Greening the Fiddlers neighbourhood design consultation

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Greening the Fiddlers is a community-led design project in Becontree Heath, Dagenham.

We aim to improve air quality and the health and wellbeing of people in the area through measures that create green and welcoming public spaces, and make it easier for people to move around by bike or on foot.

Over the past year, local residents, businesses, students and councillors have been sharing their ideas on how to improve the streets and spaces in this neighbourhood through numerous in-person and online events, led by local social enterprise Street Space. All of these comments have been incorporated into designs for three key areas, which address the issues and opportunities raised by residents over the course of the year.


Community noticeboard installed near the Becontree Avenue shops.

We are now focusing our attention on three sites, with the key features as follows:

  • Becontree Avenue (outside Grafton Primary School) – greening and seating, new crossings, visual road narrowing to reduce speeds
  • Stour Road (outside William Bellamy Primary School) – pocket park to provide green and calm space for parents/children during pick up/drop off, wider and safer crossings, potential for 'school streets'
  • Whalebone Lane South – Construction of a new 'rain garden' and seating space with seasonal planting. The rain garden will help to reduce local flooding by soaking and holding rain water

Get involved

  • Take a look at the sketches in the 'photos' section. These ideas aren't set in stone – we are in the process of consultation with local people, and we'd like to know what you think!
  • Fill in the survey below, ask us a question, or sign up to join one of our design workshops (see the Dates for your Diary)
  • And, if you have any questions or ideas you'd like to share, please post them below.

This is a TfL funded Low Emission Neighbourhood (LEN) project, supported by the Mayor’s Air Quality Fund, delivered in partnership with Be First and the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham, powered by Street Space, Sustrans and Living Streets.


Greening the Fiddlers is a community-led design project in Becontree Heath, Dagenham.

We aim to improve air quality and the health and wellbeing of people in the area through measures that create green and welcoming public spaces, and make it easier for people to move around by bike or on foot.

Over the past year, local residents, businesses, students and councillors have been sharing their ideas on how to improve the streets and spaces in this neighbourhood through numerous in-person and online events, led by local social enterprise Street Space. All of these comments have been incorporated into designs for three key areas, which address the issues and opportunities raised by residents over the course of the year.


Community noticeboard installed near the Becontree Avenue shops.

We are now focusing our attention on three sites, with the key features as follows:

  • Becontree Avenue (outside Grafton Primary School) – greening and seating, new crossings, visual road narrowing to reduce speeds
  • Stour Road (outside William Bellamy Primary School) – pocket park to provide green and calm space for parents/children during pick up/drop off, wider and safer crossings, potential for 'school streets'
  • Whalebone Lane South – Construction of a new 'rain garden' and seating space with seasonal planting. The rain garden will help to reduce local flooding by soaking and holding rain water

Get involved

  • Take a look at the sketches in the 'photos' section. These ideas aren't set in stone – we are in the process of consultation with local people, and we'd like to know what you think!
  • Fill in the survey below, ask us a question, or sign up to join one of our design workshops (see the Dates for your Diary)
  • And, if you have any questions or ideas you'd like to share, please post them below.

This is a TfL funded Low Emission Neighbourhood (LEN) project, supported by the Mayor’s Air Quality Fund, delivered in partnership with Be First and the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham, powered by Street Space, Sustrans and Living Streets.