A partnertship including Lendlease has submitted a planning application for a new pedestrian and cycle bridge at the Royal Victoria Dock, East London.
The bridge is part of a wider £5bn regeneration of Silvertown led by the Silvertown Partnership, a joint venture between Lendlease and Starwood Capital.
It will link the ExCel centre and Custom House station on the north side of the dock with the Millennium Mills in Silvertown. The team behind it includes Moxon Architects, Buro Happold, Aecom and Arup.
The bridge will be funded by a £233m loan from Homes England, provided to support the delivery of homes on the site.
The Mayor of London-backed development of Silvertown is expected to deliver around 6,500 new homes, 50% of which are said to be affordable housing, and a new centre for the Royal Docks.
Fully accessible bridge
Although there is already a footbridge at Royal Victoria Dock, flights of stairs and lifts constrain its accessibility. The developers say the new bridge is designed to be fully accessible.
A double bascule mechanism will allow the bridge to open at its mid-point for large vessels to pass.
Ed Mayes, project director for Silvertown at Lendlease, said: “This new bridge is key to unlocking the potential of the site, transforming the connectivity across the Royal Docks and putting London’s West End in reach in just 20 minutes.
“The stunning design of the new bridge will elevate it as a gateway to Silvertown’s exciting new piece of the city, and provide car-free access for all, establishing the Royal Docks as a pleasurable place to live, work and play.”
The Greater London Authority’s London Plan identifies the Silvertown site as one of the largest regeneration opportunities in the capital.
The development is predicted to contribute between £76m-£90m a year to the capital’s economy, with the majority of this expected to be in the Newham area.
