After 12 years at the helm of Barking Riverside Limited (BRL), managing director Matt Carpen is preparing to leave his role later this year to become chief executive officer of the Old Oak and Park Royal Development Corporation (OPDC).
In a candid conversation with The RiverView, Matt shared both pride and purpose in looking back on his tenure. “Guiding Barking Riverside from vision to reality has been the greatest honour of my career,” he said. “What began as an ambitious regeneration idea – a former power station site turned into a thriving neighbourhood – is now home to thousands and reflects the identity of this community.”
He described early years of laying the groundwork: securing funding, creating transport links – including support for the Overground extension – a quest that took years of persistence, negotiation, and patience.
Milestones, challenges and community impact
Matt has identified COVID-19 as his biggest challenge, nearly derailing the entire project due to construction halts costing hundreds of thousands of pounds daily. BRL’s office closure required his staff to transition to remote working and that was hard to do, especially engaging with the community’s most vulnerable at that time.
Under his leadership, however, BRL has achieved significant milestones.
- Overseeing delivery of essential new facilities – convenience stores, schools, public open spaces, enhancing transport infrastructure with the Overground station and the Uber Boat by Thames Clippers pier – helping foster not just housing, but a living, breathing neighbourhood.
- Community engagement – BRL has a dedicated team that engages in hundreds of meetings and events a year with local residents, community groups and businesses, creating strong partnerships with the local community.
- The submission in 2024 of an Outline Planning Application to expand Barking Riverside to up to 20,000 homes – a scale that made it the largest residential planning application in England that year.
- Facilitating landmark infrastructure projects supported by a £124 million funding package from Homes England, unlocking new spaces, including riverside walkways, flood defences, parks, and new roads.
Matt described an evolution shaped by strong collaboration between L&Q, the Mayor of London, Homes England, and local community voices. He emphasised that BRL’s success has been rooted in partnerships that have informed the place. “Our goal was never just building homes, but nurturing a place people call home,” he reflected.
Looking forward: leadership handover and legacy
With Matt leaving, Leigh Johnson will step in as the new managing director of BRL, starting in November 2025. With extensive experience from Wates Residential, Homes England, and several other major UK house builders, Leigh is set to guide the project into its critical next phase – seeing Barking Riverside rise toward its full potential as a vibrant destination.
Matt’s message to Leigh: join the BRL Community Interest Company (BRL CIC) and truly engage and nurture community relationships.
Noting that the opening of the NHS healthcare facility that is anticipated for 2026 is a key future project, along with the development of the Health Hub, Matt confirmed Leigh will make sure both projects stay on track.
As for Matt, he sees his new role at OPDC as another chapter in shaping sustainable and people-centred neighbourhoods. “My heart remains here in Barking,” he shared, “but I’m excited to bring what I’ve learned into a new setting – with similar aspirations for community, design excellence, and inclusive growth.”
By Venilia Amorim, local resident and REB member
