An artists impression of how Roycraft House may look (Credit: Be First)
The local council approved Make It London’s plan to renovate Roycraft House, in Linton Road, last night.
They are hoping to attract food stars, designers and content creators to the area by providing affordable workspace.
There are also plans to develop a cafe, a rooftop garden and space for local community events in the six storey building.
“Make It London will add to the buzz around Barking, generating jobs through the provision of affordable and inclusive workspaces for all, and generating excitement with a cultural hub for use by and with the community,” said Councillor Cameron Geddes, cabinet member for regeneration and economic development.
Make It London have been given a 10 year lease and will now start engaging with local community organisations before remodelling Roycraft House.
The company has already worked on similar projects in Bow and Hackney Wick.
“We are absolutely delighted to be reimagining Roycraft House into an exciting multi-use asset for Barking and Dagenham,” said Hannah Briley, managing director of Make It London.
“We believe there are some seriously exciting businesses and talent in the area who will thrive in an inclusive and flexible work environment.
“The last 18 months have been a real eye-opener for the workspace sector, with a lot of positives to take from the changes in the ways we now live and work.
“People are more imaginative with their business ideas than ever and there’s huge demand for flexibility from both freelancers and those who no longer need to travel to an office in central London.
“And it’s not just about workspace, it’s cultural, retail, social and entertainment spaces that are going through flux too.
“People are spending more and more time where they live and communities want and need to see local neighbourhood and town centre spaces reimagined into positive multi-use destinations where they can work, eat, drink, play, shop and socialise right on their doorstep.
“This is exactly our vision for Roycraft House, to create a destination for everyone to enjoy. It’s refreshing to finally see the attention shift from central London to fantastic boroughs like Barking and Dagenham and we’re really excited to be a part of that new perspective!”
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Tags: Redevelopment, Barking and Dagenham Council, Barking and Dagenham, Barking, Business