The regeneration of the gasworks will give the borough of Newham over 2,000 new homes. The development will also include new offices, public spaces and a park along the river.
The backing from the Newham Strategic Development Committee—a branch of Newham council—means the development plans for the 23-acre plot can now proceed.
Berkley has spent the past three years building community engagement, which has helped shape the plans for the building.
It has developed the design plans with RHSP Architects, which is also working on a similar gasworks concept, Broadway East in Bethnal Green.
The aim is to celebrate East London’s industrial history by reopening an area that has been inaccessible to the public for over 150 years.
The gasholders date back to the 1870s and were completely decommissioned in 2010.
The area is home to seven Grade II Listed gasholders and the remains of another two. This makes it the largest collection of surviving Victorian gasholders anywhere in the world.
The remains of the eighth and ninth will become a water feature and a community centre, respectively.
(C)Above All Images/Ian Hay
Managing Director of St William, a Berkeley Group company, said: “Our plan is to carefully restore and retain each of these vast decaying structures and to transform the entire site into a welcoming mixed-use community, with over 70% of the land becoming public open space.” Furthermore ” there will be over 2,000 low carbon private and affordable homes”.
Historic England, the Greater London Authority, and the Newham Design Review Panel have all signalled their support for the project, which is set to begin in 2025.