There are various formal and informal subdivisions of London Borough of Barking and Dagenham and of parts of that borough.
Pre 1965 boroughs
Since 1994 the borough has comprised the areas of the former Borough of Barking (in the main - some parts went to Newham in 1965) and of Dagenham, plus most of the part of the Becontree Estate that was originally in the Borough of Ilford.
Postal Geography
17 Postcode sectors in (7 postcode areas) cover the borough: IG11 7, 8, 9 and 0; RM5 2; RM6 4, 5 and 6; RM7 0; RM8 1, 2 and 3; RM9 4, 5, and 6 RM10 7, 8, 9. All of RM8 and RM9 are wholly within B&D and for practical purposes so is all of RM10. The other areas extend into neighbouring boroughs (Newham, Redbridge and Havering). All sectors of IG11 [4 sectors], RM6 [3], RM8 [3], RM9 [3] and RM10 [3] are at least partly in B&D. [RM9 9 and IG11 1 are ignored for this purpose, being special cases such as postcodes for PO boxes and the borough returning officer.]
The Post Towns Barking, Dagenham, and Romford each cover part of the borough (and beyond).
(In fact the borough also extends into LONDON E6 2--, but this is negligible as the area comprises a roundabout and slip roads with no residences or businesses.)
Neighbourhoods
This is a list of 13 'Neighbourhoods' (source unknown) without defined boundaries.
Note that 'Barking' and 'Dagenham' are the names both of post towns and of Neighbourhoods in this table.
Citizen's Alliance Network Neighbourhoods
Seven neighbourhoods, between them covering the whole borough, announced by the council's CAN in February 2022.: 1 Barking Town; 2 Becontree; 3 Becontree Heath to Rush Green; 4 Chadwell Heath and Marks Gate; 5 Dagenham Dock, Beam Park and the Stamping Plant; 6 Dagenham East, the Village and beyond; 7 Thames and Riverside.
These names are similar and in some cases identical to the 'strategic sub-areas' listed below.
In the Council's Local Plan
These are the geographical areas that the Local Authority splits the borough into for spatial planning purposes, sometimes attempting to engage the population in identifying with the areas/names chosen.
Character areas
These 11 "character areas" were proposed in Barking & Dagenham Council's 'Issues and Options' report on page 50 (list) and 51 (map). The character area names are unique within the list.
"We would appreciate your feedback on what you think the different places are in Barking and Dagenham. To help with this we've attempted to define what we think are the eleven places that make up the borough. Becontree; Becontree Heath; Barking Riverside/Thames View; Barking Town Centre; Chadwell Heath; Dagenham East; Dagenham Riverside; Faircross, Leftley and Eastbury; Goodmayes; Marks Gate; Rush Green."
The omission of Upney - an old place name and the name of a London Underground station - from this list is noteworthy.
Strategic sub-areas
These 7 'strategic sub-areas' are on a map published by Barking & Dagenham Council in September 2019:
Barking & The Roding; Becontree Heath & Rush Green; Becontree; Chadwell Heath & Marks Gate; Dagenham Dock & Beam Park; Dagenham East & The Village; Thames & Riverside
Draft local plan 2019-2034
Similar (if not identical) areas were subsequently used, albeit with some names modified, in the council's Draft Local Plan 2019-2034:
1: Barking Town Centre and the River Roding
2: Thames Road, Barking Riverside and Castle Green
3: Dagenham Dock, Beam Park and the Ford Stamping Plant **
4: Becontree
5: Chadwell Heath and Marks Gate
6: Becontree Heath and Rush Green
7: Dagenham East and Dagenham Village
** in August 2021 Peabody started consulting on their plans to redevelop the Ford Stamping Plant site: The development has been dubbed 'Dagenham Green'.
September 2020 consultation version of the local plan
This version of the local plan lists sub-area 1 above as: 'Barking, the River Roding'
Sub areas 2021
In the Autumn 2021 version of the council's Local Plan the 7 sub areas are:
Barking and the River Roding; Thames Riverside; Dagenham Dock and Freeport; Becontree and Heathway; Chadwell Heath and Marks Gate; Becontree Heath and Rush Green; Dagenham East and Village