Innovation in local government is about improving the lives of the people in our
communities. Browse through our case studies to see the many innovative programmes councils are involved
in.
Barking Riverside is an ambitious new development along the Thames Estuary, in an area that has historically seen limited investment. Multiple partners are currently delivering new homes, rail and river transport links, schools and services. As part of the development, a new health hub is being planned in an area where there is currently no GP provision.
To unlock the land needed for new housing, the existing school on the site had to remain operational while a new one was built. This required a complex, two-phase construction process, significantly increasing costs and threatening the viability of the entire scheme. In March 2021, a £900,000 capital grant from the Land Release Fund (LRF) - part of the One Public Estate programme - helped to make EdCity possible. The grant funded demolition of the old school and nursery buildings, removing a major financial barrier and enabling the project to continue.