Bexley highlights its riverside for place-making

We were extremely interested to listen to Huw Lewis, MD of the London Borough of Bexley's private development company, Bexley Co today at our November Future Cities Forum held at Royal Arsenal Woolwich.

Huw talked about the regeneration of Bexley's riverfront which through the years has been a centre of ship fitting, iron working, quarrying and silk printing. Well connected, the riverside is ripe for redevelopment and for investment, benefiting from London City Airport nearby, the Crossrail extension to Abbey Wood as well as the Channel Tunnel and ports.

Opening up the river frontage for leisure and tourism is high on Huw's list of ambitions as well as the expansion of the borough's housing and amenities. Commercial investment is creating jobs in the borough and new housing is replacing the old.

A new Place and Making Institute - in Thamesmead - will be a beacon for training and skills and somewhere to showcase the excellence of Bexley's vocational education. Post Brexit, with shortage of key workers, it will be well placed to fulfil the gap in trained individuals.

Huw is only too aware that London is facing huge growth challenges and with the right investment, Bexley can play its part in driving up economic well-being.