The London Borough of Barking and Dagenham Oral History of my Route through Barking and Dagenham

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Oral History: Venturing into Barking and Dagenham

The London Borough of Barking and Dagenham Oral History of my Route through Barking and Dagenham

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2 Oral History: Venturing into Barking and Dagenham

Oral History: Venturing into Barking and Dagenham

Contents Page 3 - Contents Page 4 - The Colour Red Page 5 - Barking and Dagenham Overview Page 6 - The London Borough of Barking Page 24 - The London Borough of Dagenham Page 30 - References

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4 Oral History: Venturing into Barking and Dagenham

The Colour Red The colour red has various literal associations, such as; red is assertive, daring, determined, energetic, powerful, enthusiastic, impulsive, exciting, and aggressive. Red represents physical energy, lust, passion, and desire. It symbolizes action, confidence, and courage. The colour red is linked to the most primitive physical, emotional, and financial needs of survival and self-preservation.

However, politically it is associated towards socialism and communism, with a rather literal meaning, the colour red so often used by left-wing parties like Labour represents ‘the blood of the angry workers’. These angry workers being the ones rising up against the bourgeoisie during the first French uprising in 1789. In fact, red as a representation of the struggle between the working and upper classes may even date back as far as the slave uprisings at the end of the Roman Empire, as revolutionaries brandished red flags as part of the rebellion.

For my proposition, this colour is representing the political mandates that Barking and Dagenham are undergoing which is creating a void between new developments and existing residential needs in the borough.

Oral History: Venturing into Barking and Dagenham

Route through Barking My initial impressions of the borough are that significant amounts of land in the borough are becoming areas of development, with various Strategic Industrial Land (SIL) being and Opportunity Area Planning Frameworks (OAPF) used for the financial sector developments and business park. This imbalance in the borough has shown a divide where the existing infrastructure and aesthetics in the borough seems bleak in comparison. These developments neither aid nor enhance the existing infrastructure.

The route that I took with various students such as Anjali and Jess focused on the strip of industrial warehouses along Creekmouth and following onto the Barking Riverside Development. Initially starting from Barking station, through the market and then walking alongside the A13 and cutting to Creekmouth and then ending at Barking riverside. I wanted to understand how pedestrian circulation and transport routes enables the public to walk to the development. In my investigation, the route took us 30 minutes to walk to the Riverside development, and majority of industrial estates are private and physical infrastructure, such as; pavements are poorly managed, with numerous obstruction through flooding, smells and large freighters entering and existing those estates.

Furthermore, I wanted to see how different Barking is to Dagenham, thereby following a trip with Anjali and Sorough to Eastbrook Country Park. From my investigation Barking and Dagenham are completely different identities, as Essex almost feels like a colonial superpower engaging the boundaries between the

Route through the Borough of Barking and Dagenham

once upon a time two boroughs. Furthermore, the open green spaces and public lands are used for public engagement opportunities, whereas Barking is densely populated with blocks of flats and industrial lands.

This booklet visualises the significant forms of divide either through infrastructure or developments.

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The London Borough of Barking The London Borough of Barking and Dagenham has varying degrees of infrastructure, historic assets and new developments dividing the landscape. Therefore, I visually analysed how these physical segregation through infrastructure and development sit in their contexts and whether they enhance or diminish the qualities within the borough. The colour “red” illustrates divisive boundaries in the borough.

Oral History: Venturing into Barking and Dagenham

Barking Station and 360 Barking Development Upon entering the borough, my immediate impressions were that this borough is of low standards, and that the diversity of people reminded my to Brick Lane. However, as I wondered around the borough, it became more apparent how the divide in the communities,

infrastructure and places of personal interest segregated the landscape into clusters of history, industry and development. Current plans of the boroughs development aim to regenerate Barking Station as well as regenerate the shopping mall adjacent to the station.

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Barking Abbey Green and River Roding Development One of the largest developments that is currently being constructed is occurring with the close proximity of the Barking town centre, adjacent to river Roding. The development aims to offer financial sector jobs, residential flats and creative arts practices through the Creative

Arts Council. However, many residents claim and fear that these types of developments do not enable local population to benefit and the scale of these developments are aimed to solely enable new residents to inhabit the borough where existing infrastructure is already strained.

Furthermore, this development is situated adjacent to one of the most historic assets of the UK, the Barking Abbey. This development in its future prospect does not aim to enhance the historic assets as already seen with 360 Barking.

Oral History: Venturing into Barking and Dagenham

Barking Abbey Green and River Roding Development Close up of the Roding development with Barking Abbey in the foreground. Does this development really appreciate the World Heritage Site situated in Barking.

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10 Oral History: Venturing into Barking and Dagenham

On route to the A13 One of the striking aspects in the borough are the appearance of blocks of flats, which randomly cluster towards the A13. These blocks of flat feel rather old, though seem like they are strategically built to be part of future development prospectus through BeFirst

regeneration. Furthermore, the context usually varies though always seem to have primary school or educational facilities.

Oral History: Venturing into Barking and Dagenham

The A13 The largest division in the physical landscape of the borough is the A13. The strip of motorway divides the borough into 4 quadrants, with both north and south division and through the historic division in the boroughs between Barking and Dagenham. The A13 segregates

industry from residential and acts as both a tool to feed the boroughs industries and as limit the growth of industry beyond the A13 as observed with the limited developments that occurring north of the Barking and Dagenham.

