Hello Everyone,
It was a brilliant start of the week for me when I headed over to the Carpenters Estate in Stratford on Monday to witness first-hand work on site officially starting on one of the largest estate regeneration schemes in the country! It’s not only significant because of its sheer scale on the 28-acre Council owned land which is a stones’ throw away from the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park but also because of the way we have carried out a first, from way back in November 2018, co-production and co-design of the masterplan with residents, because I delivered on my promise to put people at the heart of everything we do. That’s been my mantra ever since I became the Mayor of Newham, and why it still remains the case that I make sure that the Council has to demonstrate day-in and day-out that its people across all our communities come first. The Carpenters Estate regeneration and restoration scheme will deliver more than 2,300 new and refurbished retrofit homes – and 50 percent will be homes that our people can afford at social rent. Alongside new housing, there’ll be a new community centre, a brand-new school and sports facilities for residents to use. There’ll also be plenty of opportunities for local businesses and jobs through a raft of commercial and cultural spaces too. Carpenters Estate is not just about bricks and mortar - it is about restoring a much-loved neighbourhood that for too long was neglected. The first phase of this transformation is focused on James Riley Point, one of the estate’s three iconic modernist towers. Residents were clear that they wanted to see this tower retained rather than demolished, and the Council has listened to their voices. James Riley Point will now undergo a pioneering “retrofit” to the globally recognised Passivehaus EnerPhit standard, making it the largest residential tower retrofit of its kind in London – that will also mean lower energy bills for those living there. As well as that, this significant retrofit scheme will deliver 136 homes across a mix of one, two and three-bedroom flats which will be social rent. Those households who were promised the right to return to Carpenters, and who were moved out years and years ago, will be offered the chance to return. Ensuring that those with the deepest connection to the restored neighbourhood can go back to their roots. There’ll also be a new multifunctional sports, leisure and community centre at the base of the tower, providing a permanent home for the Carpenters and Docklands Centre, a much-loved local charity and community hub who are really excited about moving to a brand-new home too! It’s because I want to ensure that our people benefit from community investment right from the start of all our estate regeneration schemes. Talking of community investment, on Wednesday, I took part in the Creative Industries Festival 2025, organised by University of East London’s at our very own Stratford Youth Zone. I talked about the importance of entrenching opportunities from the outset when talking about inclusive growth, especially in the fast-growing sectors of the London economy such as the creative and cultural sectors which are booming in East London. Events like this demonstrate how powerful partnerships between councils, universities, industry and community groups can be when it comes to shaping a brighter, more inclusive future. As you know, I am super excited about Dancing City coming back to Newham tomorrow as part of the Greenwich and Docklands International Festival 2025. Stratford is going to transformed as people are awed and gasp at what will be on offer from London’s much-loved annual celebration of outdoor dance. From Stratford Town Centre and East Bank in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, there’ll be free performances to electrify audiences with creativity, energy and joy – and it’s all free. It’s all part of our bold ambition, strategic investment, and deep collaboration to promote Newham as a great place to visit and enjoy; and linked to our Building Newham’s Creative Future cultural strategy which sets out an credible 15-year action plan to put culture and creativity into the heart of our inclusive growth plans and create a borough where our people can access joy. Talking of our communities, we launched a consultation on our Air Quality Action Plan for 2025–2030 because poor air quality is one of the greatest public health emergencies facing our borough. Levels of pollution in Newham remain among the highest in London, disproportionately impacting children, pregnant women, older residents, and those with long-term health conditions. The new plan sets out a bold programme of action to reduce emissions, improve the quality of the air we all breathe, and protect the health of our residents. We want to make sure that every voice is heard in shaping this plan, which is why we are running a borough-wide consultation with materials available in multiple languages, both online and offline, and through outreach events in our communities. The consultation will run until 31 October, and I encourage everyone to take part. This is about building a healthier, fairer Newham for all of us, and your input will be crucial in making that a reality – so please take part in the survey here. Before I sign off, there’s a few final things I wanted to flag ahead of the weekend as well. On Sunday there’ll be a National Emergency Alert test at 3pm, which will appear on mobile phones across the country. This system is designed to keep people safe in the event of national emergencies, and while the alert is just a test, it is an important step in ensuring that people can be reached quickly when needed. So don’t be alarmed when you receive the message and also important advice has been issued by charities for victims of domestic abuse who may have hidden phones – you can access this here. On Sunday there’ll also be a memorial service for South Hallsville School at the East London Cemetery in Plaistow, led by the Royal British Legion. The service will begin at 11:30am and will be a chance to reflect on the tragic events of the South Hallsville School bombing during the Second World War, which claimed the lives controversially of hundreds of local residents including children who had sought shelter there. It’ll be a moment to pause and honour those lives lost, as well as the resilience and strength of our community in the past, as well as the present. It shows how much deep history shapes our borough; and why it is our collective responsibility to build a borough rooted in remembrance, solidarity and hope for the future. Until next week, stay well.
Best wishes, Mayor Rokhsana Fiaz OBE Follow what I am up to via X/Twitter: @rokhsanafiaz | 
