Investment Opportunities
Opportunity Areas
Area of Intensification
Central activity Zone
International or metropolitan
Major
District
Borough Boundary
Green Belt
Metropolitan open land / Other open spaces
Rail station
Railway track
Foreshore
Water
Leaside is a mixed industrial and residential area on the eastern edge of Tower Hamlets, less than one mile northeast of Canary Wharf and three miles east of the City of London. The area poses challenges, particularly in terms of severance and air quality, but a number of new developments are in the pipeline, including significant redevelopment of industrial land along the River Lea, the regeneration of estates at Aberfeldy and Teviot, and improvements to town centres. The council are in the process of drafting an area action plan for Leaside, which aims to create a sustainable, well-connected, mixed-use community over the next 10-15 years.
South Poplar is an established and vibrant low-rise residential area located to the north of Canary Wharf and the Isle of Dogs. The Council has adopted a Masterplan SPD for South Poplar to bring forward important regenerative initiatives and investment. Noteworthy development consents have been recently granted on several sites while there are further opportunities that are emerging in the development pipeline. These opportunities will collectively deliver thousands of new homes, significant new employment floorspace, retail, leisure and community use. To support the increasing population, new open space will be provided together with new connections and strategic infrastructure projects including an expanded DLR service, the new Elizabeth Line and an Aspen Way bridge.
Tower Hamlets is just eight square miles but is amongst the most densely populated boroughs in London, with over 310,300 inhabitants by 2021. In recent years its population has grown faster than anywhere else in the country. This is driving the need for more homes; especially affordable social rented homes. As London’s centre expands eastwards, Tower Hamlets is well placed to capitalise on its role as an engine of London’s growth, with the Tech cluster in the City Fringe, an exciting and extensive Life Science clusters emerging in Whitechapel and Canary Wharf, in addition to Canary Wharf being a leading financial centre. It is also a cultural hub, with well-established galleries, world renowned markets, such as Columbia Road Flower Market, award-winning parks and being home to one of the capitals Creative Enterprise Zone.
In accommodating and managing this growth, the borough is also driven to sharing the benefits that come from it. This includes all the ingredients that go to make a successful place including the provision of more affordable housing for residents, new infrastructure for education, health, community and leisure, support for local businesses with new public realm, high street improvements, new and upgraded parks and open spaces and a wide range of environmental and transport initiatives.
Population projections 2021 334,312
Population projections 2050 409,847 (2041)
London plan new homes (ten-year target) 39,310
Building council homes for Londoners (four-year programme) 675
Ann Sutcliffe, Corporate Director, Place
Ann.sutcliffe@towerhamlets.gov.uk
020 73644247
“I am fully committed to delivering real and lasting improvements for, and with, all our residents and businesses across Tower Hamlets. My priority is to secure a prosperous, clean, and green future for present and future generations. The growth in our borough will be created by boosting culture, business, jobs and leisure. We will accelerate education, deliver youth services, work with business partners to create new jobs, expand training opportunities. The focus is on small businesses, start-ups and markets: the life blood of our high streets. The Council will ensure delivering more new housing, especially much needed affordable and family sized homes including a minimum of 1000 social homes for rent per annum. We will continue partnership working to address climate change by a range of measures including greening, carbon-neutral heating systems on housing estates and electric vehicle charging. Our borough is a microcosm of London: diverse and dynamic. We shape our future by harnessing the strengths of our communities.”
