Regeneration project: Rainham

Havering Council has received £219,000 from Round One of the Outer London Fund and is receiving £900,000 from Round Two to boost the borough’s own investment of £1.8m for a package of improvements to support Rainham Village. Works focus on making better public spaces throughout the village, designed to emphasise the area’s unique heritage and location next to spectacular green spaces. The investment contributes to making Rainham a more attractive visitor destination, and growing the village’s economy. A dedicated enterprise space in the local youth centre is also engaging young people in the community and encouraging them to develop new business ideas.

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Animating places

The Rainham Association for Village Events has been supported to hold the local Christmas and May Fayres. The May Fayre has been an important part of village life since the 1990s when major development threatened the area’s precious historic character. Thanks to the Mayor’s funding, the fayres have expanded, attracting bigger audiences to celebrations that include music, performance, food and activities for children. New Christmas lights have also made the festive fayre a more dazzling occasion. These events have benefited local businesses by attracting more people to the village.

Public spaces

The Mayor’s funding has supported the continuation of a long-term programme of public space projects in Rainham village. These include work by Jacobs and East Architecture Landscape Urban Design to upgrade an enclosed dark passageway into an inviting shortcut that opens into a small garden square, connecting the high street to the main supermarket. The design team have also completed a new village square space in front of the church and war memorial as part of local road improvement works. In addition, the area in front of the station is being made more accessible by What If Projects, and the village green is being extended around the new library development by Maccreanor Lavington.

Building frontages

Funding from the Mayor and English Heritage is concentrating on the restoration and conservation of four buildings identified as key to the experience of Rainham Village. The project is improving the presence and character of local businesses, such as the Cold Blooded reptile shop, a popular destination, receiving new fronts by Designed by Good People and Pie Architecture. Existing plastic signs are being replaced by fantastical Victorian style lettering and images.

Supporting business

An extension to the ROYALS Youth Centre by Civic Architects is part of a strategy to boost enterprise in Rainham. The roof extension is providing a mixture of formal and informal workspaces, hot-desks and soft furnishings, encouraging different uses. The provision of IT facilities is making the new space ideal for young people to work on business projects, making entrepreneurship an appealing and exciting prospect.

Stewardship

The London Riverside Business Improvement District (BID) in Rainham plays an important role in improving the quality of the industrial parts of the borough. Part of the funding allocated by the Mayor has been used to support the work of the BID. In helping to secure its future, the borough will benefit from the jobs and local investment that the BID encourages.

Transport

A plan to improve the station forecourt by What If Projects is clarifying the relationship between vehicles entering and leaving the area, making it safer and easier to navigate. Connections between the station and the surrounding area, including access to the nearby marshes, are also being enhanced. New secure cycle parking is being integrated into a timber screen that wraps around a radio mast, and bus infrastructure is also being improved. Landscaping around the station is creating a more suitable setting for the new library development adjacent, joining up the whole area.

Borough: Havering

Partners/client: LB Havering

Consultants: Jacobs, East Architecture Landscape Urban Design, What If Projects, Designed by Good People, Pie Architecture, Civic Architects, Objectif

Funding: Mayor of London £1.1m, LB Havering £1.8m