TfL choose Ballymore to develop 1,400-home Limmo Peninsula plot near Canning Town
TfL have selected Ballymore to develop a vast plot of land at Limmo Peninsula formerly used as a Crossrail work site.
It’s been a long time coming as TfL had previously selected Grainger more than six years ago but nothing proceeded.
Unfortunately that meant the site – located near Canning Town Jubilee line and DLR station – sat empty during a growing housing crises.
It’s also now not too far from Superloop route SL4 from which the main image above was taken.
Looking back at the 2019 announcement reveals how slowly things have moved at some sites. In Woolwich, for example, homes were first unveiled 11 years ago above the eastern end of the station box. The 2019 plan also mentioned the development. In 2025 nothing has commenced.
See also the Woolwich DLR sites also vacant for 16 years and counting.
At Limmo Peninsula plans for the Peninsula will see around 1,400 homes built (down from indicative 1,500 in 2019) with 40 per cent set to be “affordable”.
TfL state the “Development will also see a new bridge from the Limmo Peninsula to Canning Town, as well as the construction of new publicly accessible green open space and a new river walkway to link Canning Town underground station to Thameside West to the south”.
Ballymore have built nearby sites in Silvertown such as Royal Wharf though one concern is starting at Limmo may see them halt plans for other nearby sites on Silvertown.
They’ve recently submitted plans for 3,700 homes at Thames Road and Knight’s Reach.
We often seen developers who own numerous sites in close proximity build out slowly. Whilst Ballymore have built out both Royal Wharf and adjacent Deanston Wharf quicker than most developers, hopefully other nearby sites don’t ground to a halt now this partnership is underway.
TFL and Local Authorities leave sites they own empty for years some sites. around London have sat empty for nearly 20 years. TFL, the majority of the 32 London Boroughs are Labour controlled. Labour go on about the housing crisis but are not really do anything to tackle it. Sadly nothing will be quick to change under the Labour Government to be honest. Council house building was not great under Labour when they were in Government between 1997 to 2010.
Planning applications needs to be speeded up and developers given a time limit to start construction on the sites they purchase.
Public owned land for example land owned by TFL, Local Authorities, Greater London Authority etc including Riverside House. The old Waterfront Leisure Centre other disued Council and Government buildings including schools which have been earmarked for closure should be for new social housing only providing homes for people on the housing waiting list.