Designs for the proposed Padnall Hall youth centre have been submitted to Barking and Dagenham Council for planning approval.
The derelict building that has been left vacant in Chadwell Heath for 15 years is being totally refurbished.
A contract has been given to architects at the RKVa practice in Shoreditch through the Mayor of London’s “social value” programme for community developments.
Padnall Hall is being brought back into use as a “beacon for community activity” by the local authority.
“There was a lot of interest for this project,” Amandeep Singh Kalra from the authority’s Be First construction wing explained. “We chose RCKa because of their approach to repurposing a disused building into a much-needed space for young people.”
The architects have based their design on speaking to young people on the Marks Gate Estate and identifying future custodians to secure the building’s long-term viability and “sense of ownership” with flexible spaces for community use.
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