Suburban villas for Be First
At 200 Becontree Avenue in Dagenham, BREE Construction was main contractor for an award-winning scheme delivered for Be First on behalf of the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham and completed between 2020 and 2021. Designed by Archio, the development provides 19 affordable homes arranged as two villa-style blocks, with a contract value of 5.1 million pounds and a gross internal area of 1,735 square metres.
The scheme sits within the pioneering Becontree Estate, and its design was conceived to honour and continue that historic estate's legacy, adding new apartments and community space as part of the Becontree Forever centenary programme.
A small scheme with wide recognition
Despite its modest scale, 200 Becontree Avenue has been recognised repeatedly by the design community. It won a RIBA London Award in 2025, took Editor's Choice at the AJ Architecture Awards 2022, and was named winner in the Small Housing Development category at the 2023 Brick Awards.
The villa-style approach places community welfare at the centre of the design, providing affordable homes and shared space that respond thoughtfully to one of the country's most significant interwar housing estates. For Be First and the borough, the scheme shows how careful infill can renew an estate while respecting its heritage.
Delivery brought together Archio's design with a specialist supply chain, including Daniel and Co Brickwork, to achieve the crafted brick detailing that the scheme is known for. For Be First and the borough, the two villas demonstrate that genuinely affordable housing can be delivered to award-winning standards even on a small, sensitive site within a nationally significant estate.
Honouring a centenary estate
The scheme forms part of Becontree Forever, the programme marking the centenary of the Becontree Estate, one of the largest council housing estates ever built. The two villas were conceived to sit comfortably within that historic context while introducing contemporary affordable apartments and shared community space, and have become a reference point for high-quality small-scale affordable housing.
