Ronke Akingbade

Be First Regeneration Limited

Be First is a pioneering urban regeneration company wholly owned by Barking and Dagenham Council, but operating independently. Our mission is to accelerate growth and capitalise on the borough's position as London's hottest investment and development opportunity. We will help deliver 50,000 new homes and 20,000 jobs in the next 20 years. As a developer in our own right, we utilise council and commercial investment resources to acquire sites, get planning consent and build out new residential and commercial developments. As a development manager we offer project management, land assembly and planning consultancy services to the council and to commercial partners who share our core values of delivering high quality development which benefits local people. We also deliver Town and Country Planning and a number of other smaller statutory functions for Barking and Dagenham on a no cost contract basis. As a wholly council owned company Be First is tasked with delivering a financial return which can be reinvested in public services. We provide a socially responsible model of urban regeneration which delivers new homes and jobs for the current as well as future communities and ensures that no one is left behind.