Renew

Spring 2009

Regeneration in the London Thames Gateway

“This is a part of London that cannot

be ignored. It is essential whether you
look west or east. It is essential to
the rest of London. It is essential to
the rest of the Thames Gateway”
Lord Falconer, Chair, TGLP

Special Edition

• Message from our Chair, Lord Falconer

• London Thames Gateway map
• TGLP priorities
 Welcome to this special edition of
Contents Renew, the Thames Gateway London
Ros Dunn, Chief Executive, 2 Partnership’s quarterly magazine
TGLP
In this edition, we welcome our new Partnership
Editorial Chair, Lord Charlie Falconer. Charlie is no
stranger to the London Thames Gateway, having
Lord Falconer 3 been the Minister for the Thames Gateway in
The road to recovery the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister before
becoming Lord Chancellor. He joins us at a time
Cllr Chris Roberts of unprecedented economic challenge – a time
when strong partnership working in support of
common goals is all the more important.
Rt Hon Margaret Beckett, 4
MP As a Partnership, our strength lies in the people
we represent; over a third of all Londoners.
We owe it to them to secure the best possible
Sir Simon Milton 5 future for them. This means making sure that
key decision makers at all levels of government
–national and regional – understand the
Councillor Conor 6 opportunities this part of London offers, as well
McAuley as its needs which must be addressed.
Is transport on track?
This is not simply a plea for more investment, although we will argue that
London Thames Gateway 8 additional investment is justified. We also want joined up thinking. Making sure, for
Map example, that ambitious targets for housing of all tenures are matched with the
other ingredients which go into making successful places - economic and social
infrastructure – and that planned investment benefits existing as well as future
Cllr Michael White 10 residents. Making sure that we don’t simply concentrate on investment in physical
capital, but remember to invest in human capital to equip our residents to exploit
The power of place economic opportunities both now and in the future.

Cllr Heidi Alexander
Facing up to challenges
David Lunts
HCA: challenges and
opportunities
London Thames Gateway
Quiz
This, however, is the regeneration equivalent of motherhood and apple pie. We
12 need to translate these broad objectives into specific, focussed goals representing
our top priorities; our Partnership’s voice is a strong one and we will use it to
secure tangible benefits for the people we represent.
14 The rest of this edition explains how we are going to do this. Articles by our
three Vice Chairs, each of whom is responsible for one of our key workstreams
(Conor McAuley on Transport and Connectivity, Michael White on Housing
and Placemaking and Heidi Alexander on Skills and Employment) describe the
work we have been doing and our emerging key priorities. But these are not just
16 three separate areas of work. In addition to the specific issues we raise under
each heading, we will make sure that our own thinking joins up and that this is
reflected in our contributions to key strategic development work in London,
for example the work of the Outer London Commission and the review of the
London Plan.