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The A13 and the Industrial Landscape This view towards the entrance of the A13 engaging barking with its neighbouring borough across the river Roding, one of the hardest boundaries was the smell of sewage and waste that pollutes the river. The scent distinctly forced me and Anjali who accompanied me on

this journey to cross the other side of the A13 to escape the scent. Furthermore, litter and the dirty pavement deterred pedestrian use of the A13, with obstacles such as mattresses and large plastic sheets polluting the landscape.

Oral History: Venturing into Barking and Dagenham

Creekmouth Industrial Landscape Industry is highly concentrated to the south of the borough of Barking and Dagenham.

Furthermore, the density is highest in the borough of industrial practices with numerous wharfs and clusters adjacent to the river Roding.

However, the release of industrial land and the

diminishing opportunities of creative practice in the borough has started to lead to a decline in these industrial opportunities as most of the population seeks to find better paying jobs.

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Creekmouth Industrial Landscape Walking through Creekmouth, one key observation was the lack of pedestrianisations of the area. Majority of the circulation was through transport routes such as the Buses E1, E2 and E3.

Furthermore, the smell and pollution of the area made it difficult to breath and with large sites of

rubble and sand for industrial use. In addition, the area formed a hard boundary between the riverside development. The area is under going vast change and theses industrial areas are under threat to be run down in the future.

Oral History: Venturing into Barking and Dagenham

Creekmouth Industrial Landscape Approaching the gulf of the development, the started to open up towards the riverside development, however, the situation of area shows numerous areas of low level flooding.

The area still has a hard stench with the sewage works opposite the river.

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The Dagenham Sunday Market The Dagenham Sunday Market is an important asset to the borough which provides jobs and is a place to meet with friends and family.

With over 600 stalls and a total capacity of up to 15,000 people, the market is a key asset to London. However, with the development of

Barking River side, the market is under threat to be repositioned somewhere else in the borough.

The market is accessible with numerous transport links with majority of people coming to the market by cars. However, pedestrian routes are widely accessible through the

riverside project and not through Creekmouth.

Oral History: Venturing into Barking and Dagenham

Barking Riverside Barking Riverside is Europe’s largest regeneration project, with over 10,000 homes as well hotels, shopping malls and public amenities being constructed. The regeneration is supposed to implement Barcelona into London, with cheap housing prices and bordering nature

reserves for the new population of Barking and Dagenham. However, many argue that this project is not for the native population of the borough, thereby segregating the communities between the north and the south, with a higher concentration of public amenities being hosted

for the development.

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Barking Riverside and Creekmouth Upon entering the development area, you are riddled with numerous lorries entering the sites and construction noise. The first thing that shows us what is happening is a big number “1” which corresponds to the Barking Riverside Development.

Oral History: Venturing into Barking and Dagenham

OAPF Barking Riverside The development is surrounded by industrial land, thereby the bordering plots of land adjacent to the development are distinctly run down. The littering and broken fencing forms a distinct boundary between the new and old.

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OAPF Barking Riverside As you approach the development you are led down Hadley page Road, where phase 1 constructed residential units occupy the once brownfield site. Furthermore, the area is far cleaner and visually pleasing with its landscaping than Creekmouth.

Oral History: Venturing into Barking and Dagenham

OAPF Barking Riverside The riverside development is located in a place where transport, infrastructure connections are well integrated and with city airport right next to its door step, the development is easily connected to the city‘s fabric. However, the public amenities that are being implemented

are for those who will reside in the “Barcelona of London”. Therefore, its public approach has impacted many communities that are close to the Thames Ward.

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Barking Riverside Project Office This new road leads you to the new high school that has been constructed and has the Barking Riverside Sales and Project office, which both me and Anjali had visited. We spoke to someone called Vanessa, who we talked in regards to the various aspects of the development. We talked

about the affordability to expected construction completion of the project. We also enquired about “exchange” within the local community.

She explained how each step of the way the development engaged with the public through meetings, and question answer sessions.

Oral History: Venturing into Barking and Dagenham

The Nature Reserve Barking riverside hosts a nature reserve for certain plants and bird species. The area is largely flooded throughout the year, though on this occasion the site clean and easily accessible via slip road from the riverside projects office.

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The London Borough of Dagenham Barking and Dagenham used to be constituents of Essex County, in the late 18th century. However, after the growth of London, the two boroughs were joined and became a constituent of London. The differences between the two are still present today.

Oral History: Venturing into Barking and Dagenham

“F*ck EU!” Barking and Dagenham is a Labour Party borough. The diversity in the borough is the highest amongst the rest of London. The area has lower number of migrants and compared to Barking, and the area has a higher proportion of 60+ than the rest of the borough. Furthermore,

the area tends to be anti EU, as seen with the graffiti on the shop front as the borough voted to leave for the BREXIT campaign.

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Dagenham The area has a lot flower shops and breakfast bars, its nice a cosy place. Furthermore, the area has a great number of large open spaces, such as Eastbrook County park.

Oral History: Venturing into Barking and Dagenham

Natural Landscapes of Dagenham The area is open and has numerous jogging tracks. Compared it to Barking, the area is open to the public, has a great amounts of nature reserves and opportunities for school engagements.

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The Nature Reserve Eastbrook County Park has a vast pond space with various species making up the biodiversity in the area.

Oral History: Venturing into Barking and Dagenham

Dagenham Barking and Dagenham are entirely different, where Barking has high density and small areas of public space, Dagenham is low density and an abundance of public space. However, Barking is getting closer to Dagenham with the emergence of new developments slowly peaking into the

skyline through the parks.

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30 Oral History: Venturing into Barking and Dagenham References Images All Images by Atta Ahmed unless referenced