calfordseaden have been commissioned by Circle Anglia to undertake various roles on the £80m regeneration of the Mardyke Estate in Havering, including employer's agent, building surveyor, CDM co-ordinator and sustainability advisor.  Paul Miller sheds some light on this exciting project.

The Mardyke Estate was built in the 1960's to house workers at the local Old Ford Motor Company factory in Dagenham. The factory has laid off workers in recent years and the condition of the estate has at the same time deteriorated. Consequently crime levels in the area rose and it became one of the most disadvantaged estates in Greater London, gaining a notorious reputation.

Ownership of the estate passed to Old Ford Housing Association (part of the Circle Anglia Group) in 2008 when residents voted for a stock transfer from the London Borough of Havering. Keen to enhance the area's reputation and transform the locality as a whole, Old Ford Housing Association worked closely with the residents in developing proposals. Most recently, this has given residents the opportunity to support the renaming of the estate to Orchard Village.

The regeneration programme is currently split into four phases, and is expected to run over a period of seven years. The project will involve the demolition of most of the existing properties and redevelopment to provide modern low-rise mixed tenure blocks of private sale homes, shared ownership and affordable rented properties. Phase One, which began in November 2009, will deliver 121 properties for existing tenants and residents who will be able to move into their new homes from the end 2010.

The planned development will create in excess of 550 new homes under a phased programme of works, following the demolition of the dilapidated housing currently on the 1.3 hectare site.

For further information contact:

Paul Miller
at our Orpington office
T 01689 888222 
E pmiller@calfordseaden.co.uk