Network Rail are preparing a Masterplan for 28 acres of brownfield land at Bows Goods Yard in Stratford, next to Pudding Mill Lane DLR.
The design team is led by Anglo Dutch practice Maccreanor Lavington, with Architecture:00, UMC, East, WSP, make:good and Useful Projects.
There will be a period of intensive engagement and design will take place this year with the intention to submit an outline planning application during 2024.
The strategically important site is the final parcel of land to be unlocked as part of London’s 2012 Olympic and Paralympic legacy. It was initially used as the main construction hub for the Olympics, and during the games it became home to the Olympic warm up track.
Bow Goods Yard is currently home to several heavy rail freight uses and is the last remaining industrial site in the London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDC) area, strategically located next to the A12.
One of the largest strategic railheads for the Capital it supplies over a million tonnes of concrete and aggregate to serve the construction industry. The development will deliver a sustainable transport network for East London through rail fed warehousing with an integrated last mile logistics hub to serve Greater London. This will significantly reduce HGV journeys across London delivering a lower carbon footprint and easing congestion.
Importantly, and in parallel with unlocking the site’s industrial and infrastructure potential, the development will work closely with the neighbouring communities of Pudding Mill, Fish Island and Strand East to connect the future scheme with the surrounding pockets of nature, such as Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, the River Lea and Greenway to enhance the area’s biodiversity.
Bow Goods Yard has the potential to deliver:
- A park-side residential neighbourhood.
- London’s largest rail freight campus with integrated last-mile logistics hub to serve Greater London
- Workspace and workshop accommodation for an emerging and creative businesses campus
- New landscaping and open space celebrating the site’s unique location
- Connectivity with Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and local communities
- Wider Infrastructure improvements
Network Rail and its team will continue to work closely with partners including LLDC, Greater London Authority and The London Boroughs of Newham and Tower Hamlets to deliver the last major development opportunity in 2012 Olympic zone.
Robin Dobson, Group Property Director at Network Rail said:
“As the last part of the regeneration story for the Olympic Park, Bow Goods Yard is strategically connected by both road and rail. The development will create London’s largest state-of-the-art freight and last mile logistics hub to serve Greater London, whilst delivering up to 2,000 homes, a workspace campus and open space connecting to the surrounding neighbourhoods.
“The regeneration of this strategic site demonstrates the huge importance rail infrastructure plays in unlocking the development of brownfield sites and to deliver on London’s sustainability agenda. We look forward to working closely with both communities and key stakeholders on this opportunity.”
Blazej Czuba, Associate Urban Designer with Maccreanor Lavington said:
“We have been developing approaches to intensify London’s employment locations for many years and we are thrilled to have been selected to apply them on this unique site. Bow Goods Yard has the potential to be London’s most industrious site, but it is also about its newest park and the evolving residential neighbourhoods around it. It is the last piece of the of the jigsaw for the Olympic regeneration, delivering not just homes but also the right kind of employment for the people of Newham and Tower Hamlets.
This project needs care and sensitivity, with a fair amount of innovation. The team understands the complexity of London: its communities, its spatial character, its uses, and the mix that will create a new neighbourhood here.”
Lyn Garner, Chief Executive of the London Legacy Development Corporation added:
“This is a very welcome step forward to make significant environmental improvements to the area. The masterplan will help to balance the needs of local communities, create space for much needed housing and retain the benefits of a rail freight hub to help deliver London’s Net Zero commitments.”