£3bn will bring vigour to old town

By Giles Broadbent on June 5, 2008 4:23 PM |

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IT has been called the child of the Victoria Docks by Dickens, but it seems Canning Town is finally about to grow up, writes Raksha Malde-Kara.

New jobs and houses are to be created in the area as part of a £3billion regeneration scheme according to the London Thames Gateway Development Corporation (LTGDC).

Work has already begun to demolish tower blocks on Fife Road and the first signs of the transformation are beginning to emerge as gleaming new structures, such as community centre The Place, start to appear.

This new temporary initiative is primarily to help people find work and is geared towards being the focal point for community interaction.

Speaking at the opening of the centre on Tuesday, communities minister, Parmjit Dhanda said: “The Place will prove to be an invaluable community resource in Canning Town and, importantly, one that provides access to the many opportunities in the area. We want to see real change in these parts of east London and are backing regeneration plans for the area with millions of pounds of government investment.”

Chairwoman of LTGDC Lorraine Baldry said: “This masterplan reveals many exciting development opportunities in this well connected part of east London.”

The project aims to create more than 10,000 new homes and 3,500 jobs in the area by 2016.

The town centre for retail trade will also see dramatic changes as 55,000 sq m will be provided for commercial and public space.

Deputy chief executive of LTGDC Ian Short said: “Canning Town has huge potential – it’s the largest remaining regeneration site in inner London, in a borough with a young and diverse population with good transport links to Central London.

“The opening of The Place shows our commitment to making a positive change to the area.”

As the 2012 Olympic Games draw closer, the long term vision for the area will become clearer when more funds are invested for growth and regeneration.

The Place, which has cost more than £1million to build, will become more central to the Thames Gateway after more developments have been completed. The LTGDC is hoping to secure an investment of £44 million for this scheme.

Another area in the midst of being re-developed is the London Riverside. The main aims are delivering housing growth, providing new jobs, making the area more accessible, transforming London into a green city, reducing risk of flooding as well as promoting social inclusion.

Chief executive of LTGDC Peter Andrews said: “London Riverside is a truly exciting project and steadily we are demonstrating how it is possible to transform what was previously a neglected space into a dynamic community where people want to work, invest, live and relax.

“We have already seen real transformation on the ground with, for example, the successful development of Wildspace, the largest public park to be created in London in over a century.”

New transport links which will be introduced to the area include, an extension of the DLR to Barking Riverside and Dagenham Dock as well as a ferry crossing between Barking Riverside and Erith town centre in Bexley.