10 - 07 - 2025
Planning approval has been granted for the transformative regeneration of the Teviot Estate in Poplar, East London – a community-led masterplan that sets a new benchmark for sustainable, inclusive urban renewal. Appointed as lead architect and master planner, BPTW is collaborating with Poplar HARCA, The Hill Group, and the local community, to deliver 1,928 new homes across four phases, alongside vibrant public spaces, community facilities, and enhanced infrastructure.
The Teviot Estate regeneration plays a crucial role in the evolution of the Poplar Riverside Opportunity Area, contributing significantly to unlocking the area’s full potential as a thriving, well-connected, and inclusive part of East London.
The proposal for the development has been designed in collaboration with Delvendahl Martin, a Tower Hamlets-based practice who are bringing their local knowledge and experience in mixed-use, workspace and meanwhile use projects to the scheme.
Rooted in Community and Place: At the heart of the Teviot masterplan is a bold vision for a warm, welcoming, and connected neighbourhood. The design celebrates the estate’s heritage and community spirit, creating a place where existing and future residents can grow, stay, and thrive. The design is guided by four key principles: celebrating the existing community, promoting health and wellbeing, delivering sustainable regeneration, and supporting local growth.
The Teviot Resident’s Steering Group visiting the BPTW and reviewing the Teviot Estate regeneration model to discuss taking forward designs for the masterplan.
The scheme has been shaped by a comprehensive and inclusive engagement process, involving over 800 residents through workshops, festivals, and community events. This collaborative approach ensured that the emerging designs reflected local aspirations and priorities, as demonstrated in the ballot results with 86% of residents voting in favour of the proposals.
Justin Kelly, BPTW Partner and Teviot project lead commented, “From the very beginning, the Teviot regeneration has been shaped by the people who live there. Through 4 years of workshops, festivals, and hands-on design sessions, we’ve worked side by side with residents to ensure the masterplan reflects their aspirations, values, and everyday needs. This collaborative approach has not only strengthened the proposals, it has built a shared pride that will carry through as we bring the vision to life.”
BPTW on an estate walkabout with Teviot residents to better understand their needs and aspirations for the scheme
Landscape-Led Design for Wellbeing and Biodiversity: Teviot’s landscape strategy, spearheaded by landscape architects Outerspace, is a cornerstone of the scheme, designed to foster mental and physical wellbeing, social cohesion, and ecological connectivity. A network of green spaces, including Teviot Square, Teviot Green, Everest Place, and Canal Square, will weave through the estate, reconnecting it with nature and the wider Poplar Riverside Opportunity Area. Additionally, communal amenity spaces have been designed to exceed BRE guidelines for sunlight access.
The redesign of the 6.3ha Langdon Park will introduce new play areas, fitness zones, and community-led features, co-designed with students from the local Langdon Park School. The scheme achieves an Urban Greening Factor of 0.42, exceeding the London Plan target, and includes 700 new trees, sensory planting, and biodiverse green roofs.
Connectivity across the estate and to nearby transport hubs will be enhanced through infrastructure improvements, including upgrades to Fawe Street Bridge, the A12 underpass, and new pedestrian routes.
Responding to Context: The masterplan features a mix of building typologies, from mansion blocks to tower-on-podium structures, carefully positioned to respect key views, heritage assets, and the surrounding skyline. Buildings range from 2 to 30 storeys, with 18 over 30m, strategically placed to mark gateways and civic spaces. The project has been led by BPTW Partner, Justin Kelly, a CIAT Registered Principal Designer for Higher Risk Buildings and non-Higher Risk Buildings, ensuring all building designs are compliant with the Building Safety Act and Fire Safety requirements.
Inclusive and Accessible Living: Homes are designed with dual aspect layouts, avoiding single-aspect north-facing units, and maximising views to parks and landmarks like Balfron Tower and St. Michael’s Court. All buildings feature step-free access, evacuation lifts, and wide corridors, with 10% of homes meeting full wheelchair standards, and a further 90% adaptable. Every affordable tenant who wishes to remain will be offered a new home tailored to their needs. The homes are tenure-blind, built to the same high standards regardless of ownership, and future-proofed for evolving regulations.
Sustainability at Scale: Teviot is an exemplar of sustainable regeneration with an energy strategy achieving 78–79% CO₂ reduction, exceeding GLA targets, through air source heat pumps, solar PV, and MVHR systems. The design is also aligned with One Planet Living principles, promoting healthy, low-impact lifestyles.
Supporting a thriving community: A rich mix of non-residential uses will be delivered, including a new mosque, community centre, nursery, retail, and workspace units. These facilities will activate the ground floor, foster local enterprise, and strengthen community ties. A community pub, boat club and pontoon will also connect residents to the peace and quiet of the Limehouse Cut canal and beyond to adjoining waterways.
Following the planning approval, Paul Dooley, Director of Regeneration and Development at Poplar HARCA said, “We’re proud to have secured planning permission for the regeneration of Teviot, a nationally exemplar project, shaped in genuine partnership with the community. This is a real win for residents who gave their time and efforts to make sure this masterplan delivers the things that are important for local people.”
A Legacy of Social Value: Beyond physical transformation, BPTW and the multi-disciplinary team are delivering a detailed package of social value which is tailored to the specific needs of the community. The Teviot Community Investment Programme has invested over £427,500 in local initiatives, including co-design workshops, youth mentoring, and paid placements. The revitalised Teviot Festival and partnerships with charities like Leaders in the Community reflect a genuine commitment to empowering the local residents.
Andy Hill OBE, founder and Group Chief Executive of The Hill Group, commented, “This is a landmark moment for Teviot and a major step forward in delivering lasting change for the community. Securing planning permission means we can now move forward with our shared vision, which prioritises creating high-quality homes and improved communal spaces that reflect the needs of residents. We look forward to continuing our partnership with Poplar HARCA and the local community to bring these plans to life.”
The Teviot Festival, supported by BPTW and the Teviot Community Investment Programme
With planning now approved, the Teviot Estate regeneration stands as a model for inclusive, sustainable, and community-driven urban renewal. We look forward to the first phase of the masterplan developing and seeing this transformative vision come to life.
