The international property developer Arada has submitted planning applications for the further development of “Thameside West” in the London Borough of Newham. This undertaking is one of the most extensive urban regeneration projects in London and involves the creation of affordable housing as well as connecting the area between the River Thames and the Royal Docks for the first time. The project site covers 19 hectares in London's Royal Docks and is valued at a gross development value of GBP 2.5 billion. It is planned to create at least 5,000 homes in a new east London neighbourhood.
The submitted plans are based on an existing hybrid planning permission and detail Arada's landscape-led approach for the initial project phase. This phase envisages the construction of nearly 1,500 new homes across six buildings. The first two of these buildings are designed entirely for social housing, offering three and four-bedroom family homes. A key focus of the planning is to improve permeability between the buildings, which are arranged around a network of streets, gardens, parks and communal areas.
Green spaces and infrastructure
A central element of the planning is a new, 2.8-hectare park. This will be supplemented by approximately 1,000 newly planted trees, which is intended to increase biodiversity and improve the microclimate for future residents and the neighbourhood. The park is designed to meet both recreational and everyday needs and is surrounded by smaller gardens and planted border areas. Furthermore, specific play areas are planned, including woodland zones, play trails and play stations.
- —1 kilometre of active waterfront
- —Promenade along Bell Lane as the south-eastern boundary of the area
- —Accessible public areas and thoughtful landscaping
- —Integration of Silvertown's industrial heritage through design elements
The planning considers local needs through the involvement of a planning group of 20 residents who are contributing to the design of a section of the park. Ongoing workshops are bringing together local knowledge and ideas to create a welcoming, inclusive public space. Ahmed Alkhoshaibi, Group CEO of Arada, stated that Thameside West is a landscape-led masterplan that builds on nature and represents London's next “social gateway”. He emphasised that the site offers one of the most significant remaining opportunities for the urban development of a riverside area in London, with more than 5,000 homes, over a kilometre of waterfront and more than six hectares of publicly accessible open spaces.
Tom Copley, Deputy Mayor for Housing and Urban Development, highlighted that Thameside West will contribute to creating the necessary housing in London, including much-needed social housing. The project aims to transform a significant industrial brownfield site in the Royal Docks into a vibrant urban neighbourhood. Its location on the opposite bank of the river from Greenwich Peninsula and Canary Wharf, near the Royal Victoria Dock, City Hall and the ExCeL exhibition centre, positions Thameside West at a crossroads of important transport, cultural and urban development projects. Arada, together with Transport for London (TfL), is advancing the planning for a new DLR station, which will improve accessibility for future residents and the surrounding neighbourhood. The DLR recorded over 97.8 million journeys in the financial year to March 2025.
