Recently announced, surplus industrial space positioned near the Royal Docks has been put forward for release to open up new space for housebuilding, as presented to the Mayor of London for consultation. The move, though primarily seen to open up the opportunity to develop further housing stock, will also see the area brought back to the glory days of old, when the docks proved to be a hub of commercial and industrial activity.

The plans tie in effectively with the Mayor’s own plan to regenerate the docks, presently already undergoing a considerable degree of transformation. As part of this, ABP, a Chinese developer, has already been successful in achieving planning permission at the docks for the development of a vast business and financial district, to complement the development of two hotels also development at the location over the course of the year.

Of the restoration works already progressed with, works have already been commenced at the Millennium Mills, and it is also expected that the Silvertown area will also see the addition of further development such as that of creative workspaces, new-build structures and circa 3,000 homes to provide much-needed housing stock in the area.

To further develop the area, the Mayor has also laid out ambitions to launch consultations on a number of proposals for transformation at the docks, aiming to develop the area into a world-class destination for commerce and trade once again. This, then to tie in with further ambitions for residential housing space, allowing for considerable growth in the area at the very same time.

Of course, much of this development, whilst important in its own right, will also prove to be vital in the area’s ability to benefit effectively from key infrastructure projects being undertaken in the area, such as Crossrail and the new Thames crossings.