The Royal Docks and Surrounding Area

[jack_jones]

(From Skyscrapernews.com)

LDA to try again with Silvertown Quays

Silvertown Quays near the Royal Docks in the London borough of Newham has long been part of the established development pipeline of the area, but one that went through the entirety of the last property cycle without being realised despite £60 million being spent on it.

The London Development Agency is now trying to get the outline planning permission for the scheme extended meaning that the proposals, which include a massive 4.930 residential units, 25,920 square metres of mixed use office space, a 300 bedroom hotel, and an aquarium could get a second chance.

The site sprawls for 24 hectares along the south of the Royal Victoria Dock, and takes in a number of important buildings including the Millennium Mills Building and Silo D which will both be retained if the masterplan goes ahead but have laid empty for 20 years.

As one would expect for such a large project, it is a long-term plan. The proposals will take at least a decade to construct, and go up in four phases with the highlights being the planned town centre, and the Terry Farrell designed aquarium, a proper aquatic centre and something that few cities the size of London lack. It was this building which was due to be built first to act as landmark, and the failure to construct it led to the collapse of the overall development.

The London Development Agency had previously dropped their development partner for the project after they failed to secure financing for the scheme, but an extension to the planning permission means that they can try all over again as the property market improves and developers start to get ready cash again. It could receive added impetus from the fact that the British government now plans on making the area an Enterprise Zone where there will be reduced business rates for five years, plus access to an Economic Development Fund.

The LDA is still working to a design by Urban Strategies Inc. that originally surfaced in 2003. The previous joint venture was a public private partnership between the LDA, Bank of Scotland, and KUD.

[OptomistOne]

Originally Posted by jack_jones

OptomistOne - I think this development includes a few shops along the front. Im not 100% sure though, but its a very large development.

Heres some more news on the development (From Skyscrapernews.com)

- Work is kicking off on a joint venture between two of Britain's largest developers in a site just north of London's Thames Barrier.

Developed by Taylor Wimpey and Barratt Developments with the help of the London Development Agency, the scheme called Barrier Park East sits on a strategically placed T-shaped site on a strip of land located south between the Royal Docks and the iconic Thames Flood Barrier.

The area has proven particularly popular for Barratt who have developed a number of other schemes in this part of the London borough of Newham including Tradewinds Riverside. Despite this however, the area remains full of empty brownfield land with the wider regeneration having stalled following the 2008 world financial crisis.

Barrier Park East has been masterplanned by Allies and Morrison Architects with the first part of the scheme, Block D, which sits on the eastern arm of the T, penned by Maccreanor Lavington Architects. Clad in a brick exterior that harks back to the Victorian warehouses of London's Docklands it will consist of 156 apartments in a courtyard block, plus a small number of mews houses too.

The tower element of the project rises to a mere 14 floors which translates into a height of just under 43 metres above ground level, something that has been set so tightly because of the proximity of the project to City Airport. Indeed, throughout the whole site, low height limits reign, although given the relatively low density of developments in the immediate area this is hardly a problem.

As such, once complete in 2013 if everything goes to plan, the Barrier Park East project will contain 780 new homes on a 4.6 hectare site along with a new urban park that helps integrate it into the neighbouring Barrier Park.

Cheers Jack Thanks very much for the extra info - it's very interesting!

I can see the attraction due to its proximity to City Airport and the remaining presence of some actual Thameside industry, such as Tate & Lyall, which will give the overall precinct a slightly different feel compared to the upper reaches of the river which are now pretty much completely "gentrified".

[Core Rising]

Didn't Tate and Lyall close down its plant in Greenwich?

[OptomistOne]

Originally Posted by Core Rising

Didn't Tate and Lyall close down its plant in Greenwich?

It was still operating away when I packed up my meagre belongings and headed out from Wards Wharf, Silvertown in early January 2008...

[Core Rising]

Evidence I believe:

http://853blog.wordpress.com/2010/03...el-refineries/

[jack_jones]

I never new that they had a factory in greenwich, i no that they still have the factory in silvertown and plaistow.

[OptomistOne]

Originally Posted by Core Rising

Evidence I believe:

http://853blog.wordpress.com/2010/03...el-refineries/

Sorry, Core Rising - bit of a miscommunication here. I was talking about this refinery - which seems to be still operating away - the largest in Europe apparently.My flat was in the red and white tower to be seen at the left of the 5th photo.

http://celinemarchbank.wordpress.com...ertown-london/

I didn't know there was a smaller disused one somewhere else that has been closed down.

[Restless]

‘Meanwhile’ London competition winners announced

http://www.architectsjournal.co.uk/s...C6E6C58E17CFBF

The Mayor of London has announced the four winners of a competition to transform derelict sites in east London

The four winning proposals are:

‘Caravanserai’ for Canning Town: proposed by EXYST, Space Makers Agency, Ash Sakula and others, the project aims to create an ‘adaptable open courtyard surrounded by busy shops and production spaces’, produced by architects, thinkers, makers, community groups and local residents’.