We are also very grateful for contributions to this special edition from some
absolutely vital stakeholders: the Rt Hon Margaret Beckett MP, Minister for
Housing and the Thames Gateway; Sir Simon Milton, Deputy Mayor of London;
and David Lunts, London Regional Director of the Homes and Communities
Agency.
Charlie Falconer isn’t the only new face around here. This is also my first edition
of Renew as TGLP’s Chief Executive and like Charlie, I’m no stranger to the
Gateway, having worked as Director of Strategy for the Thames Gateway in the
Department of Communities and Local Government. That taught me the value
of being able to hear from a strong local voice when you are part of national
government, and we know that strengthening local democracy has clear all party
support. So I greatly welcome the opportunity to be part of that local voice, and
will do my best, with the rest of the team, to make sure it is heard loud and clear!
Ros Dunn, Chief Executive, TGLP
Cover shows Canning
Town masterplan
For contributions or queries about Renew magazine please call our communications agency, Verve Communications on 020 7017 2011
Email communications@thames-gateway.org.uk www.vervecommunications.co.uk
2
Lord Falconer, Chair, TGLP
I’m delighted to be back in the Gateway. I came back because I
recognise that this is a part of London that cannot be ignored.
It is essential whether you look west or east. It is essential to
the rest of London. It is essential to the rest of the Thames
Gateway.
London‘s success is vital to the national economy. The
Corporation of London estimate that London’s historic revenue
contribution to the rest of the UK (the difference between
what it receives in public spending and what it raises in taxes) is
between £9bn and £13bn a year.
The Thames Gateway matters to the prosperity of the Greater
South East. The three RDAs, led by the LDA, estimated in 2006
that if productivity in the Thames Gateway was raised to the
level of the average of the GSE, it would add around £12bn per
annum to GDP.
These are figures, and a potential, that we cannot ignore.
And right now, as we are going through the most challenging
economic period many of us can remember, it is important to
recognise that the road to recovery could start here. Given the
enormous benefits already coming our way from the Olympics,
and Crossrail, the London Thames Gateway is well placed
to weather the recession and so is a great place to generate
both economic and social returns from public and private
investment.
The large number of groups and committees on the Gateway
means only those which have a clear purpose, and focus on that
purpose, add value. We have that. Our purpose is to speak for
our partners: 11 TGLP boroughs, 8 universities and colleges, the
LSC and the NHS and advocate what they conclude is best for
their part of London.We will focus on the big issues which make
a difference - housing, transport, skills and placemaking.
Cllr Chris Roberts, Deputy Chair, TGLP
It has been my pleasure
to lead the organisation
through significant change
in response to external
developments: the
creation of the HCA, the
reorganisation of CLG, a new
Mayor and the establishment
of new delivery vehicles, in
order to ensure that TGLP
remains relevant.
I am delighted to welcome
Charlie Falconer, to the
newly created post of
independent Chair. This has
been created to reflect the
cross party nature of the
Partnership, one of our core
strengths.
Led by our new Chair, the Partnership is developing a clear cross
party political agenda and identifying the key priorities which
will be the focus of our activities. But as we embark on our new
lease of life, it is worth recognising the remarkable success of the
Gateway so far.
It is now some 15 years since a collection of east London
borough councils came together to try to drive a vision for our
communities ravaged by industrial decline and recession. Little
could we have imagined the success we have had.
The London Thames Gateway now has its own financial district
to rival any in Europe – Canary Wharf. It has a new entertainment
and business quarter based around the flagship of The O2 –
Working across political
parties, and across the river,
we are uniquely placed to
give an authoritative view
on major strategic issues
affecting the whole of East
London. Sometimes that
view will be in response
to requests for views
from others, for example,
Mayoral consultations
on transport, economic
development or housing.
Sometimes we will
identify key issues and
initiate the debate, as we
plan to do on some of
the ideas mentioned in
this issue of Renew. TGLP
has a proud tradition of
lobbying successfully for
key infrastructure and
other projects. We mean
to carry this on. We will make the case for national and regional
government to take the necessary steps to allow the DLR
extension to Dagenham Dock to proceed. We will press for an
early decision on an additional river crossing for the London
Thames Gateway and further measures to support the delivery
of much needed affordable housing.
By focusing our efforts on getting the best outcomes we can for
this part of London through exploiting the sub region’s immense
opportunities, we will aim to lead the road to economic
recovery.
I look forward to working with you.
confirmed in less than a year as the most successful entertainment
venue in the world - on the Greenwich Peninsula.
ExCel in the Royal Docks provides the best that London can
offer in terms of modern and flexible exhibition space, while the
emergence of Stratford City and the Olympic Games will lead
the regeneration of the Lea Valley, providing new retail, sports
and residential infrastructure of the highest quality.
And more is to come. The renaissance at Woolwich with the
redevelopment of the RoyalArsenal;the outstanding opportunities
which still exist at Canning Town and Barking Reach will continue
to breathe fresh life into the London Gateway.
Transport investment in the form of Crossrail and additional
river crossings is essential to making the Gateway work. So is
the need to raise the skills base of a former industrial workforce,
to ensure the physical developments leave a real social and
economic legacy for the long deprived communities of London’s
eastern half.
London Thames Gateway is the only area capable of delivering
national and regional visions for new, sustainable economic and
residential growth. It is the only area with the land, the cross party
political will and just about the only area where 12 neighbouring
councils have worked towards a common vision together for 15
years.
So while we can scarcely believe the successes to date, we know
there remains much still to do. We know we cannot do this
alone and we know as the world has moved on - TGLP needs
to move on. Welcome to the new TGLP and I hope you will join
us in bringing the next wave of regeneration and success to the
London Thames Gateway.
3
Rt Hon Margaret Beckett MP, Minister
for Housing and Planning
Over the past few years, we’ve seen thousands of homes built, hundreds of
businesses flourishing, and quality of life across the region improving.
The past year really saw the momentum pick up pace. Two national skills
academies opened, focusing on financial service and the construction
industry. Plans for Crossrail got the go-ahead. Progress was made at the
Olympic Park, and in other regeneration projects like East London.
Of course, the wider economic climate now looks very different. We must
remain alert to the risks posed by the downturn. But I believe that the
Thames Gateway is well placed to respond to the challenges ahead.
The areas which we are concentrating on in the Gateway: on improving
quality of life, on investment in green collar jobs and low carbon technologies,
on investment in skills and education: are all long-term programmes which
will not only help the region weather the short-term difficulties but also
prepare for the recovery and lay the foundations for future prosperity.
Partnership working has been critical to the success to date, and will
continue to be essential in the future. I look forward to working with all
those involved – from the public, private and third sector – as well as local
people themselves, to build a better future for the Thames Gateway.

