SQ
COMMUNITY
LONDON'S NEWEST LIVEABLE NEIGHBOURHOOD
The diverse range of community groups within Newham.
Newham is the most diverse borough in the UK and is home to a vibrant community where over 100 languages are spoken however a lack of opportunity and increasing levels of deprivation are facing residents. Today the area is characterised by transient communities who face difficulties in establishing a permanent home due to reasons such as a lack of affordable housing, long social-housing waiting lists and a lack of suitably paid employment. High crime rates and a lack of further education are further inhibiting the area from reaching its full potential and providing a high quality of life.
The following analysis identifies the main factors that need to be addressed along with the views and opinions of existing residents and stakeholders and this will act as a foundation upon which meaningful and considered development can commence.
CURRENT DEMOGRAPHIC DATA
SOCIO-ECONOMIC DATA - NEWHAM 2011
54% of residents were not born in the UK
Newham is the most diverse borough in London and this should be celebrated. An effective social housing strategy will allow a mixed community to form and facilities such as community center's and cultural hubs will allow people to share experiences and feel more integrated with their surroundings.
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44% of residents are economically inactive
With such a high percentage of residents being unemployed, problems such as long social housing lists, a suppressed tax base and a lack of belonging among residents have formed. Jobs must be created however these must be focused towards the local demographic and not just professional white-collar vacancies to be filled externally.
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65% of residents live in private or socially rented housing
Rental rates in Newham are higher than the London average and this leads to people feeling uncertain about their future. Affordable housing schemes will allow local people to invest in their futures by owning their own home and this will instill a greater sense of belonging and pride in the area.
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COMMUNITY CONSULTATION
To date, local residents have been able to voice their opinions surrounding the development of the area through engaging with both the Borough Council and the Greater London Authority in conjunction with developers Lendlease. A number of questionnaires, community consultations and workshops have highlighted the concerns and desires of residents which must be taken into consideration within the final master plan if this scheme is to become a successful and socially sustainable.
ECONOMIC PRIORITIES FOR THE PEOPLE OF NEWHAM 2020
Results from the 2020 Newham Council survey.
A recent poll by Newham Borough Council suggests that residents' top priority is to ensure the best economic opportunities for all which is of no surprise considering the levels of deprivation within the area and the constant struggle for housing and jobs that people have voiced. In close second place come support for small businesses, access to adult learning and training and a London living wage for all. These are basic requests that many other boroughs in London already benefit from so it is long overdue that the same be afforded to Newham. In order to ensure success, alternative models of regeneration will need to be sought as popular plan-and-public-sector-led as well as property-led regeneration approaches tend only to prioritise the generation of specialised white collar jobs and the interests of multi-national companies.
OVERALL PRIORITIES FOR THE PEOPLE OF NEWHAM 2020
Results from the 2020 Newham Council survey.
Residents of Newham were also asked to vote on their overall priorities for the borough. In first place came safety which gained nearly 50% of the vote and 25% more than any other category. Safety is an essential determinant for quality of life and is even more important in a borough like Newham that houses such a diverse and young community. Improvements in safety have already become a common theme within Silvertown Quay's new design guides and this must continue to be considered and developed. Cleanliness was another popular response which reiterates the need for regeneration to extend beyond the immediate boundary of the site and lastly parking came in third place with almost one quarter of the vote. Despite this not being a wholly sustainable solution, the causes of the parking problem (lack of pedestrian and public transport accessibility) can be addressed to reduce the need for individual car use and therefore the need for parking.
GREATER LONDON AUTHORITY
The Greater London Authority have been working alongside developers Lendlease to engage local residents and understand their current concerns and future aspirations for the site. To date, public realm design guides have been successfully co-authored to ensure that the points raised within participation meetings, such as improved street lighting and children's play facilities, will be applied for the benefit of all.
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The Greater London Authority's dedicated community engagement officer Sarah has also discussed the three main implementations that she feels would benefit local residents the most, based on her extensive experience to date:
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1. A large supermarket - at present there are only smaller grocery shops within walking distance which prove unsuitable for a larger, weekly shop and more expensive for the low income communities surrounding them.
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2. A gym - although gyms do exist in the vicinity, these are mostly private facilities built within the confines of new housing developments for the exclusive use of their affluent residents. Newham Leisure Centre is located approximately 2 miles away and is unsafe to reach on foot due to the large roads that intersect the route.
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3. A cafe - There is a distinct lack of cafe's and everyday eateries in the area and this negatively impacts the options available to residents to meet and socialise.
50-ACRE
SITE
LONDON DOCKLANDS ENTERPRISE ZONE
ROYAL VICTORIA DOCK OPENED 1855
2 HISTORICALLY LISTED BUILDINGS
MOST DIVERSE BOROUGH IN THE UK
OVER 100
LANGUAGES
SPOKEN
LACK OF FACILITIES
IMPERMEABLE SITE
TRANSIENT COMMUNITIES