, dishwasher and washer/dryer.

The stylish bathrooms and en-suites combine style with practicality, featuring white sanitary ware with chrome fittings and driftwood finish bath panels. The homes also boast impressive green credentials with every property heated by E.ON’s District Heating System, which provides instantaneous hot water and reduces carbon emissions by around 25% compared to traditional gas heating.

At the heart of the ever evolving neighbourhood of Canning Town, The Atrium Building boosts excellent transport connections. The DLR is easily accessible alongside the Jubilee Line, which as of last year became part of Night Tube with trains running on average every 10 minutes on Friday and Saturday nights.

Looking ahead, like many areas of London the Canning Town is also set to be a huge benefactor of the Crossrail project. A new station integrated with the existing DLR station, Custom House, is set to open in 2018 and will be served by the Elizabeth Line from 2019 onwards.

The design of the new station integrates within the existing infrastructure and celebrates local character. The solidity of the smooth, pale concrete building frame is offset by a delicate canopy above the concourse. A slender, steel-framed grid containing air filled translucent pillows is used on the roof to provide shelter and allows natural light to filter into the station.

Once one of London’s main trade hubs, Canning Town benefitted greatly from the Royal Victoria Dock in the 19th century. Significant damage sustained during the Second World War was the beginning of the end for the docks which eventually closed a few decades later. As jobs moved away from the area, so did investment in infrastructure. Since its inception nearly ten years ago, the regeneration scheme to restore Canning Town and Custom House to former glory has become one of the most important in the city. When complete it will have not only transformed the area but will provide a blueprint for others to follow.

Founded over 55 years ago, Countryside Properties specialise in creating places people love. Countryside has unrivalled expertise in estate regeneration having undertaken more than 35 mixed-tenure and mixed-use schemes with local authorities and housing associations. Community schemes throw up a number of obstacles and a large degree of collaboration between all parties involved is required to make a success of them.

For more on Countryside projects, please visit countryside-properties.com.

 

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Roma Publications