Central Area Open Space (North and South)

The Abbey Playing Fields, although not completed until 1974, were first proposed in Barking Town Urban District Council's 1943 'Report on Post War Redevelopment' to provide a 'worthy setting' for Barking Abbey (q.v.) and St Margaret's Church (q.v.). This was to be created by acquiring and demolishing all the old residential and industrial property that surrounded the abbey and churchyard, and landscaping this as Public Open Space. The proposal was accepted by the Council and in 1944 was included in Sir Patrick Abercrombie's Greater London Plan as part of the broad green wedge between Barking and East Ham along the River Roding. In 1952-54 Barking Borough Council prepared its proposals for the County Development Plan, which indicated this area as being zoned for public open space purposes, and this was accepted by Essex County Council for incorporation, and then confirmed by the Minister of Housing and Local Government in 1957. In 1960 the scheme was safeguarded by its designation as an area subject to compulsory acquisition in the Quinquennial Review of Essex County Development Plan, but due to local government reorganisation in 1965 the work was not proceeded with, although the Greater London Council were in support. Barking Council appointed Professor G. Peter Youngman as landscape consultant, and accepted his report in June 1965. The completed scheme was based on his design: he 'envisaged a linking together of the various areas into a composite whole by the continuity of footpaths, the repetition of similar trees and structural elements and by a sequence of views, enclosed spaces and open spaces.' The open spaces to north and south of Barking Abbey were to be informal and unfenced. The work was implemented in October 1971, with substantial completion by December 1974.

It is now a key site within the East London Green Grid, a project to connect green spaces to one another and to other important locations. In 2009 plans for improving what was to be called Abbey Green were underway and an international design competition was launched by LB Barking & Dagenham in partnership with Design for London and the Architects Journal. The brief included provision of a small museum, an amphitheatre and play spaces. From a shortlist of 6 design teams, proposals by Lynch Architects in partnership with Kinnear Landscape were unanimously selected and in 2010 public consultation on their designs is taking place. Initial ideas were to propose a 'river landscape' of reeds and wild flowers within which some simple structures would sit. Following consultation with Design for London and local people the design team is now attempting to connect The Gascoigne Estate to the Green, and also proposes to make the Abbey accessible from The Broadway by introducing shallow ramps around the old cloister. A new public space is proposed in front of the Curfew Tower as well as a bandstand beside St Margaret's parish hall.