Richard Gooding OBE, Chief Executive,

London City Airport As a large private sector
employer in the London
Thames Gateway, I know
just how important it is
to have our public sector
partners working together
effectively towards the goals
that we share. That is why
I welcome Lord Falconer
as the new Chair of TGLP
and look forward to seeing
the organisation go from
strength to strength under
his leadership.
Our success has largely been
driven by our location at the
heart of the Thames Gateway,
yet only six miles from the Bank of England. London City
Airport, together with the DLR, have been vital ingredients
in developing the transport infrastructure.
Naturally, I’m particularly interested in your transport and
connectivity workstream, which proves just how essential
the right transport links are.
At the end of last year a report was published by
Transport for London (TfL) about improved access for
people living near the airport site. It showed that 74 per
cent of residents living near the airport believe they have
improved access to jobs, education and shopping since the
opening of the Docklands Light Railway (DLR) stations
at London City Airport and King George V in December
2005. Respondents to the survey mentioned the DLR
extension as a primary factor for moving to the area. The
airport’s role as a catalyst for this development was clearly
identified.
London City Airport is the largest private sector
employment site in the London Borough of Newham with
almost 2,000 jobs across the 50 companies located on site
at the airport. 70 per cent of jobs are filled by people living
within a five-mile radius of the airport, many of whom rely
on the DLR to commute to work.
Despite the current economic climate we saw a 12 per
cent rise in passenger numbers in 2008 with a record 3.3
million people travelling through the airport.
In October last year our planning application was approved,
increasing the number of permitted flight movements from
80,000 to 120,000 per annum. In the same month, we
marked 21 years of operations since opening in October
1987.Throughout its history, the airport has been a catalyst
for regeneration and employment in East London.
I hope that TGLP continues to act as an essential catalyst for
communication between the public and private sectors.

4
Open, honest and transparent dialogue
Sir Simon Milton, Deputy Mayor for Policy and Planning, GLA
East London will be the capital’s key economic, social
and environmental motor for growth over the coming
decades. The recent plans for the Olympic Legacy provide
yet another opportunity that any other regeneration
area in rest of the country would kill for. Coupled with
significant investment in transport infrastructure in the
East London over the next decade, the main building
blocks for successful regeneration are already in place.
Much will rest on the ability of the Government, the Mayor
and the boroughs to work together to devise a rational
and sustainable plan for investment and development in
the London Thames Gateway. Partners need to make the
most effective use of public sector funding that has already
been committed because that is good planning, but also
understand the strong likelihood that the Gateway will
not receive as much funding in future years due to the
state of the public finances.
Even prior to the economic downturn, it was becoming
increasingly clear that the status quo was not delivering the
quantity or quality of regeneration in the Thames Gateway
required to support existing communities and create
places where new residents want to live. The prevailing
view seemed to be that the Gateway programme would
swiftly change the economic geography of the area and its
attendant social and economic issues.
It is clear that the ambition for overnight regeneration
was naïve and misplaced. Fundamentally it ignores the
realities of large-scale regeneration where the market and
the public sector can only effectively and efficiently bring
forward a finite number of quality regeneration projects
at any one time. In addition, perhaps in part due to the
framing of the gateway as one project, there has been
a lack of clarity about the social, economic and culture
opportunities in the Gateway, resulting in a proliferation
of similar proposals coming forward for cultural quarters
and science parks.
The current economic circumstances should provide an
opportunity for all levels of government in the London
Thames Gateway to pause and reflect on what their
ambition is for the area. The Mayor has already put in train
a number of pieces of work that should help inform the
deliberations of Government and boroughs in reassessing
their plans for the London Thames Gateway.
The Outer London Commission is chaired by Will McKee
CBE and is advised on architecture and design by Sir Terry
Farrell. The commission will idenfity four or five growth
hubs and other smaller centres to underpin economic
growth in Outer London. It will feed into the review
of the London Plan and recommend policies to support
and sustain development, infrastructure needs and
improvements to quality of life and the environment.
The development of the new Mayor’s Transport Plan will
also provide an opportunity to better link transport and
land use planning, with particular thought being channelled
into the issue of river crossings in the Gateway.
The London Homes and Communities Board, chaired by
the Mayor of London, is grappling with the challenge of
which developments require and deserve public sector
support to kick start delivery. Alongside this, research
and investigation into new and different models of housing
development are taking place. This process will also
develop different products that help more Londoners to
own their own home by offering flexible alternatives to
the expense of open market purchases. The Mayor and
the HCA recently announced a funding package that will
deliver around 3,000 new affordable homes for Londoners
across a range of sites.
Despite the need for renewed pragmatism and a focus
on delivery, it is still necessary for the London Thames
Gateway to have the highest of ambitions and accept only
the highest quality in new development. The proposed new
University on the legacy Olympic Park is an opportunity
to put another stamp of quality on East London. The
area is well placed to attract research and business in the
growing green technologies sector. Creative short-term
uses should be considered for some development sites,
opening them up to local people.
This all requires an open, honest and transparent dialogue
between all partners, something that the relaunched
Thames Gateway London Partnership is well placed to
catalyse.
“The main building
blocks for successful
regeneration are already
in place.”
5
Connecting the Gateway: transport tests
Councilor Conor McAuley, Vice Chair, Transport & Connectivity

