160 million pound investment for Dalston Town centre

The regeneration of Dalston town centre is to receive a dramatic £160 million boost to deliver more than 500 new homes, a library, new shops and restaurants, and a new station putting Dalston on the London Underground map.

At the heart of the development will be 'Dalston Square' - the largest new public space to be created in the area for over 100 years.

Proposals for the square include children's play-areas, green areas and space for entertainers or exhibitions. The square will also house the entrance to the new East London Line station 'Dalston Junction' - set to open in 2010.

The project moved into an important new phase this week following the appointment of Barratt Homes as a partner in the development.

Barratt will work closely with the London Development Agency (LDA) and landowners - Transport for London and Hackney Council – to build more than 500 new homes, including both social rented housing and homes for sale.

Dalston Square will also be adopted as part of the Mayor's 100 Public Spaces programme.

Mayor of London Ken Livingstone said

"Today's announcement, combined with the huge transport investment now going into this part of Hackney, marks a further milestone in the regeneration of Dalston. Apart from providing a brand new centre with housing, leisure and community facilities for local people I hope this new development will help to make Dalston a destination in its own right for residents and visitors from across east London."

Jules Pipe, Mayor of Hackney, said:

"This new development will bring major investment to the local community, with the borough’s first proper link to the Tube network offering easier access to jobs across London and encouraging more investment into the area. The new homes, library, open space, shops and restaurants will boost the heart of Dalston."

Alastair Baird, Managing Director of Barratt East London, said:

"Barratt is delighted to be chosen by Hackney and the LDA to spearhead the regeneration of Dalston and deliver the homes, new library, public open space and retail amenities that will transform the area. We are committed to working in partnership with Hackney, the Mayor of London, TfL and the LDA to deliver a first class scheme with excellent design and quality civic facilities for the future."

The scheme will be delivered through two construction projects called 'Dalston Lane South' and 'Dalston Junction Interchange' (with Dalston Square linking the two sites).

Hackney council's Dalston Lane South site, which is bordered by Beechwood Road, Roseberry Place and Forest Road, will provide homes, shops and a new library. Transport for London’s Dalston Junction will bring a new tube connection from 2010 and a new bus interchange. On top of the new station are to be further shops and homes.

The scheme is committed to using energy efficient measures such as green roofs and combined heat and power.

For media enquiries and images, please contact Luke Robinson at the LDA Media Team on 020 7593 8069 or lukerobinson@lda.gov.uk for public enquiries, please call 020 7593 8000; for out of hours media enquiries, please call 07977 439 371.

Notes for editors:

1. The London Development Agency works to improve quality of life for all Londoners and drive sustainable economic growth.
2. Hackney is one of the five host boroughs for the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, with almost a third of the Games area being staged in Hackney. Hackney will host the media centres, as well as arenas for handball and hockey.
3. The Mayor of Hackney has campaigned for four years for a proper Tube link in the borough, and has secured new stations at Dalston Junction, Haggerston, Hoxton and Shoreditch High Street by 2010 via the extension of the East London Line. The new stations will be part of the London Overground network. The link will extend to Highbury and Islington by 2011.
4. Barratt Developments is one of Britain's best-known homebuilders, with an approximate 12 per cent share of the UK market and operates across all sectors of the market: from apartments to family homes, urban regeneration schemes to retail shopping centres. In 2007 Barratt completed more than 17,000 homes and 145,000 sq ft of commercial property.
5. The above-station development was designed by Arup Associates and John McAslan & Partners. Two separate planning applications were prepared by the LDA and TfL and approved by Hackney Council in November 2006. The scheme includes fourteen blocks of apartments of a variety of sizes built of brick, timber and glass, the first phase of which is due to be completed by the end of 2009
6. By June 2010, the East London Line will run from Dalston Junction in the north to New Cross, Crystal Palace and West Croydon in the south. By February 2011, Transport for London will have invested £1.4 billion to extend the line to Highbury and Islington so it can become part of the London Overground Network.