‘21st Century Pleasure Gardens’ for the Pontoon Dock: proposed by Strong and Co. The idea is for a ‘waterside festival site’ to feature year-round attractions and summer-time spectaculars.

‘Industri[US]’ for the Royals Business Park: proposed by Fluid, with Colliers International, Dare and others. Their concept aims to rework and revalue found materials and waste products, bringing together artists, entrepreneurs, social businesses, local people and scientists.

‘Royal Docks Baths’ for Pontoon Dock: proposed by Studio Egret West, this will be a ‘floating swimming pool in Pontoon Dock made from seven re-used Thames Lighters to form a pontoon, floating structure, cafe, restaurant and spa’. This site was not in the original competition but the judges decided it should be an extra winner.

Launched by Boris Johnson and Newham mayor Robin Wales, the contest challenged participants to come up with creative temporary uses for three ‘prominent’ locations owned by Newham Council and the London Development Agency.

Announcing the winners at MIPIM, Boris Johnson said: ‘These winning ideas will bring the sites to life and help the Royal Docks and Canning Town become a thriving new economic hub for the capital and a top class destination to live and work.’

===

Maps and designs are in the article

[Metroguy78]

Definitely exciting times in the area

[jack_jones]

Custom House Crossrail Station

The new Crossrail Custom House station is the only Central Section surface station. It is located in East London, one stop from Canary Wharf, lies to the north of the Royal Victoria Dock, and is at the junction of Victoria Dock Road and Freemasons Road.
The station will welcome regional and international visitors to London’s largest conference centre ExCeL, and create a transport interchange with DLR and local buses, providing further benefits such as enabling reduced journey times to ExCel and London City airport for people coming from the West and reduced journey times to central London for those in the East.

The station will provide a focus for the regeneration of the wider and local areas, which comprise mostly 1960s brick-built terraced houses and mixed tenure low-rise flats of between three and four storeys, in line with London Borough of Newham’s aspirations and the Canning Town and Custom House Masterplan.

The new station at Custom House will replace the disused North London Line station and is comprised of three parts:

- A new 24 hour public route from Custom House to ExCeL and the Royal Docks; and
- The Crossrail station itself, an elevated and canopied concourse above an island platform.
- On the western corner of Freemasons Road and Victoria Dock Road is a one to two storey Victorian building, formerly The Barge public house and currently used as hostel accommodation, which will form the site for the station entrance.

The vision for delivery of the Custom House Crossrail station is: a station that is spacious and open, with a clear identity, expressing its kit-of parts construction; efficient in operation, robust in use and maintainable.

[Metroguy78]

Aw didnt realise that the pub was going to be the main entrance, pitty theres no entrance on the eastern end of the platform, purely for selfish reasons as thats the way I walk now to get the DLR.

[TheWalker]

That station seems rather cheap and temporary, I hoped for a better design

[jack_jones]

Originally Posted by TheWalker

That station seems rather cheap and temporary, I hoped for a better design

Yea I agree. To me it looks very cheap and looks like they went for the easy option. All the other crossrail stations look great and are of a high design like the canary wharf station. They should of done a better design for this area, as it is right outside the excel center, and the royal docks is an up and coming area.

I heard some where that they are thinking of building a crossrail station at silver town after the crossrail has been built. That would be good.

[DarJoLe]

When people on here say 'cheap' I think what they really mean is 'value for money'. Crossrail alas cannot justify stations on the scale and prowess of the Jubilee line extension when it's mere existence has already been the subject of value engineering and cutbacks.

Again, 'temporary' is precisely what this station is - temporary in the notion that it is modular and capable of expansion at a later date for longer trains or capacity issues. This is how architecture is progressing - minimising unjustifiable components and creating a flexible design to meet and push beyond a client's brief.

[Metroguy78]

I dont mind the station, it is right next to Excel so hard to compete for attention in any noticeable stake. I am interested on how the entrance and bridges will look when combining the old barge pub, crossrail and DLR platfroms.

[jack_jones]

(From Skyscrapernews.com)

Howells Leamouth Tower Wins Approval

Detailed planning permission has been awarded by the local planning authorities for one of the plots to stand on Ballymore's Leamouth Peninsula development in the east of London.

Masterplanned by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, this particular part of the 1,700 apartment project also known as Orchard Place has been designed by Glenn Howells and consists of a 19-storey residential tower that will sit on site H on the southern fringe of the site.

Containing 162 apartments in the high-rise portion of the scheme with residents able to enjoy four separate sky gardens, one of which is a massive square void that cuts through the centre of the building opening its insides up.

The lower-rise portion will have a new public art gallery in it as part of the community element of the Leamouth Peninsula project. In addition to this there will be a number of ground floor retail and commercial outlets to try and animate the streets around it.

Previously delayed thanks to the 2008 world financial crisis, and the need to split the scheme up into several phases so it would be more commercially feasible, construction on the Howells' designed tower is due to begin in the winter of 2011 with completion set for 2014 kicking off the beginning of phase one.

