The London Borough of Redbridge has selected Bellway Homes as development partner to bring forward a flagship scheme as part of the regeneration of Ilford town centre, known as ‘Unity Square’.

Commercial property consultants Drivers Jonas had advised the Borough.

The £100 million project will provide a new cultural focus for Ilford town centre, based on a strikingly designed public square with retail and leisure facilities. The scheme will also create over 500 new homes for keyworker and private occupiers on an area of underused land.

As an integral part of the project, Ilford’s Kenneth More Theatre is to be replaced by a modern theatre auditorium and additional space for the performing arts. The 300-seat theatre will include new build facilities; carefully integrated with the concert hall in the Grade II listed Town Hall – the buildings will be combined technically and historically to provide an invigorating new space at the heart of Ilford.

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The highly glazed theatre will be open during the day offering a public thoroughfare from the existing Town Hall and the town centre plus a lower foyer event space and café.

Vicky Trietline, partner at Drivers Jonas, said: “This is an exciting joint venture that will add considerable value to the wider community of Ilford and Redbridge. The provision of modern theatre facilities in the town centre and the additional retail and leisure space will boost Ilford’s competitiveness in the region. The high-quality residential housing scheme of both private and shared ownership units will further contribute to the regeneration of Ilford’s Metropolitan Town Centre.”

Mark Lucas, Head of Regeneration at London Borough of Redbridge, commented: “An important milestone has been reached in the selection of Bellway Homes following a rigorous OJEU tender process, in which ‘Drivers Jonas’ professional advice has been invaluable.”

Bellway Homes, in partnership with Metropolitan Housing Partnership and Coplan Estates, are appointed developers and Levitt Bernstein as lead designers and Whitelaw Turkington as landscape consultants.

The project will be completed in 2010.

(JM/SP)