Understanding how young people use the area

On October 12th, St William were delighted to welcome students from Harris Academy to the former Bromley-by-Bow Gasworks.

Since 2022 we have been lucky enough to meet with the same year group three times, running workshops, history tours and exhibitions. From Year 7 to Year 9, the students have watched the design proposals evolve and this month they were able to see the proposals that were submitted as part of the planning application, and visit the site for the first time.

Over the course of a morning, we presented the consultation exhibition, guided students around the site and ran a creative sketching exercise which showed us what community facilities the students currently use and what they’d like to see in the future.

Top priorities for the students were more eateries and retail, public spaces with free WiFi, outdoor gym equipment and spaces for sports (especially football), better lighting, and improved pathways along the river.

The creative exercise was led by local artist Lydia Thornley who has created a map of the students’ current uses and aspirations for the area.

You can view the map below.

If you have any comments on the proposals, do let us know here.