[Metroguy78]

That whole area and across the water just south of Canning town is massive and so underused. To get to the state of that last image is gonna take a llloooooonnnnnnngggggg time.

[jack_jones]

Losing casino bidder slams council over decision

'From Wharf Newspaper'

An unsuccessful applicant in the bid to run Newham's exclusive 'large casino' has claimed the borough has missed out on nearly £300 millions due to the council's decision.

It comes as City and Eastern submitted papers for a judicial review against Newham's selection process.

Speaking after it launched its case, C&E slammed last month's decision which saw the contract awarded to Aspers' for its proposal based inside Stratford Westfield City development.

C&E claimed the winning casino offers minimal regenerational benefits whereas its proposal would have contributed £250 million through guarantees from two high profile property developers and investors.

It also estimated after regeneration its proposed site at Great Eastern Quays (pictured) would have made £37 million more for the Newham community than the preferred bid.

Director of C&E Fergus Kinloch said: "It is now clear to us that any proposal that was genuinely regenerative never stood a chance of winning the competition."

Meanwhile, a spokesman for the other unsuccessful bidder, Apollo, said it was weighing up whether to take legal action against Newham.

A spokesman said: "We remain dismayed and disappointed with the decision that's been made.

"The attractions we were proposing were substantially better than anything Aspers could have offered."

He added approximately 2,000 jobs would have been provided from Apollo's proposal.

However, a spokeswoman for the council said the decision making process was "robust and fair".

"We are aware of the legal challenge and are confident that all aspects of the process will stand up to scrutiny," she added.

The judicial review is the third launched against Newham Council over its selection processes in a matter of weeks, following action from Tottenham Hotspur and Leyton Orient on Newham's role in West Ham United taking over the Olympic Stadium post-2012.

Earlier this year, another a judicial review went in Newham's favour over its consultation and decision-making processes with regards to allowing London City Airport to increase flight numbers by 50 per cent.

[jack_jones]

This is a real let down by newham council. Normaly newham council makes good descions, but on this one about the casino, they realy have done the wrong thing. I would of loved to see the plans for the casino at the Great Eastern Quay (above) approved. The design is brilliant, and it realy would of benefited the area. This design involved having a pier for the thames clipper, a marina, a market, a casino, shops and housing. Newham council have been wanting regeneration in this area of the royal docks for ages, and as soon as a design comes along for it, they turn it down, and instead to approve plans in one of the largest regenerations areas in europe - the olympic park.

Bad desicion newham council!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[jack_jones]

London residential eco tower greenlighted

Silvertree, a landmark 24-storey ‘green’ apartment tower located in London’s Royal Docks, has been granted planning approval. The £80m development will commence construction in summer 2011, and will be completed in late 2012.

The eye-catching eco tower will be home to 161 high quality, state-of-the-art one, two and three bedroom apartments, as well as retail, office and commercial units, and a café located on the ground floor. The tower will be the most significant new residential development yet in the London Borough of Newham. Apartment prices start from £250,000.

The building will be visually striking and is wrapped with curved aluminum bands on two sides that will provide solar shading and electrical power from embedded photovoltaic panels and solar water heating,

Richard Hywel Evans of Studio RHE, the award-winning architect who has designed Silvertree, said, “The tower is a super cool, post-crunch design that raises the benchmark for living and eco friendly architecture in Docklands. Silvertree’s solar PV panels, use of ground source and biomass to generate heat combined with high levels of thermal insulation mean not only will it feel comfortable to live in but it will also cost residents very little to run. It takes contemporary apartment living in London to new heights.”

Silvertree is situated just half a mile from the Olympic Stadium, and has excellent travel connectivity due to the implementation of several new transport projects. Located near to the point where the new Thames crossing cable car, which links Greenwich with the Royal Docks, and the new Crossrail Custom House station are being built, Silvertree is directly connected with the City of London and beyond to Heathrow. The existing Royal Victoria DLR station connects Silvertree to Canary Wharf, with Stratford main line station within 15 minutes by rail. London City Airport is two stops away on the DLR.

Set on the waterfront overlooking the Royal Victoria Docks, adjacent to the £35m Siemens Expo building, Silvertree will have a large roof terraces, and communal gardens opening on to the dockside. To ensure residents will enjoy a high quality of life, Silvertree will be built to Design for Life standards, as well as to Code for Sustainable Homes level 4, well in advance of statutory requirements to do so.

London Mayor Boris Johnson’s office has endorsed Silvertree as a significant new development for London. John East, Director Planning and Development Services for the London Borough of Newman, said: “We are very positive about the scheme. Supported by CABE, it has the potential to set a new standard for residential design in the Royal Docks, which we welcome. When completed it will form one element of an exciting cluster of new buildings, alongside the £30m Siemens Sustainability Centre and the new cable car access point linking The Royals and Greenwich.”