First buildings rise at eventual 6,500-home Silvertown Quays development
After a couple of decade’s delay the very first buildings are now on the up at Silvertown Quays.
An eventual 6,500 homes, workspaces, shops, restaurants, a refurbished Millennium Mills and more will be built across the substantial site.
This block is the start of a proposed High Street heading north-south through the site. Housing is located above commercial space with 105 homes in the first block.
Millennium Mills is probably the best known building across the wider area but the site has another listed structure set for renovation in Silo D.
A new bridge replacing an existing structure on the Royal Victoria Dock linking the area towards Custom House Elizabeth line and DLR station is also proposed.
For many though particularly at the southern end of the site, the Docklands Light Railway on the Woolwich branch will be far quicker to reach. The site sits beside Pontoon Dock station.
The station is less than twenty years old but is already busy and will require work to accommodate increased passengers.
Numerous developments are on the way locally including the soon to complete Deanston Wharf and a residential development at a former hotel.
Silvertown Partnership
Four organisation are behind “The Silvertown Partnership” helping to build the site including Lendlease, the Greater London Authority (GLA), Homes England and The Guinness Partnership (TGP).
Homes England have awarded a £233 million loan.
Opposite sits the Excel Centre which is currently seeing a large expansion in floorspace and due to complete soon.
Note in the above image that Charlton sits just over the Thames. An area masterplan there sees up to 8,000 homes.
While all these plans have been drawn up due to a chronic housing shortage and a fast-rising population in the capital, progress at many sites has been extremely slow.
The Silvertown development is huge. Despite bring much needed new homes and commercial space along a new High Street running through the development which will provide businesses witb high levels of footfall from the new homes and surrounding areas.
There is still a lack of investment in improving local infrastructure including public transport as local authorities push for people to walk cycle and use public transport. Also other infrastructure like sewage etc is not always upgraded to cope with an increasing demand from the new homes putting pressure on existing infrastructure.