London Docklands: Post-LDDC Developments

The London Docklands Development Corporation (LDDC)

• The LDDC was wound up between 1997 and 1998.

• Aimed to encourage private sector investment in regenerating East London.

• Regeneration means to renew or impart new life.

Reasons for Regeneration

• Docks closed by 1981 because they were too small for modern container ships, which used Tilbury and Felixstowe.

• High unemployment, especially among former dockers.

• Poor housing standards, many owned by local authorities like Tower Hamlets, Southwark, and Newham.

• Derelict land from World War II bomb damage (1939–45).

• Land contamination from former industries.

• Inadequate transport network.

• Lack of recreation and green areas.

How the Area Was Regenerated

• Government established an Urban Development Corporation (UDC), the LDDC.

• LDDC had total control over 2,226 ha (8.5 square miles).

• Powers to make rapid planning decisions without consulting local councils.

• Much of the area became an Enterprise Zone, offering government grants and tax relief.

Key Characteristics of Docklands

Employment

• Growth in tertiary sector jobs.

• Financial institutions, legal companies, oil companies, news companies, and medical/pharmaceutical companies moved into Docklands.

• Clustering of functions is evident.

• Jobs created in retailing to serve office workers.

• Around 80,000 people are now employed in the Canary Wharf complex.

Housing

• In 1981, 83% of homes in the London Docklands were council owned.

• In 1998, 45% of homes were owner-occupied, and the rest were rented or under shared ownership.

• Refurbishment of local authority housing, such as the Barley Mow Estate in Limehouse, cost £10.5 million, funded jointly by the LDDC, Tower Hamlets Council, and the Government’s Estates Action Programme.

• Old warehouses have been converted.

• High property prices reflecting demand.

• New, affordable housing constructed in some areas, such as south of the Dome on the Greenwich peninsula.

• Tower Hamlets attracted government, European, and private sector funding to build new homes.

Transport

• One criticism of the LDDC was the inadequate development of transport links.

• New roads have been built, such as the 1.8 km Limehouse Link opened in 1993 to relieve congestion on the A13.

• Road traffic is concentrated on the outer edge of the Canary Wharf complex.

• The Docklands Light Railway (DLR) is a computerised, driverless train service linking the Isle of Dogs with the City.

• In December 2005, an extension from Canning Town to North Woolwich costing £140 million was opened.

• The Jubilee Line tube extension to Stratford was opened for the millennium, running between Stratford and Stanmore.

• London City Airport opened in November 1987 with a single runway, accommodating small passenger aircraft to nearby European cities.

• Passenger numbers reached 1.9 million in 2005 and could reach 8 million by 2030, creating over 4,000 jobs.

Environment and Leisure

• Mature trees planted in open spaces.

• Green, public open spaces, such as Jubilee Park.

• Bicycle parks provided.

• Facilities for water sports at the Royal Victoria Docks Water Sports Centre.

• The ExCeL exhibition centre hosts events.

The Future

• The London Docklands is thriving.

• Development theories involving growth poles and the multiplier effect can be applied, where success feeds success (Figure 6).

• Future economic growth may depend on:

  • A buoyant national economy and political stability.

  • Demand by international companies for prestigious sites in London.

  • Continuing demand for homes and jobs in south-east England.

  • Developing infrastructure, such as the Eurostar rail link into King’s Cross and Cross Rail.

  • The success of the bid to host the 2012 Olympics Games in the lower Lea valley at Stratford.