LFA2026 Neighbourhood
Thames Road
Thames Road is transforming from a hard working industrial corridor into a new mixed use neighbourhood for South Barking. Guided by the Thames Road SPD, the area will deliver thousands of homes alongside improved streets, public spaces and modern, flexible workspaces that support the borough’s productive economy.
Today Thames Road is primarily a place for business, nestled between the residential communities living in Barking Riverside and Thames View. But the character of the area is shifting, driven by pioneering projects such as nearby Industria, an award winning stacked industrial scheme, and Crossness Yard, a bold, co-located industrial and residential scheme.
Its shift from a single purpose industrial road to a place of living, creating and belonging makes it an ideal neighbourhood for the London Festival of Architecture. Thames Road is a place where belonging is being designed in real time, and where inclusive, imaginative placemaking genuinely matters.
Supported by Be First.
Be First chose to make Thames Road an LFA2026 Neighbourhood to celebrate what the area is becoming: a district where industry, creativity and community can thrive side by side. The Festival is an opportunity to shift perceptions of Thames Road and open it to new voices, ideas and experiences, while helping knit it more closely into surrounding neighbourhoods. It’s a chance to show how this evolving place can inspire pride, connection and a sense of belonging.
