Barking up the wrong tree

The halting of the development of the light rail extension needed for 11,000 new homes at Barking Riverside throws up a number of questions about our appetite for seeing through major developments in urban brownfield locations.

In November 2008 the Mayor of London halted the public inquiry process for the proposed Docklands Light Rail (DLR) extension to Dagenham Dock to give time for DLR to negotiate with the Mayor’s office and the Government over who will fund the ongoing developmental costs as well as the final £500 million bill. This pause gives the opportunity to reflect on what the DLR scheme’s progress to date tells us about our appetite for bringing forward major urban developments and transport infrastructure schemes, and what this means for the policy that espouses such an approach.

Rumfitt A; "Barking up the wrong tree"; Town & Country Planning (March 2009)

Download Barking up the wrong tree (TCPA March 2009)