Plans submitted for new bridge in London’s Royal Docks

A planning application for a new pedestrian and cycle bridge in the capital city has been submitted, with an aim to improving public access across the docks.  

Submitted by The Silvertown Partnership, the project is part of a longstanding £5bn development plan, which will feature around 6,500 new homes with 50% being affordable, alongside a new centre for the Royal Docks.

The Millennium Mills building, which has been left derelict for around 40 years, will be restored and form the centrepiece of the new community.

Anticipated growth in the population of London has encouraged plans for the new bridge as it means more pedestrians and cyclists will be around the area. Should the application be successful, the bridge will be one of the first major public benefits that the Silverton regeneration will bring to the area.

An existing Royal Dock Footbridge already provides a connection over the dock, however, its elevated design to allow for marine traffic creates a 14 metre level difference between the dock side and bridge edge, making it accessible by 14 flights of stairs and lifts.

The new bridge plans are step-free and consist of a double s-curve shape, with enough space for cyclists and pedestrians. The zig-zag design will also include benches where people can sit and take in views across the dock. The design also allows for the bridge to rise at a gentle incline across the water, making it full accessible, whilst still allowing for fish to swim freely and small boats to pass underneath.

Funded by a £233m loan from Homes England, the public sector involvement has enabled The Silvertown Partnership to progress with plans on the site further than any other development consortium in the last 40 years. Infrastructure works are now well underway on site.

Situated within London’s only Enterprise Zone, the London Plan identifies the Silvertown site as one of the largest regeneration opportunities in the capital and the development is predicted to contribute between £76m-£90m per year to London’s economy, with the vast majority of this expected to be in the Newham area.

Ed Mayes, Project Director for Silvertown, said: ‘Silvertown will be a vibrant new centre for the Royal Docks, a place where people can live and work well, better connected to the water and each other. 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.

Image: Robert Bye