London and Newham Mayors make Royal Docks revival a top priority
28 JULY 2010
The Royal Docks in east London, once the beating heart of Britain's overseas trade, are to be returned to their former glory as an international business centre and a thriving vibrant place to live, work and visit. The ambitious plans were published today by the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, and the Mayor of Newham, Sir Robin Wales.
Their joint vision is to harness the London 2012 Games as a catalyst for long-term regeneration of the area. With its miles of waterfronts and open spaces, this special part of London offers huge benefits for those choosing to locate their business or make a home. In addition, and as respective landowners, the London Development Agency and the London Borough of Newham will work together so that large tracts of land in the area can be sold for investment and developed.
The Royal Docks and surrounding area provide a truly unique opportunity for investors to benefit from London's growing economy. That growth is being strongly driven by the regeneration taking place in the east of the city with the construction of the Olympic Park and the ever growing Canary Wharf business district.
The docks are already home to the ExCeL Exhibition Centre and the new International Convention Centre, London City Airport and the University of East London with 18,000 students. Close by is the O2, the world’s most popular entertainment venue and all are well connected to the transport infrastructure including the Docklands Light Railway and Jubilee Line.
The excellent transport infrastructure will be further boosted by the arrival of Crossrail in 2017 and plans for a new cable car river crossing will connect the Greenwich Peninsular to the Royal Docks.
Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, said:
“This vision is another important part of the jigsaw that will see the regeneration of east London but there is still much work to be done to reverse the decline of this important part of our city. However, the time has never been better to unlock the Royal Docks’ potential on the back of the 2012 Games, which are already transforming the area before our eyes.
"There is no reason why, like the fantastic Olympic Park, the Royal Docks should not become a major new economic hub in our capital and a top class destination to live and work.”
Mayor of Newham, Sir Robin Wales, said:
“The Royal Docks are where London’s future essential economic growth can truly thrive. The size of the opportunity is vast – it is a development area the size of Venice with 12 miles of dock and river edge.
"The area will play a major part in the excitement of London 2012 and we want to use that excitement to attract new investment, new jobs, new homes and new people. It is a stunning waterside cityscape, home to London City Airport and ExCeL, with great transport links. In regeneration terms the Royals have seen many false dawns. They are a diamond waiting to be polished."
The Royal Docks are also at the heart of the Mayor of London's new Green Enterprise District, stretching across east London which aims to attract new investment, creating up to 6,000 new jobs by 2014 and developing new low carbon skills. At its launch in the Spring electronics giant Siemens committed to invest £30 million in a new exhibition and conference centre for sustainable technologies which is expected to attract around 100,000 visitors a year.
The two Mayors will also commit to see that decisions are taken quickly and processes streamlined to ensure delivery.
The Royal Docks vision was simultaneously launched to Chinese investors at London Week at the 2010 Shanghai World Expo by Peter Bishop, London Development Agency Deputy Chief Executive.
He is accompanying the Deputy Mayor of London, Richard Barnes, at the Shanghai Expo to promote investment opportunities in London that are arising out of a growing economy as well as from London’s hosting the 2012 Games.
Peter Bishop said:
“The Royal Docks is the biggest development opportunity around. By bringing together the London Development Agency’s large land holdings with the London Borough of Newham’s planning responsibilities, we have an outstanding offer for potential investors. With both the mayors backing this project, we have the political support to make the transformation happen.
Notes to Editors
1. The Royal Docks Vision Document can be downloaded at http://www.lda.gov.uk/Documents/royal_docks_vision_9077.pdf
2. The Mayors’ vision for the future of the Royal Docks is underpinned by a clear ten-point strategy:
- Develop the Royal Docks as a world-class business destination within the knowledge economy
- Promote the Royals Docks as a focus for investment on a world stage building on opportunities presented by the 2012 Games
- Make the Royal Docks a place of choice to live
- Champion green enterprise and environmental sustainability
- Ensure that development positively benefits the local communities
- Exploit the potential for a visitor and tourist economy
- Create a unique and high quality waterfront urban quarter with a strong sense of place
- Improve cross-river and local connectivity
- Communicate openly and clearly
- Make it happen
3. Recent announcements on development in the Royal Docks include:
- Siemens plans to build a £30 million sustainability visitor attraction and conference facility at the western end of the Royal Victoria Dock, at the heart of a new Green Enterprise District.
http://www.siemens.co.uk/en/news_press/index/news_archive/siemens-pavilion.htm
- the proposal to build a cable car link across the Thames from the Royal Docks to the O2 Centre on the Greenwich peninsular.
http://www.tfl.gov.uk/corporate/media/newscentre/16125.aspx
4. The Green Enterprise District will stretch across East London, exploiting the potential from undeveloped plots of industrial land to attract new investment, create up to 6,000 new jobs and develop new low carbon skills by 2014. The Green Enterprise District is designed to position London as a global leader of the low carbon economy. The Siemens Pavilion will be built on land owned by the London Development Agency and the London Borough of Newham, helping to further regenerate one of the most deprived parts of the capital.
5. “London Week” at Shanghai Expo runs from 26 July 2010. During the week, London is staging activities that highlight the city’s historical, cultural and economic diversity. The week coincides with the two year countdown to the start of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. London Week will position the city as an ideal destination to live, work, study and invest - from its global financial centre, commitment to low carbon living and its leadership in the creative and cultural sectors.
