Berkeley Group company St William has secured full planning permission for the regeneration of Bromley-by-Bow Gasworks after completing a Section 106 legal agreement with the London Borough of Newham.
St William has worked closely with the council and Historic England to unlock this hugely complex site, which will see a £72 million investment in the restoration of its seven listed gasholders.
Progress at the 23-acre brownfield site follows a commitment by Berkeley Group to work with local authorities to bring more projects into delivery in response to the Government’s pro-homebuilding agenda.
Bromley-by-Bow Gasworks is a significant part of London’s industrial history and home to the UK’s largest collection of Grade II listed gasholders. As well as building more than 2,150 homes, St William’s plans will make the site publicly accessible to the local community and visitors for the first time in 150 years.
The historic gasholders will be integrated and enhanced as part of the project and 70% of the site will become open space, including a 4.2-acre park fronting the River Lea.
The site’s location near West Ham, Stratford and DLR stations reflects Berkeley’s focus on unlocking brownfield land close to existing hubs for well-connected private and affordable homes.
Dean Summers, Managing Director of St William, said: “This is one of the most challenging brownfield sites in the country and transforming it into thousands of sustainable, well-connected homes and a publicly accessible 4.2-acre river front park was always going to require a unique, collaborative solution.
“It is a testament to our brilliant partnerships with Historic England and the London Borough Newham and the invaluable input we have received from residents that we have reached this milestone and that we move one step closer to realising this site’s enormous potential. Private / public sector collaborations like these have never been more important as we continue to navigate challenging market conditions and work together to boost housing delivery and growth.”
St William worked closely with Historic England who helped to de-risk the project by providing clarity early on about the site’s most significant heritage features. They also provided expert advice on how the development could complement and enhance the site’s special historic character.
Tom Foxall, Regional Director for Historic England in London and the South East, said: “The regeneration plans for Bromley-by-Bow Gasworks are an exemplar of how historic brownfield sites can be transformed into new developments that both help address the housing shortage and boost local economic growth, while embracing an area’s cherished heritage.”
The Bromley-By-Bow masterplan, designed by RSHP in collaboration with Gillespies, will restore and repurpose the site’s industrial heritage. The development will include 13 separate residential buildings, several of which will sit within the existing gasholder frames.
The parkland setting, acting as the backdrop to these iconic structures, includes swathes of wildflowers and other biodiverse habitats for people and wildlife to enjoy. St William will also contribute towards the enhancement of nearby local green spaces.
The regeneration programme is forecast to create over 2,800 on site jobs during construction, 30,000 square feet of new commercial space and will make a £4.4 million contribution towards local skills and employment programmes.
The development will also contribute a further £4.79 million to sustainable transport initiatives, including cycling and pedestrian routes and upgrades to bus services and infrastructure.
Bromley-By-Bow Gasworks is adjacent to TwelveTrees Park, another major development currently being delivered by Berkeley Group. These two neighbouring developments will create a fascinating new part of Newham, with a mix of new infrastructure, public spaces and badly needed homes. TwelveTrees Park itself will include a new linear park, secondary school, and a new entrance into West Ham station.
Find out more about Berkeley’s approach to brownfield regeneration.