Question: Ever wondered what happens when a booming industrial heartland falls into dereliction and then rises again? That is the story of Silvertown Quays. Once a forgotten corner of east London, Silvertown Quays is undergoing a major transformation.
Silvertown Quays has a rich history. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, it was a thriving industrial center. Companies like James Keiller & Sons, makers of marmalade, and Tate & Lyle, the sugar refiners, called it home. Every household in the country owned at least one product from Silvertown. But its fortunes changed dramatically.
In 1917, a devastating explosion at the Brunner Mond factory rocked Silvertown. The factory purified TNT during World War One. The explosion killed 73 people and injured over 400. Nine hundred homes were destroyed. The tragedy was heard as far away as King’s Lynn. An organist at the Finsbury Park Empire was even blown across his seat by the force of the blast.
Silvertown was further damaged during the Second World War by German shelling. After the war, much of the area fell into dereliction. For three decades, Silvertown remained a wasteland. Local shops and pubs closed. It became a largely forgotten part of east London.
But a new chapter is unfolding at Silvertown Quays. A major regeneration project is underway with an investment of £3.5 billion. The Silvertown Partnership is leading the redevelopment. The project aims to provide 3000 new homes including affordable housing. There will also be offices, a school, a health center, retail facilities, and a new Roundhouse music venue. The developers expect residents to start moving in around 2020.
The ambitious plans center around the restoration of the Millennium Mills. This former flour mill dates back to the 1930s. It has not been used since the early 1980s. The renovation hopes to be completed by 2019. It will feature shops, bars, restaurants, and workspace for start-up companies. A container city of up to 250 shipping containers will provide affordable temporary workspace for small businesses.
The redevelopment hopes to attract tech start-ups and creative talent. A central piazza the size of Covent Garden will be created. There are also plans for a bridge across Royal Victoria Dock. This will connect Silvertown Quays with the Crossrail station at Custom House. Transport for London hopes to dig a new road tunnel beneath the Thames from Silvertown to the Greenwich Peninsula.
The Silver Building in Silvertown is set to become a bustling artistic and entrepreneurial hub. Originally built in 1965 for British Oil and Cake Mills, it was left derelict for over 20 years.
Olaide Oboh, a spokeswoman for the Silvertown Partnership, said it is rare to find a space of that size for sale in London. The development will kickstart the local economy in east London. It will bring jobs to the local area. The goal is to create the right environment for big and small businesses to come together.
Silvertown Quays is rising from the ashes. It is a place where the past meets the future. The area is becoming a vibrant and thriving community once again. The developers plan to build homes with character and identity. They are innovating to build quickly without compromising on quality. They want to create a walkable neighborhood that feels like London.