The Thames Gateway

Book excerpt: The Thames Gateway stretches from Canary Wharf to the mouth of the Thames Estuary and is the most ambitious regeneration programme in Western Europe; by 2016 the Government wants there to be 160,000 new homes and 180,000 new jobs, all provided in an environmentally sustainable fashion. This report examines whether central government has laid solid foundations for the scheme, if risks have been properly identified and whether they are being properly managed. The project is assessed against a framework for best practice for successful regeneration based on both NAO research and research by the Bartlett Faculty of the Built Environment. The Department for Communities and Local Government already recognise the need to strengthen the management of the programme and have recently appointed a Chief Executive to achieve greater cross government influence. This report contains eight key recommendations to help the Department address the key risks, improve management and strengthen the coherence of the overall programme.