The Thames Gateway is the UK's largest regeneration programme, stretching for 40 miles on the north and south banks of the Thames Estuary from the London Docklands to Southend in Essex and Sheerness in Kent.

A conference in May 2006 highlighted the importance of the historic environment in the Thames Gateway area, in particular of historic designed open spaces.

The conference brought together people from the wide range of organisations working in the Thames Gateway to focus on how the historic landscape on both a small and large scale can contribute positively to a ‘sense of place’, one of the overarching principles guiding the development of the Thames Gateway.

English Heritage and the London Parks & Gardens Trust organised the conference, held at Eastbury Manor House in Barking on 3 May 2006, in association with the Essex Gardens Trust, the Countryside Agency and the Garden History Society. The conference was chaired by Terry Robinson and Dominic Cole.

The papers presented are available here:

• Terry Robinson, Countryside Agency - Introduction
• Su Bonfanti, Communities and Local Government - Thames Gateway: The Strategic Framework Minister
• Bridget Cherry - An introduction to the historical landscapes of the northern riverside
• David Went, English Heritage - The Thames Gateway Historic Environment Characterisation Project
• Peter Neal, CABE Space - Integrating historic landscapes into open space strategies
• Hazel Conway - Surviving historic landscapes in the London Borough of Havering
• Allan Aubrey, London Borough - Historic landscapes and development in of Barking and Dagenham (text)
• Allan Aubrey, London Borough - Historic landscapes and development in of Barking and Dagenham (presentation)
• John Hopkins, LDA Design - The Thames Gateway: South Essex
• Paul Williams, Kent Thameside Delivery - Heritage conservation in the regeneration of Board Kent Thameside (text)
• Paul Williams, Kent Thameside Delivery - Heritage conservation in the regeneration of Board Kent Thameside (presentation)
• Ken Worpole - The way forward: Summary and forum