Built in the 1970’s, the Larner Road estate in East London was an unpopular and stigmatised ex-local authority estate. Situated on a main access road in Erith, the towers formed a formidable landmark.

The modernist aesthetic typical of estates of this era and a high percentage of one bedroom flats and bedsits made the estate unpopular with both residents and the wider community.

The estate transferred to Orbit Housing Association in 1999 and in consultation with residents and stakeholders, it was agreed that rebuilding was the preferred and most viable option for long-term sustainability. Erith Park is the result of this redevelopment.

From initial consultation there was local support for whole sale regeneration, combined with a level of cynicism about whether it could be achieved. To ensure that all residents had a say, a Resident Core Group consisting of interested residents of the estate and surrounding streets was formed to advise on the proposals.

Periodic newsletters, exhibitions, events and a well-used Facebook page helped the community to keep in touch and a community engagement officer worked with residents to build a sense of pride and ownership and encourage participation.

The vision for Erith Park was to create a desirable and contemporary residential neighbourhood, a place where residents of all tenures would be proud to live and which has a lasting legacy. The design ethos is one of inclusivity, accessibility, safety and connectivity.

The overall scale of the development is significantly reduced in height from the former tower blocks while overall density remains the same.

Apartment buildings have been located to address the edge condition along the busy North end Road. The changing mass of the buildings helps to articulate and reveal the entrances and routes into the site and adds variety into the streetscape along North End road. New pedestrian and vehicular entrances have been provided to enhance the permeability and connectivity of the site, in particular better routes to leisure amenities, allotments, local schools and Erith town centre. Green buffers have been introduced to mitigate the noise and pollution created by the road. A proposed new access road for Phase 2, lined with soft landscaping, will provide a distinct sense of arrival further enhancing the sense of place.

Providing residents with a permanent sense of belonging to somewhere of value was the overriding principal behind the development of Erith Park. Everything from the design layouts and orientation of rooms, to amenity spaces and the relationship of houses and neighbouring apartment buildings, was designed to create a place where residents of all tenures would be proud to live.

Watch this video to find out more about how Erith Park has been shaped by it's residents.

Regarded as unsafe, the existing inherently featureless open space at Larner Road was largely unusable by local residents, so integral to the success of the scheme has been the creation of a hierarchy of high quality open space and play provision.

The Dell is an area of local ecological importance, brought back to life to provide amenity space for residents. Small pieces of play equipment, bespoke benches and a timber sculpture designed by a local artist have been installed, encouraging visitors and adding interest whilst retaining the essentially wild nature of the space. The space has proven popular with local residents, with several public event hosted in the Dell since it opened.

A ‘home-zone’ forms the centrepiece within the first phase of the masterplan, designed to give priority to pedestrians and cyclists by reducing the speed and access of cars, providing safe spaces for children to play.

The home zone formed a key part of the character of Phase 1, and has been successfully been adopted to act as the ‘heart’ of the community. This street is the hub of social interaction and a safe play space for young children. In Phase 2 the site layout has been carefully considered to provide overlooked and contained spaces to form ‘pocket parks’, enhancing the quality of the public realm and creating opportunities for door-step play.