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Engaging with residents

Proposals for regeneration of the Carpenters Estate have been under consideration by London Borough of Newham since 2000/1. A number of proposals have been presented to residents since that time. The last proposals – presented in 2008 – were cancelled due to a lack of investment funds.

In November 2011, Newham Council and UCL announced that they would explore the establishment of a new university quarter for UCL within the Greater Carpenters Neighbourhood. Under the agreement signed by UCL and the Council, both parties had six months to progress proposals for development.

The original agreement was subsequently extended to September 2012 to offer UCL sufficient time to develop its vision for the quarter further. Since the agreement between UCL and the Council was signed, UCL has necessarily been undertaking a detailed technical process to define and assess the opportunity and develop a vision for a new university quarter.

UCL first met with residents on 17 January 2012. This was followed by two drop-in sessions on 2 and 3 March and, since then, a number of other meetings with local organisations, individuals and groups of residents.

UCL has now developed its vision, which it shared with the Carpenters Estate Joint Residents Steering Group (JRSG). UCL presented to a meeting of the JRSG on 11 September 2012 and attended a public meeting organised by the JRSG on the Carpenters Estate on 24 September.

A leaflet outlining UCL’s vision has been sent to every household and Newham Council has also visited every resident on the estate to outline the latest ideas, explain how they could be affected and seek to identify any concerns and comments.

Newham Council approved the UCL vision at its Cabinet meeting on 25 October. UCL and Newham Council will now spend the next period seeking to reach a commercial agreement regarding the sale of the land.

Subject to ratification of the principles of the commercial agreement by Newham Council, UCL will commence the masterplanning process, which is expected to run throughout 2013 working alongside and engaging with the council, local residents and other stakeholders.

UCL recognises the strength of feeling and understandable concerns expressed by many local residents. We are committed to ensuring residents have the opportunity to engage fully in the process moving forward. UCL will be working closely with Newham Council to ensure that they are able to fulfil the commitments and undertaking made in the Residents Charter negotiated by the JRSG and agreed with Newham Council in April 2012. UCL is also committed to working with the local community, residents and other local stakeholders throughout the masterplanning process to detail and define the project. We are committed to listening and discussing and to helping Newham Council (which has the responsibilities as the principal landowner and housing authority) identify approaches that respond to residents’ concerns.