“TGLP is committed to engaging with

the Mayor, Transport for London,
the Department for Transport and
others in seeking to develop and deliver
a transport package for the Gateway
which addresses the challenges of housing
and economic growth delivery and
meets the aspirations and needs of our
current and future residents.”
Can the targets for housing growth and economic We will examine whether TfL’s assumptions about where
development aspirations be met from within existing and future housing development happens are consistent with
planned transport infrastructure? borough and GLA plans and whether additional investment
in transport might be a better alternative to more expensive
We have already seen how Canary Wharf demonstrates development around existing transport nodes.
the potential to build a world class business environment
from scratch, once the transport infrastructure is in place. The London Thames Gateway is consistently identified
Now in my own borough, Stratford City offers us the by the Government and the Mayor of London as a major
chance to replicate that success in and around Stratford growth opportunity for housing and employment, most
Town centre. recently in the GLA “direction of travel” document Planning
for a Better London. And when the London Plan is reviewed
TfL’s 10 year Business Plan was based on the assumption later this year, the context will not have changed even if the
that there was sufficient transport capacity either already economic climate has temporarily worsened. We still need
in place or with committed funding in place to support substantial sub-regional growth in people and jobs and to
the delivery of 100,000 new homes in the London Thames achieve this we must provide access to opportunities and
Gateway. Most notably, they decided not to proceed with accommodate the demand for travel.
schemes without funding in place such as the plans for
the Thames Gateway Bridge and the DLR extension to We know that choice in the Gateway is not between
Dagenham Dock. growth and no growth. It is between an urban renaissance
of quality and opportunity, and the continuation of
We need to test the assumption behind these decisions. vacant brownfield sites, low density sprawl and limited
opportunities for local communities. To ensure a positive
That’s why as part of our response to the London Plan outcome, housing development must be accompanied by
Review we intend to lead a study into transport capacity employment growth which in turn depends on transport
in the London Thames Gateway, working closely with TfL. and connectivity.

Canning Town masterplan

6
Transport is Crucial
We need to ensure that transport infrastructure and services are in place to link new communities and existing ones,
and all must be linked to attractive employment, educational and cultural opportunities. The private sector will not
invest unless it can take confidence from action by the Government and the Mayor to provide the connections to make
those linkages. This confidence is even more important during the current downturn. Investment in infrastructure can
be a key public sector driver to stimulate the economy and ensure the momentum behind the Gateway continues into
the recovery.

Thames Gateway London Partnership (TGLP) has over the years played a key role in shaping the transport agenda for
the Gateway. We welcome the significant investment in transport infrastructure which has already been delivered but
already know that we need further action.

What I find encouraging is that many of TGLP’s transport priorities have been, or are in the process of being, delivered.
These include Crossrail, extensions to the East London Line, enhancements to the Docklands Light Railway, early
phases of Thames Gateway Transit, station access schemes and improvement packages to town centres.

However we still need to urgently address the issue of river crossings, something which the Mayor and TfL have pledged
to do.

Local successes
Speaking personally as a Newham Councillor,
Crossrail especially will significantly benefit
the Royal Docks area. With Crossrail serving
Custom House, typical journey times from
there to central London will be reduced by
up to 65 per cent, so the journey to (and
from) Paddington would fall from almost an
hour to just 18 minutes. This can only be of
benefit to local businesses such as the Excel
Exhibition Centre and London City Airport.
Having a station located in Custom House
will also boost the regeneration that is taking
place in the wider Canning Town area.

We were also delighted by opening of the

DLR extension to Woolwich Arsenal.This link
across the Thames means local residents will
benefit from improved access to employment
opportunities. It also opens up areas like
Canning Town and Custom House, the Royal
Docks and the Thames Gateway to even
more Londoners.

The transformation of East London is

already under way in Newham and these
transport improvements will further enhance
the social and economic potential of our
key development sites in the south of the
borough.We are seeing at first hand how only
an integrated model of regeneration can be a
catalyst for the creation of jobs, homes and
other key facilities.

7
 Thames Gateway London Partnership: mapping the Gateway
Longitude 0˙0´0˝
Greenwich meridian

Chingford

Stansted

Highams
M11
Essex
Park
A12

A406 LSBU M25

Waltham Forest Harold
wood
Redbridge
Blackhorse
Road
Wood
Street A12
Seven Sisters Walthamstow
St James Romford
Street Central

A12

Leyton
Rectory Midland A406 Upminster
Road Road

Roads Hackney Manor Ilford

Motorway A10 Downs
Wanstead Park
Park Barking & Dagenham
Road Canonbury
Hackney Stratford Woodgrange
International Park
Rotherhithe Tunnel Highbury &
BlackwallTunnel
Islington Dalston Hackney Stratford Forest East
Havering
Junction Central Gate Barking
Due to open Hackney Ham
Dartford Crossing June 2010 London Fields Wick
Haggerston
Pudding Mill Lane West A13 M25
Rail Ham
Hoxton Tower Hamlets
National Rail Bow Newham
St Pancras Shoreditch
DLR High St A11 Church Dagenham
A1020 Barking Dock
DLR Extension Creekmouth
sio
Riverside Rainham
Beckton CEME

n
Liverpool St QM ned exten
Crossrail Whitechapel A13 Riverside Plan
LMU Beckton
East London Line City Fenchurch St Limehouse
Canning Town
Custom Royal
Albert
High Speed 1 – Eurostar services Blackfriars Bank East India
House
Shadwell Westferry Poplar
Charing Cannon St Tower UEL Gallions
Gateway Heron City Airport Reach
Landmarks Cross
Southwark Quay Canary Pontoon
Wapping Wharf
The O2 Waterloo London West Dock King George V
RC
Bridge Canada Water Silvertown
South
ExCeL Quay Crossharbour Belvedere
Surrey Extension due to open 2009 Abbey Wood Lakeside
Greenwich World Heritage Site Quays Shopping
A102 Centre
Woolwich
Tower of London Woolwich
London 2012 Olympic Park Charlton Arsenal

