Award-winning housebuilder The Hill Group and not-for-profit housing association Peabody have agreed a deal with Sainsbury's to become the first anchor tenant at Dagenham Green, marking a major milestone in the delivery of this significant East London mixed-use regeneration project.

The new Sainsbury's convenience store will occupy 3,173 sq ft on the ground floor of one of Dagenham Green's Build to Rent blocks and is due to complete in Q2 2027. The store will offer convenient everyday shopping for new residents and the wider local community, helping to develop and grow this vital new East London neighbourhood.

Dagenham Green, located on the former Ford Stamping Plant site, is transforming 45 acres into a vibrant new community with thousands of new homes alongside extensive public green space, a new secondary school, community facilities and neighbourhood amenities. The Sainsbury's store will be situated prominently within the first phase, directly supporting the early phases of housing and helping to create a sense of place from the outset.

Andy Hill OBE, founder and group chief executive of The Hill Group said: “Securing Sainsbury's as our first tenant is an important step in our vision for Dagenham Green. Having a trusted national retailer like Sainsbury's on board from so early in the development will be a huge asset for this growing community and demonstrates the appeal of the development for leading brands and businesses.”

James McMylor, Managing Director, London North at Peabody, said: We know a great place to live isn't just about well-built homes - it's also about having the things that make daily life easier and more enjoyable. This Sainsbury's will mean fresh food and essentials right on the doorstep, making life simpler for new residents and helping them settle in as Dagenham Green takes shape."

Jonathan Arthur, Sainsbury's Head of Convenience Property Development, added: “We're delighted to be partnering with The Hill Group and Peabody to bring a brand-new Sainsbury's Local to this exciting development. As well as creating employment opportunities, our new store will bring a carefully curated selection of Sainsbury's high-quality, great value products to the local community, and we're looking forward to becoming a central part of the new neighbourhood in Dagenham Green once it opens.”

The Dagenham Green masterplan, developed by Peabody, aims to deliver more than 3,500 homes in total, half of which will be affordable, as well as a new public park, green spaces and play facilities. Key infrastructure, such as a new secondary school, community hub, and a lively market square, will further strengthen foundations for the growing community. Integrated walking and cycling routes will promote sustainable travel, all designed to contribute to a resilient, inclusive neighbourhood at the heart of one of London's most significant regeneration areas.

The first phase of the project is a joint venture between Dagenham Green Limited (part of the Peabody Group) and The Hill Group. It will deliver a third of the homes - with 935 homes, 35 percent of which will be affordable. Drawing inspiration from the marshland, another key feature of phase one will be the first section of a new five-acre urban park complete with a large pond, children's play areas, and a heritage trail honouring the legacy of the Dagenham women who championed equal pay rights in the 1960s and 1980s. This first phase will also include more than 1,600 square metres of non-residential space, for commercial, social, and leisure activities.

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About The Hill Group

The Hill Group is a top 10 housebuilder* and one of the leading developers in London, the home counties, and the South. The company is renowned for its partnership ethos, specialising in the building of distinctive new places and communities where people want to live, work, and socialise.

In its 26th year, this family-owned and operated company has grown to establish itself as the UK's second-largest privately-owned housebuilder, with an impressive and diverse portfolio of projects ranging from landmark, mixed-use regenerations, and inner-city apartment developments to homes in rural communities. 

Employing over 950 staff, the company operates from six strategically located regional offices including Bristol and Abingdon to help facilitate growth in the South West and the Midlands, with its head office based in Waltham Abbey, Essex. 

Hill completed 2,886 homes in the last financial year and has a controlled development pipeline of over 8,800 homes. Around half of its portfolio is in joint ventures to deliver a range of mixed-tenure developments, reflecting Hill's commitment to partnerships with government, local authorities, housing associations, and private clients. 

Since the company was founded in 1999, Hill has won over 500 industry awards, including the esteemed title of WhatHouse? Housebuilder of the Year in 2015, 2020 and 2023. Most recently in 2024, Millside Grange in Croxley Green also won The Standard's Homes & Property Award for Best Commuter Home.

In addition, Hill's dedication to delivering the highest quality homes and exceptional customer service has earned the housebuilder its 5-star status in the Home Builders Federation's annual Customer Satisfaction Survey for the past eight years. Hill is a registered developer with the New Homes Quality Board (NHQB) and follows the New Homes Quality Code (NHQC), a new industry standard to ensure high-quality homes and an exceptional customer experience. With a score of 4.8 out of 5, Hill is also ranked as the number one housebuilder on Trustpilot.

Hill is donating 200 fully equipped modular homes to local authorities and homeless charities as part of a £15 million pledge through its Foundation 200 programme, launched in 2019 to mark Hill's 20th anniversary.

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For more information, contact The Oracle Group PR Agency on Tel: 020 8394 2821 or hill@oraclepr.co.uk

*The Hill Group was listed within the top 10 of the Top 150 UK Contractors and Housebuilders published by Building.co.uk in December 2024

Peabody

More than 160 years after it was established, Peabody is one of the oldest not-for-profit housing associations in the UK.

The Peabody Group is responsible for more than 108,000 homes, with around 220,000 residents across London and the Home Counties. We also provide care and support services to around 23,000 customers.

Our purpose is to help people flourish, and we are getting closer to residents by taking a local approach.

We are committed to delivering a responsive and easily accessible repairs service and investing in our existing homes so they are safe and well maintained. Our retrofit projects will make thousands of our homes more energy efficient.

We work with councils and communities to promote economic inclusion, tackle inequality and poverty, and prioritise wellbeing.

Our rents were £721m lower than the market in 2023-24. With an average rent of £137 per week in London and the South East, we offer significant value for residents and communities.

We are also committed to building much-needed affordable homes.

Find out more: https://www.peabodynewhomes.co.uk/about-us/

@PeabodyNewHomes

PeabodyNewHomes.co.uk

About Sainsbury's

Offering delicious great quality food at competitive prices has been at the heart of what we do since John James and Mary Ann Sainsbury opened our first store in 1869. Today, inspiring and delighting our customers with tasty food remains our priority and our purpose is clear – we make good food joyful, accessible and affordable for everyone, every day.

Our focus on great value food and convenient shopping, whether in-store or online is supported by our brands – Argos, Nectar, Tu Clothing, Habitat, Sainsbury's Bank and Smart Charge. Sainsbury's has almost 600 supermarkets and over 800 convenience stores. Argos is a leading digital retailer and is the third most visited retail website in the UK, with over 70 per cent of its sales starting online. Argos is conveniently available for customers to collect from hundreds of Sainsbury's stores. Digital and technology enables us to adapt as customers shop differently and our profitable, fast-growing online channels offer customers quick and convenient delivery and collection capability.