Decision details

Creekmouth is an employment area of strategic importance to London as well as forming one of the key gateways into Barking Riverside.  It currently presents a very negative image compared with Barking Riverside’s award winning architecture.  To address the gateway issue and to help revitalise the employment area, the Cabinet will be asked to approve a range of potential interventions, with specific reference to the future of the former Remploy site.

The Divisional Director of Regeneration introduced a report on a range of issues in respect of the River Road / Creekmouth area of Barking Riverside which included the specific proposal for the Council to purchase the leasehold of the former Remploy site.

The Divisional Director advised that the Council already owned the freehold of the former Remploy site.  The site and buildings had remained unused since the closure of the business in August 2012 and negotiations had been held with the leaseholder in view of the Council’s wider interests in regenerating the area and creating new employment opportunities.

Cabinet Members discussed the financial implications in the context of the Council’s current and future position and noted the pressing need for a decision to be made either in support of or against the proposal. 

The Cabinet Member for Children’s Social Services also referred to the potential opportunity to attract to that area a number of businesses affected by a major new housing development on industrial land in a neighbouring London Borough.

Cabinet resolved that, subject to an acceptable ground condition survey, the Council purchase the leasehold interest of the former Remploy site, Unit A, Creek Road, Barking IG11 0JW, on the terms set out in the report.