Seven years after moving out of Canning Town for the Hallsville Quarter regeneration, two families have returned to the site of their former homes.
The first phase of a five-stage scheme has been complete and the homes – a mixture of private, shared ownership and affordable rent – are gradually starting to fill up.
Rabiatou Njie and her three daughters were the first to move in at the end of March.
“There was still some work being done,” she said. “That’s how desperate I was to move in.”
The 36-year-old moved to Canning Town in 1993 and has seen it change drastically during that time.
“Before, there was a lot of crime around this area,” she said. “Since I moved back it’s much better.”
Her new three bedroom home faces onto the courtyard in the middle of the development, which contains a playground and allotments.
Rabiatou said she feels safe letting her daughters play out there.
“They have made a few friends and the neighbours I’ve spoken to seem nice,” she added.
“The only thing that would make it better is getting a job in Morrisons below when it opens.”
A couple of floors up live Maria Corpuz and her family.
She moved into a three bedroom flat with her husband Victor and their two sons, Alvin and Steven, in April.
“I feel so blessed,” she said. “I’m so happy.
“When they said we could come back here I put my name down straight away.”
The family had lived in a two-bedroom flat on the site for 14 years before moving to West Ham for seven years.
“They have been really good,” Maria said of One Housing, the company managing the rented properties.
“My children have their own bedroom now.
“It’s close to our church, St Margaret’s, and the school where the boys went.”
The three-bedroom flat even has a private garden area attached to it and has two bathrooms, having been catered to Maria’s needs.
When the project, developed by Bouygues Development and built by Bouygues UK, is complete, it is estimated around 1,100 families will be able to live in Hallsville Quarter.
In addition to the new supermarket, due to open later this year, the community will benefit from a number of retail and leisure facilities, secure bicycle and car parking and even a hotel.
The development is part of a £3.7billion scheme to redevelop the Canning Town and Custom House area.
Cllr Ken Clark, cabinet member for building communities, public affairs, regeneration and planning, said: “The regeneration of Canning Town is really starting to take shape now and it is wonderful to see that residents are choosing to come back to the area.
“The £3.7bn regeneration scheme has always been about improving and providing housing for all Newham residents as well as rejuvenating and extending town centres and creating state-of-the-art communities facilities.
“This is such an exciting time for the borough and this is just the beginning. I thank residents for their patience during the disruptive period of building work.”
Homes are still available to buy and rent in the first phase of Hallsville Quarter.
For more, visit hallsvillequarter.co.uk/
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