The single-story, 350-square-metre building features a versatile main community hall, outdoor space, a digital media room, and a full catering and training kitchen. The youth-led space was created in close partnership with the local community, with design ideas and the core vision shaped by more than two hundred young people.
Pulse Consult provided project management, employer’s agent and quantity surveying services for the scheme, which was made possible through a £2 million public capital funding stack from the UK Government’s Youth Investment Fund (YIF) grant and the Better Youth Spaces Fund.
Kai Walker, consultant at Pulse Consult, said: “This project has delivered a vital, modern social asset for Barking and Dagenham, and we are incredibly proud to have guided its journey to a high-quality community space.
“By embedding our project management and quantity surveying expertise early on, we were able to successfully navigate the technical integration of renewable technologies and multi-use spaces. It reflects our wider commitment to delivering high-impact, public sector infrastructure that directly improves lives.”
Extensive fabric and services upgrades have put the project on track to achieve a BREEAM ‘Excellent’ rating. The net-zero ready facility utilises high-efficiency air-source heat pumps, solar photovoltaic (PV) panels, and a 100% LED lighting infrastructure to ensure low carbon output and long-term operational sustainability.
The development forms part of Barking and Dagenham’s wider investment into youth provision, aligning with the Government’s National Youth Strategy to transform and level up opportunities and expand youth services where they are needed most.
Cllr Dominic Twomey, leader of Barking and Dagenham council said: “The new youth centre is absolutely incredible, it’s colourful, modern, and has fantastic facilities for our young people. It’s been so rewarding to see our young people already making great use of it and enjoying everything it has to offer. Thanks to all our partners who have been involved in making this happen, it’s another example of the investment we are making for our youth to help them get the best start in life. It starts here.”
The successful handover follows a collaborative programme alongside architects RCKa and the council’s development framework, ensuring the facility is fully equipped to host diverse local service providers, youth leadership forums and charitable events for generations to come.
For more information on Pulse Consult and its services, visit: https://pulseconsult.co.uk/
