Teachers’ CPD: The Carpenters Estate Deep Dive

Geography teachers who bring students to Stratford for fieldwork will know the Carpenters Estate as a place where urban questions are clearly visible - from housing need and inequality to sustainability, placemaking, and the impact of regeneration on existing communities. On Thursday 26 March (4.30-5.30pm), we’re hosting a focused CPD session at the Dovetail Community Hub to share the latest on what’s happening at Carpenters, why decisions have been made the way they have, and what’s coming next, so you can teach this area with confidence at KS4 and KS5.

This is a rare opportunity to learn more about one of London’s most ambitious resident-shaped regeneration programmes with the team delivering it. The Carpenters masterplan is resident-led, with 73% voting “Yes” in the ballot, and it’s built around a commitment to the community’s needs while delivering over 2,300 new and refurbished homes.

We’ll start the session with an introduction from Kate Stockings, who has shaped the CPD session and will set the scene for the afternoon. We’ll then hand over to the Populo team for the wider Newham context and the role of community infrastructure during regeneration, including how the Dovetail has supported connection, community activities and empowerment while plans progress. From there, you’ll see how phasing works in practice and how different parts of the estate fit into the bigger picture, including details on future change around the station area.

A key focus will be James Riley Point, where works have already started on a landmark sustainable retrofit. The 23‑storey tower is being refurbished towards the Passivhaus EnerPHit standard, described as the largest certified EnerPHit retrofit in London, creating 136 affordable homes paired with plans for a new multi-purpose sports and community centre.  It’s a live case study that links directly to topics teachers cover: energy efficiency, embodied carbon, liveability, and how investment decisions shape outcomes.

You’ll also hear about the various “Meanwhile” projects that are already activating the estate, from community gardens to a calisthenics gym forged from confiscated weapons, all coming together to demonstrate how regeneration can deliver benefits for residents in the early phases.

We want this CPD session to be genuinely useful for teaching and fieldwork planning, so we’d love to hear what additional resources would help you most, and if you’re happy to, there may be an opportunity on the day to share (on camera) how you teach the estate with your students.

Book your place via Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/carpenters-estate-study-delivering-inclusive-growth-regeneration-tickets-1982958141180?aff=oddtdtcreator

Get in touch with your questions and ideas: communications@populoliving.co.uk

To learn more about Kate and find her resources: https://www.katestockings.com/

To see more resources from Populo Living: https://www.populoliving.co.uk/the-carpenters/the-masterplan/students-guide-to-carpenters/