Woolwich Ferry Cutty Sark

TL UG
Thames Barrier Deptford Greenwich Greenwich
Thames Innovation Centre
New A2
GTL Offices Cross GOLD
Gate Welling Bexleyheath
Lewisham A205
Higher/Further Education Centres Brockley
Blackheath
Kidbrooke Falconwood
Centre for Engineering A20 Bexley
Crofton
and Manufacturing Excellence Due to open Park SN Stone
Hither Green Eltham A2 Greenhithe Swanscombe
Queen Mary, University of London June 2010 Ladywell Ebbsfleet
Dartford
University of Greenwich Honor Gravesend
Oak Park A205 Bluewater
London Metropolitan University Shopping
Heathrow Catford Bexley Centre
Goldsmiths, University of London Bridge
University of East London Forest Sidcup
Hill A20
Trinity Laban TL
Lewisham Bellingham
Grove
Ravensbourne College (new site) RC
Park
Start Nucleus SN Gatwick Sydenham Dartford
London South Bank University at Havering LSBU
Crystal
Palace
Town Centres
Longitude 0˙0´0˝ Kent
Station names shown in bold Anerley
Greenwich meridian Faringham Rd
represent town centres

The London Thames Gateway is an area represented by 11 local authorities* on both sides of the river in East
London. Our partners also include eight local universities, the local Learning and Skills Council and the Strategic
Health Authority. It is critical to keeping London going and growing, because it is the only part of the capital able
to sustain the massive scale of growth in jobs and housing required.

*(plus Dartford in Kent)

8 99
Skills and Employment: facing up to challenges
Councillor Heidi Alexander, Vice Chair, Skills and Employment
“We live in a fantastic world city where people
get on with one another and where people,
irrespective of where they come from, have the
chance to succeed.”
Introduction
These were my words a year ago when I was asked about the best
thing about London.Whilst none of us could have imagined the changes
that have rocked the London economy over the last 12 months, it is
more important than ever that we – the public sector and our partners
– focus upon what we can do to ensure that our residents still have the
chance to succeed.
This is a critical time for the London Thames Gateway. Like everywhere
else, things are changing quickly – rising levels of unemployment and a
loss of confidence in the business base are compounding the challenges
faced by our communities who have historically had low skills levels and
exhibited above average levels of worklessness.
We need to work fast and as a partnership we feel we are well placed
to respond: the councils are some of the biggest employers in each
borough and the public sector as a whole accounts for over 25% of
employment across the sub region.There are also real opportunities to
tap into new and emerging markets; building global skills for a global city
whilst mitigating the environmental costs of the decisions we make.
Our challenge in developing a response will include a review of the changing nature of job creation and where new
job growth may be expected. This will give us the opportunity to better plan for future skills requirements, whether
these are at new retail hubs such as Stratford City or in the emerging environmental technology industries. We will
also consider how to improve the offer that will help to retain businesses in London Thames Gateway and increase
confidence within our complex employer market.

I particularly want us to focus on three priorities in the coming year: tackling worklessness, work force development,
and looking at how best to secure an educational legacy from the Olympic Games.
Effects of the economic downturn and worklessness
Even before the effects of the current economic crisis While it can seem as if all eyes are on the Olympics and
became apparent, there were already comparatively high the employment opportunities already being created, we
levels of unemployment in a number of London Thames must not lose sight of the other major infrastructure
Gateway boroughs. The unemployment rate in eight of development coming to the sub region; Crossrail. We
our eleven boroughs now exceeds the overall London already know that 11,000 jobs will be created requiring
average. specialist skills during construction and we must make
sure that our residents have access to these jobs, and to
Our research suggests that the first effects of the economic the proposed specialist construction academies that will
downturn began to appear from June 2008 onwards, furnish the right skills for these jobs. We will also review
resulting in a sudden increase in jobseeker claimants. I the economic impact on the sub region and employment
said before that things are moving fast and this rate of opportunities from Crossrail’s delivery, which could be
increase has since accelerated, with the result that there substantial, particularly for our outer London boroughs.
are now an additional 13,000 jobseeker claimants across
London Thames Gateway, an increase of 26%. Surprisingly,
the increase in jobseekers is particularly severe in the
outer London Thames Gateway boroughs. Bexley (+76%),
Havering (+75%) and to a lesser extent, Redbridge (+48%)
have witnessed significant increases in unemployment.
Even within my own borough of Lewisham we have seen a
24% increase in jobseekers.

