Newham can expect big changes in 2025, including the opening of the Silvertown Tunnel, a ‘state of the art’ community centre in West Ham and work on building the borough’s first hyper-scale data centre. The first set of ‘affordable’ homes are expected to be completed at the Silvertown site in the heart of the Royal Docks by autumn of this year, a major housing development which will eventually deliver around 6,500 homes.
Also in autumn 2025, a business case is expected to be submitted to the government which will ask for financial support to help with plans to expand and improve Stratford Station, which is one of the busiest stations in London and the UK.
Meanwhile in December 2024, Newham Council regained planning powers from the London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDC) and will decide on major plans in and around the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park for the first time in over 12 years. From completed schemes to ongoing projects, here are the key developments Newham residents can expect to see in 2025.
Silvertown Tunnel is set to open in the spring of 2025
(Image: TfL)
Silvertown Tunnel opening
Silvertown Tunnel is set to open in spring 2025 – 13 years after it was first proposed in 2012 and four years after construction work began in 2021. Once open, the £2billion tunnel will provide a new road crossing under the River Thames between Silvertown and the Greenwich Peninsula.
Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan has said the tunnel will act as a ‘vital link’ across the Thames to East London and aims to reduce congestion through the Blackwall Tunnel, however those who oppose the tunnel have raised concerns about traffic and pollution. Last month a petition with more than 37,000 signatures which demanded the proposed tolls for the Blackwall and Silvertown tunnels be scrapped was presented to City Hall.
Critics say the Silvertown Tunnel will exacerbate pollution
(Image: Martin Pope/Getty Images)
In November 2024, Transport for London (TfL) announced proposed toll charges of up to £4 per journey for those using either of the tunnels. During off-peak hours, the charge will be £1.50 and it will be free to use between 10pm and 6am.
TfL argues the charges are needed to manage traffic levels in the tunnels and claims without them, congestion and delays would increase and lead to poorer air quality. The tolls will also help pay for the £2bn construction cost of the tunnel and will go towards the maintenance of the tunnel.
New community centre in West Ham
A new ‘state of the art’ community centre is set to open in summer 2025 in West Ham. The community centre is part of a major housing development called TwelveTrees Park which is currently being built.
While it’s not yet clear what the community centre’s focus will be, a public consultation saw people suggest spaces for young families such as toddler groups as well as providing affordable spaces for performing arts groups. The development is a joint project from Berkeley Homes, the council, the Greater London Authority (GLA), Homes England and Peabody, and will eventually deliver 3,800 homes – though there are also plans to submit a new application which could take the total number of homes built on site to 4,600.
An artist’s impression of the TwelveTrees Park development
(Image: Berkeley Homes)
Currently, the scheme aims to deliver 40per cent ‘affordable’ homes which includes social-rented family homes, and there will also be a 1,000-pupil secondary school, two new footbridges and a new West Ham station entrance. In July 2024, the first phase of the housing development was completed.
Construction to begin on massive new data centre
Work is set to begin this year on building the borough’s first hyper-scale data centre. The development will see a data centre, a plant building and an energy centre built on the site of a former scrap metal recycling facility, located on Bidder Street in Canning Town.
The plans are part of a £750million investment from the applicant, IDXS Limited, and aim to help Newham become London’s up-and-coming destination for business innovation and investment in the data sector.
It will be the first hyper-scale data centre in Newham
(Image: Newham Council / IDXS)
The plans aim to provide a number of public benefits including exporting heat generated from the data centre which could go on to heat almost 13,000 homes across Newham and Tower Hamlets, and opening up a walkway next to the River Lea which could be used as a new route for pedestrians and cyclists.
IDXS will contribute £1m to the delivery of the Mayer Parry Bridge, which is due to open in March 2025 and will connect Newham with neighbouring borough Tower Hamlets.
First ‘affordable’ homes to be completed at Royal Docks
A major regeneration project which is transforming a 60-acre site in the heart of the Royal Docks will see the first 106 ‘affordable’ homes completed on the Silvertown site by autumn 2025. The homes are part of a six-storey building that is being built on a historical docklands site that has stood derelict for around 40 years and will eventually deliver around 6,500 new homes in total.
The project is being delivered by the council along with Lendlease, the Guinness Partnership, Homes England and the GLA and is estimated to cost around £3.5bn. According to the Royal Docks website, the scheme will eventually deliver 50per cent ‘affordable’ housing.
Newham Mayor Rokhsana Fiaz previously said: “The start of this first phase of the Silvertown regeneration scheme is another major milestone in the transformation of the historic Royal Docks in Newham. Bringing to life a brand new neighbourhood, there’ll be around 6,500 homes, vibrant community spaces, improved infrastructure and loads of job and training opportunities for local people.”
Stratford Station expansion plans
In autumn of this year, a business case is expected to be submitted to the government which will ask for money to help improve overcrowding and public safety concerns at Stratford Station. The station is a major travel interconnection for Network Rail, London Underground and Overground, Docklands Light Railway (DLR) and Elizabeth line passengers.
Stratford station is one of the busiest stations in London and the UK
(Image: Newham Council)
Last October, a new £9.5m station entrance opened for residents and visitors coming from the nearby Carpenters Estate. The new station entrance was jointly funded by the council, the LLDC, TfL and the GLA, and means people now have direct access to Gibbons Road from the station.
The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) previously reported how the business case to improve and expand the station is a joint venture between the council, TfL, the LLDC and Network Rail and involves asking the government for £10m to fund future stages of the development.
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