Since 2019 LUC has been providing Local Plan management support and policy advice to the Planning Policy team at Be First, to facilitate their bold regeneration vision for the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham.

Be First is a development company, wholly owned by the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham (LBBD). Be First is contributing to the Council’s goal of creating 50,000 new homes and 20,000 new jobs over the next 20 years. One of the key responsibilities for Be First is the preparation of a new Local Plan: a visionary spatial strategy to guide the creation of new jobs and homes and ensure that the borough’s employment land is suitable for the 21st century.

LUC undertook an extensive review of the status of Local Plan, and its supporting evidence, focusing on the ‘soundness’ of plan, and provided tailor-made support to the team where it was most needed. Where necessary we engaged supplementary studies to support the Local Plan. We also produced versions of the Local Plan from a preferred option strategy to a proposed submission version for submission to the Secretary of State. This involved one senior project manager seconded to Be First and working alongside their team in their offices, supported by up to ten others who worked remotely.