We will examine the role the public sector can play in tackling
worklessness. We will work with central government to
explore how we can best use apprenticeship programmes,
looking at quality as well as quantity, and look at other
options such as fast tracking unemployed private sector
professionals into the public sector, where appropriate.
We are also developing a Thames Gateway wide internship
programme and will work proactively with the LDA who
are charged with developing skills provision. University of East London
10
Workforce development: the skills challenge and engaging with business
One of our biggest challenges will be to produce the level of skills required by the workforce in order to satisfy future
demand for jobs. There has been a longstanding mismatch between the skills of local residents and the skills and
competences required by employers, with overall skill levels in London Thames Gateway boroughs significantly below
the London average. We must ensure that our current and future residents are equipped to compete in the open
market; recognising that improved transport links will bring challenge as well as opportunity.

Part of this is about raising aspirations of children and young adults, increasing participation in post-compulsory education
and widening access to higher education: all critical if local residents are to take advantage of the opportunities the
Thames Gateway offers.

The eight higher education institutions that are part of the TGLP family already educate in excess of 116,000 students,
50% of whom are from the LTG area – and within a regional context their activities account for almost a third of total
student provision. Additionally, through the development of KnowledgeEast, the business-focused network of eight
universities and colleges in East London and Thames Gateway, employers have access to the expertise and facilities of
5,000 academics and some of the UK’s highest-rated research departments. These co-ordinated interventions between
business and universities (knowledge transfer) will play an increasingly important role in developing the skills of our
residents and markets of tomorrow.
World class Olympic legacy educational facility
We are extremely keen to play our part as the Mayoral proposal to develop a world class educational Olympic legacy
facility in the Gateway develops.TGLP and our Higher Education Group want to ensure that the wider Gateway context
is properly recognised and that we maximize the benefits of any new facility for our existing residents as well as new
students who may be attracted to the Gateway.
Moving forward
Despite the current economic climate, there are encouraging signs of progress which should mean the London Thames
Gateway will emerge strongly post-recession. There are more degree educated residents (+72,000 since 2005) and a
decline in the number and proportions of residents with low skills. Even more encouragingly, there are signs that the
improvements in skills across the sub region will continue. GCSE results have shown significant improvements and
participation in post-compulsory education and training has also increased. There are now more people going into
higher education in our boroughs (+43% since 1999), with higher numbers of highly skilled residents entering the local
labour market. We must ensure this progress is maintained, and match the improvements in the skills of our residents
with equal progress in generating new employment opportunities.

Emerging environmental technology industries: Artist’s impression of Thames Gateway Institute for Sustainability

11
A chance for change: a new model
Councillor Michael White, Vice Chair, TGLP Housing and Placemaking

“As politicians and as regeneration

professionals our job is to ensure
that what we build, design and develop
contributes to the creation of areas where
young people want to return to work
after education.“
London Thames Gateway an international
exemplar, responding to the downturn
This economic downturn gives us an opportunity to change the way
that we live, work and conduct business. There is a real chance to
bring in a new model for delivering development and regeneration
that is founded on a new set of values; moving away from a short
term outlook that prioritises the gain of a few, towards delivering
outcomes for the benefit of all our community.

The London Thames Gateway region is a better place then any to

re-invent and adapt to these challenges. Our special status as an
Eco-region means that we should lead the way in innovative ideas
for development and regeneration.

We are home to a rich diversity of communities, cultures and

neighbourhoods. Remnants of its heavy industrial past have left a
hard legacy, reflected in the quality of much of the built and green
environment and in the health and attainment levels of many local
residents. This is why we need to make joined up, strategic decisions
that will benefit the whole community.
Facing the challenge
I know from my experience in Havering that much
progress has already been made in London Thames
Gateway, particularly in respect of town centre
revitalisation, educational attainment, access to
employment and improving connectivity.

However, much remains to be done and the recent

downturn must not spell the end of this momentum.
The scale of change that is still required must
be matched by commensurate investment. And
crucially, it is about using this investment to target
the right areas to create successful and sustainable
areas to live.

The delivery of housing is where we must put this

approach into action. Thames Gateway London
Partnership (TGLP) Housing and Placemaking
agenda will provide the strategic direction for
ensuring that this largest and most ambitious of
regeneration projects will result in sustainable
homes and neighbourhoods where people want to
live and work. Where residents have a real sense
of pride of place, there are confident cohesive
communities, high quality design, a healthy social
and cultural infrastructure, economic opportunities
and good connectivity with its surroundings.

