Is East London on the brink of significant change?
Jay Allan
Director
5 February 2024
Growth. It’s the name of the game for the Government.
Getting Britain building is key to this – whether it’s the 1.5 million new homes, key infrastructure or businesses investing in new and expanded spaces.
Every part of the country will have a role to play. And in London, it’s the east of the city which has some of the greatest potential for growth.
East London has experienced a dramatic change in the last decade, with some of the largest population increases in the city.
It’s also rife with opportunity, which is seeing developers and investors continuing to attract developers and investors.
The area is home to:
Over 30% of the current London Plan’s housing targets, with Newham and Tower Hamlets leading the way.
Seven Greater London Authority Opportunity Areas – the most in the capital. It’s now even home to City Hall itself.
The Capital’s biggest strategic sites at Royal Albert Dock and Barking Riverside.
One of London’s greatest ever transformations in Stratford – sparked by the 2012 London Olympic and Paralympic Games.
London’s only Enterprise Zone.
The Elizabeth Line, which has contributed to a major upsurge in jobs and new homes near stations.
A potential new DLR extension to Beckton Riverside and Thamesmead, alongside the upcoming opening of the new Silvertown tunnel.
The centre of London’s digital creativity and culture – including anchor tenants like Here East, ExCeL London and areas across Hackney and Stratford’s East Bank.
But with opportunity comes risk. This is not helped by a complex political landscape.
We’re entering a post-LLDC (London Legacy Development Corporation) era. The planning process, which many had become accustomed to, has now come to an end, with responsibility reverting to the four Olympic boroughs (Newham, Tower Hamlets, Hackney and Waltham Forest). It’s now going to get more political again – and naturally much more challenging.
The political landscape across the region is also facing uncertain times.
It cannot be assumed that Labour’s domination of East London’s politics, with the exception of Tower Hamlets and Havering, will continue indefinitely. LCA’s Insight expertise is constantly monitoring the latest developments. With Labour losing popularity nationally, and the strong performance by Green, Reform and independent candidates at the General Election, the next local elections in 2026 could see a dramatically different landscape. Many more councillors with very different views on development could be elected, which will add an extra layer of complexity.
The financial pressures are too playing a part in the political instability. Budgets are being slashed, and unpopular choices will have to be made to balance the books. The pressure is mounting.
With so much rapid change across the area, demographics and people’s attitudes continue to change too. The region is home to some of the youngest, most diverse, transient and deprived communities in the country. They are very concerned about gentrification, rising rents, and being able to get their first foot on the housing ladder. Political leaders not only want but increasingly demand developers to put these communities at the forefront of their thinking. They’re however notoriously tough to reach out to.
This is why we’re here.
We know how to navigate across this complex political landscape. We know the politics and the key players well, their priorities and the type of messages that will land.
We also have a deep understanding of the communities here and have the right tools, expertise and experience to reach them.
Get in touch if you’d like to learn more about how we can help you in the east.