Urban Planning

Canning Town Masterplan

Newham, London

As a result of a competition for a masterplan for the Stratford-Thameside ‘brownfield’ site in Newham, the practice was asked to carry out a masterplanning study for Canning Town, as part of the overall masterplan won by MBM Arquitectes.  

This area contains Ordnance Ward, recently identified as the most socially deprived ward in the U.K.  Canning Town has suffered from immense traffic impact damage, and is completely dominated by the A13  flyover. Pringle Richards Sharratt’s proposals included the design of an environmental shield, known as ‘The Cocoon’ to enclose and contain the A13, thereby minimising the impact of the noise and air pollution. We promoted a new local road network for pedestrians, cyclists and cars,leaving the centre a more peaceful area.

Other proposals included some major new high density but human scale housing projects, the revitalisation of  the existing market, a new piazza and adjoining urban spaces, a commercial centre, and a number of environmental initiatives associated with the area.  These proposals included urban farming - the opportunity to sell the produce of the urban farm in the new market - and methane recycling from London’s largest sewage works at Beckton, and some simple environmental measures for housing projects using building orientation to best environmental advantage.

These regeneration strategies were carried out in consultation with market research consultants and some of the infrastructure and road works have already been completed.