Dalston Square, designed to include a library and public realm arts

strategy

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Sustainable housing is at the core
Even allowing for the recession, homes remain an urgent requirement and the London Thames Gateway continues to be
the area of the capital with the greatest capacity and potential for growth. Approximately half of the sites and 70% of
the land area with development opportunities in the London Thames Gateway is in public sector ownership
However this capacity is a precious asset and it must not be squandered through premature development that does not
deliver value for money for the taxpayer. Nor should we accept lower quality development at the expense of creating
sustainable communities.
We also need to work with the Housing and Communities Agency to understand why developers are not beginning
work on sites that are already prepared for development. This needs to cover the circumstances of the site and the
individual borough location and propose solutions to address the reasons preventing progress.
The delivery of housing is not just about providing new homes. The region has a significant amount of existing housing
stock (almost 775,000). Modernising these homes to a standard which exceeds Decent Homes standards must become
a priority and we need to take a lead with new housing working towards meeting or exceeding the Code for Sustainable
Homes Level 4 in advance of the changes to building regulations.We need much more investment from the Government
to make this a reality.

A timely and multifaceted approach

As well as being built to strict environmental standards housing in the London Thames Gateway needs to be well
designed and planned for the whole of the community. We have all seen the mistakes of the past when isolation of a
community has resulted into an area needing extra public resources whether that be in policing, health or education.

Housing alone, whatever the quality, does not deliver liveable places. There needs to be good transport links, social and
cultural focus points and a strong service industry. To understand what the community means that we need to invest
in lengthy and detailed consultation with residents to deliver these requirements. As part of Havering’s regeneration of
its Harold Hill area we asked residents what they wanted before producing a set of proposals. This meant that we met
their expectations and had an overwhelming positive response to the consultation.

As politicians and as regeneration professionals our job is to

ensure that what we build, design and develop contributes
to the creation of areas where young people want to return
to work after education. Throughout the Thames Gateway
project we will be reviewing best practice to make sure our
regeneration projects turn this into a reality.
Looking forward to a green economy
London Thames Gateway remains a priority for
Government investment. But we need to make sure that
this investment focuses on ensuring that an area has the
facilities it needs to develop as a sustainable community.We
need to concentrate on areas that have social and cultural
features that will draw and retain residents to the area.
The TGLP partnership will lobby and advocate investing
in these lasting areas to deliver places in Thames Gateway
where our community wants to live.

13
 The Homes and Communities Agency
challenges and opportunities
The Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) was launched last December – barely a hundred days
ago. Bringing together English Partnerships, the Housing Corporation’s investment programme and
CLG’s Thames Gateway team, David Lunts, the HCA’s London Regional Director , sets out some of
the challenges and priorities facing the new organisation in the Thames Gateway.

East London has nearly a half of London’s future housing capacity. It has some of the largest
and most ambitious regeneration and infrastructure projects in the country, including
Stratford City, Greenwich Peninsula and Barking Riverside. And, of course, it has the 2012
Olympics. Little surprise therefore, that for the new Homes and Communties Agency, what
is sometimes called ‘the remaking of east London’, is perhaps our most important London
challenge.

The circumstances in which we have been launched inevitably add to the scale of that
challenge. With the economy in recession, new housing starts falling at an alarming rate,
and access to mortgage and development finance extremely tight, it is easy to be gloomy
about prospects for the London Thames Gateway. But we see these challenges as real
opportunities to keep moving projects forward and find new ways to help support the
widely shared ambitions for regenerating East London.

Artist’s impression of Barking Riverside

Over the short term, HCA London has five key priorities.

• Our first priority is to remain tightly focussed on the delivery of our inherited programmes. Despite the current
market difficulties, we are on track to use our investment through the affordable housing programme to help fund
11,000 new completions in London for the year that ends on 31st March, and an annual expenditure of just over
a billion pounds. Of this total expenditure in London, approximately £124m will fund around 2,300 starts and 700
completions in the Thames Gateway area [1]. Next year is likely to be a bigger challenge, as the decline in new
housing starts is severe. We are working hard to stimulate new activity by using our existing investment powers
as flexibly as possible. We also fundamentally committed to achieving new development of the highest quality, and
we won’t use the downturn to dumb down our standards. We are committed to building new affordable homes,
but only where these are truly designed for the long term, and where they genuinely contribute to the health and
sustainability of the areas where they are built.

• Our second priority is to respond to the current economic difficulties by developing new ways to use our
investment programmes. Measures underway include a new ‘portfolio’ approach for grant and investment bidding,
where partners submit packages of sites instead of single projects. This can help build confidence over the longer
term, and is building a programme for housing associations and developers through the coming year. We are also
shifting low cost home ownership into intermediate rent products, usually with an option for occupiers to puchase
when conditions improve. We are also working closely with local authorities to bring forward major estate
renewal projects for funding, and smaller sites too, including new build council housing where a Borough is keen to
do so. Traditional grant-based approaches will need to be extended too. With grant rates rising to take account of
the loss of cross-subsidy to affordable housing from housing sales, we are developing equity-based investment, and
infrastructure support, to help schemes through the recession.
14
David Lunts, London Regional Director, HCA
• Our third priority is to find ways to help those major regeneration projects that are struggling because of the
market downturn. We are reviewing all strategic projects across the capital – many of which are in the London
Thames Gateway – and systematically deciding whether, and how, we can assist in keeping activity moving. We are
strongly supported in this by the London Board of the HCA, which is chaired by the Mayor, Boris Johnson, and
which also brings together London Councils, the London Development Agency (LDA) and the Thames Gateway
Development Corporation around the board table.

