‘own’ rundown estate
number have been razed and several new homes have been completed at a cost of £96million, with residents saying those areas felt safer.
The total project will see 1,575 new homes by 2024, and possibly as many as 3,000 more over later phases.
A report compiled after the 2011 census describes the Gascoigne as the most deprived area in the borough, with the most single parents.
White British and black Africans are the biggest ethnic groups, but it said: “After English, the second most commonly used language used as a main language is Albanian, spoken by 372 residents.”
Barking and Dagenham council said the Hellbanianz were not just in Barking. A spokeswoman for the authority said: “Their whereabouts and activities have spanned London.
“We are not aware of any recent activity in the borough and our intelligence suggests a number of its members now live in different areas outside.
“This estate is like any other in London in 2018. It has experienced its fair share of anti-social behaviour, but we are tackling it head on with the police and the whole community.
“We’ve increased CCTV and improved street lighting, are providing spaces and activities for people to come together and are working with young people and families directly affected by crime to help them break the cycle.
“The police are also carrying out daily patrols and weapons sweeps and intelligence is shared.”
The council says reoffending rates in Barking are below the national average and non-domestic violence, knife crime and burglary rates have fallen in the last year. It said homes were boarded as people were moved out in phases.
Inspector John Goodwin, of the Barking and Dagenham safer neighbourhood team, said the Gascoigne estate was routinely patrolled and police officers engaged with residents.