Twelvetrees Park Triumphs at Planning Awards
Berkeley's TwelveTrees Park, in West Ham has been recognised with a major industry accolade at The Planning Awards, celebrating the transformation of a long-vacant brownfield site into one of East London's most ambitious new neighbourhoods.
The development was named winner of the 'Best Use of Publicly Owned Land and/or Property in Placemaking' category, recognising the project's success in creating new homes, public spaces and community facilities while maximising the potential of previously underused public land.
National Recognition at The Planning Awards
The Planning Awards celebrate excellence across the planning, development and placemaking sectors, highlighting projects that deliver lasting social, economic and environmental benefits.
The Best Use of Publicly Owned Land and/or Property in Placemaking category recognises developments that demonstrate how publicly owned land can be transformed to create vibrant, sustainable communities and deliver positive outcomes for local people.
Entrants were required to show how their schemes improve the physical, social and environmental qualities of a site, with the judges selecting a shortlist from developments submitted from across the country.
TwelveTrees Park emerged as the category winner, with judges recognising the scale of its transformation and the long-term benefits it will bring to Newham and East London.
Transforming a Long-Vacant Site in West Ham
Before Berkeley began work on the site in 2015, the land had largely remained vacant for around a decade, aside from a temporary role as a coach park during the London 2012 Olympic Games.
Today, that former brownfield site is being transformed into a thriving new neighbourhood that will provide:
- More than 3,800 new homes
- A 4.5-acre public park
- A new home for the East London Science School
- New public spaces and improved connections
- Retail, leisure and community facilities
- Significant investment in local infrastructure
The development demonstrates how complex urban sites can be regenerated to create homes, jobs and community amenities while reconnecting previously underused areas with the surrounding neighbourhood.
Creating a New Neighbourhood for Newham
TwelveTrees Park has been carefully masterplanned to deliver much more than housing.
Alongside the new homes, the development includes a fully WiFi-enabled public park that provides valuable green space for residents and the wider community. The neighbourhood also incorporates educational facilities, pedestrian routes, landscaped public areas and places for people to meet, spend time and connect.
This emphasis on placemaking reflects Berkeley's wider approach to regeneration, where the focus extends beyond individual buildings to creating places that support community life over the long term.
Delivering Long-Term Community Benefits
Large-scale regeneration projects such as TwelveTrees Park can play an important role in helping London's communities grow sustainably.
By transforming underused brownfield land close to existing transport infrastructure, developments can help meet housing demand while limiting pressure on greenfield sites. They can also provide opportunities for investment in public spaces, local services and facilities that benefit existing and future residents alike.
At TwelveTrees Park, the creation of new public amenities sits alongside a diverse range of housing tenures, helping to create an inclusive and well-connected neighbourhood that supports people at different stages of life.
Judges Praise a Transformational Development
The Planning Awards judges highlighted the wider significance of the project, commenting:
"TwelveTrees Park shows the potential of vacant public sector land assets as vehicles for transformative change."
Their comments recognise how the scheme has successfully demonstrated the value of planning-led regeneration, turning a largely unused site into a place where people will be able to live, work, learn and enjoy access to high-quality public spaces.
Berkeley's Commitment to Regeneration
Sean Gavin, Operations Director at Berkeley South East London, said:
"Winning an award is always positive, but to win in such an important category is particularly special. We take our responsibilities to the local community in Newham very seriously, which is why we are delivering a range of publicly accessible amenities, as well as high-quality homes in a variety of tenures. This honour vindicates our approach and is greatly appreciated. I congratulate the whole TwelveTrees Park team for this fantastic achievement."
The award reflects Berkeley's long-standing commitment to delivering regeneration projects that combine high-quality homes with investment in public spaces, infrastructure and community facilities.
About TwelveTrees Park
Located in West Ham, TwelveTrees Park is one of East London's largest regeneration projects. Designed as a new mixed-use neighbourhood, it brings together homes, green space, education and community facilities in a highly connected location.
As the development continues to take shape, it will contribute to the ongoing regeneration of Newham while creating a new destination that supports residents, businesses and the wider community for generations to come.
Find out more about TwelveTrees Park in West Ham
Explore our TwelveTrees Park development page to learn more about the homes, public spaces and community facilities being delivered as part of this award-winning regeneration project, or browse Berkeley developments across London and the South East.