• Our fourth priority is to reorganise

and relocate HCA London. Our
teams are currently operating separate
inherited programmes, from separate
locations in central London and Canary
Wharf. Over the next few months we
will be restructuring our teams into
integrated operations, drawing together
the inherited skills, programmes and
approaches of the former Housing
Corporation, English Partnerships and
CLG, into area-focussed teams. We are
also planning to relocate to Southwark
in May alongside the LDA, which will
help to establish a strong degree of
collaboration between our regeneration
activities.
• Our last priority is the most important,
especially over the longer term. This is
to set in train the process which we call
‘the single conversation’, whereby we
work very closely with Boroughs and
their local partners to develop a fully co-
ordinated investment plan for the short,
medium and longer terms. In the London
Thames Gateway this will be particularly
important, given the scale of investment
we are proposing to make in East London
and because we already have deep and
growing interests in key boroughs. This
includes, for instance, the new Local
Housing Company, the Barking Riverside
and town centre initiatives in Barking
and Dagenham, our commitments to
Greewich at the Peninsula and Kidbrooke,
and a huge programme of activity in and
around all of the Olympic host boroughs.
We shall be working closely with them in
the planning of their five-borough Multi
Area Agreement, due to be launched in
the summer.
Greenwich Millennium Village
HCA London is realistic but also ambitious;
we are practical, but also innovative; and we are determined, despite the current challenges, to work with all our
partners to drive forward the regeneration of East London. I congratulate the Thames Gateway London Partnership
on their relaunch, and very much look forward to working with them as a key strategic partner for us in that shared
mission.

[1] Data Note: Source HCA Investment Management System (IMS).

The figures provided are estimates based on coding entered by In-
vestment Partners onto IMS. Partners are asked to code all Thames
Gateway allocations within the system however, there may be in-
stances where Partners miscode or omit Thames Gateway coding.
The above figures are taken as entered within IMS.
15
 Test your Knowledge of London Thames Gateway
Anyone looking for a way of comparing a wealth of information on London Thames Gateway and local communities
need look no further than the Thames Gateway Knowledge Platform. This is an invaluable online information service
that allows partners in the Thames Gateway and outside to pool and share information and knowledge. This can be
displayed in a number of ways: as maps, as various charts, or league tables of rankings, all enabling detailed comparison
of social, environmental and economic trends.

Q1 What local authority recycles the Nero, Costa Coffee, etc) are located in the City of London.
highest proportion of household waste? Q10 Answer: 64 of the 93 coffee bars (Starbucks, Café

Q2 What is the total Carbon Footprint GCSEs (A*-C) in Redbridge compared to 62% nationally.
Answer: Redbridge. Almost 73% of students obtain 5+
(tonnes of CO2 per capita) emitted by the
City of London? Q9

a) 10 tonnes b) 12 tonnes c) 15 tonnes Answer: c) £660

Q3 What is the only local authority in

Q8
London Thames Gateway which records increased by 154%.
higher than average levels of sunshine?
average house prices in Barking & Dagenham have
Answer: Barking & Dagenham. Since September 1999,

Q4 Which local authority has the highest Q7

proportion of land classified as green space? Answer: a) one-third

Q5 On a sporting theme, what local

Q6
authority has the greatest number of:
c) Havering, 10

a) Athletic tracks
b) Greenwich, 17 Answer: a) Waltham Forest, 3

b) Swimming pools
Q5
space, compared to an average of 38% in London.
c) Golf courses Answer: Havering, 59% of which is classified as green

Q6 What is the proportion of creative Q4

based industries located in Hackney? sunshine duration.
a) one-third Answer: Lewisham. It is ranked 15th nationally in terms of

b) one-quarter Q3

c) one-fifth Answer: c) 15 tonnes

Q7 Which local authority over the last

Q2
decade has recorded the highest increase in
national average is 31%.
average house prices?
Answer: Bexley recycles 40% of its household waste.The

Q8
Q1
What is the average gross weekly
earnings for residents of Tower Hamlets?
a) £468
b) £539 The data shown is taken from the Thames Gateway
Knowledge Platform.
c) £660
For more information contact Gary Tindell on
Q9 Which local authority has the highest 020 7673 4578 or email
Gary@thames-gateway.org.uk
proportion of students gaining 5+ GCSEs (A*-
C)? or Stephen Bromwich on 020 7673 4672 or email
Stephen@thames-gateway.org.uk
Q10 And finally, in which area are two-
thirds of all coffee bars in London Thames http://tblp.localknowledge.co.uk
Gateway located?

Renew is published by Thames Gateway London Partnership and is distributed free to regeneration agencies, private
and public sector partners and community organisations within the Thames Gateway.
Editorial contributions, subscription requests and any other queries can be sent to:
communications@thames-gateway.org.uk
Thames Gateway London Partnership, Anchorage House, East India Dock, 2 Clove Crescent,
London E14 2BE Telephone: 020 7673 4578.
16