New images have been released showing how the £1bn regeneration of Purfleet-on-Thames will transform the town centre and riverfront, with upgraded transport links sitting alongside new homes, social infrastructure and a 1m sq. ft. creative complex.
Purfleet Centre Regeneration Limited (PCRL), a joint venture between mixed-use developer Urban Catalyst and Swan Housing Association, is driving the regeneration of Purfleet-on-Thames town centre in collaboration with Thurrock Council.
The illustrations released today have been created by award-winning architects AHMM, who are working on the overall masterplan, with drMM, that was originally put together by KSS and aLL Design.
The new images show indicative plans for the new train station, which will be overhauled as part of the regeneration, and the entrances to the new 1,000,000 sq. ft. media village, which will include TV studios where live shows can be filmed in front of a public audience. The renditions also show some of the thousands of homes that will be built.
Once completed, the £1bn regeneration will deliver a new town centre complete with shops and restaurants. Up to 2,850 new homes will be provided as well, alongside an integrated medical centre, improved transport infrastructure and a new primary school.
The plans, approved in April last year, also include a 1m sq. ft. ‘media village’ to support the UK’s booming TV and film industry. This will help Purfleet-on-Thames on its journey to becoming a leading creative hub, with the town already home to High House Production Park and Royal Opera House production workshop.
Later phases could include the delivery of a new Higher Education/Further Education campus, creating a groundbreaking education facility with a focus on key sectors, such as the creative arts and health or logistics.
Last month, the government announced it was pledging £75m to support the redevelopment as part of the Housing Infrastructure Fund. The funding will be used to provide vital infrastructure and plans could include replacing the level crossing with a bridge over the railway and a new health centre, river wall, drainage and other important utility infrastructure.
The green light was given to the regeneration’s first phase in January, consisting of 61 new high-quality family homes, a children’s play area, and an orchard walk. This phase will reinstate public access to Hollow Woods and will form part of the 2.36-hectare development which has been designed to enhance the green links to Purfleet’s Conservation Area. Preliminary works are anticipated to start on site later in 2020.
Urban Catalyst specialises in social infrastructure and complex mixed-use urban regeneration projects. Set up by industry veteran Ken Dytor of Urban Catalyst, the firm behind a string of successful projects, including the Bermondsey Square development in London, which delivered new retail, hotel and offices alongside performing arts space and art house cinema.
Swan Housing Association is one of the largest housing providers in Essex and East London, with over 11,000 homes under management and a further 8,500 homes in the pipeline, including the 2,850 planned for Purfleet-on-Thames.
Sir Tim Laurence, chairman of PCRL, said: “These latest images show the scale of our ambition for Purfleet-on-Thames, from transforming the riverfront to upgrading the train station and delivering thousands of homes. This is on top of a new school and integrated medical centre for local residents as well as a media village that will see the town emerge as a leading creative hub capable of supporting Britain’s booming film and TV industry.”
