Floating park and housing proposed for Royal Docks

Plans to transform east London's Victoria Dock West have been revealed, featuring a lido, new homes and the capital's first large-scale floating park.

Royal Docks Waterways' early proposals include a strong focus on public swimming, alongside a wellness centre with a sauna and spa.

The floating park is expected to host art installations and cultural events, while also helping address the borough's shortage of accessible green space.

The development of the 12-hectare stretch of water would increase Newham's publicly accessible open space by 5% and support the wider regeneration of the Royal Docks as a "destination for residents, workers, and visitors alike", Royal Docks Waterways said.

Scott Derben, the organisation's managing director, said: "This vision represents the biggest step change in the management and development of the Royal Docks since they were closed to commercial shipping at the end of 1981.

"Now, 45 years later, our goal is that the docks that used to feed London will be used to nurture its inhabitants."

Royal Docks Waterways said it had worked closely on the plans with existing operators which use the docks.

It added that open water swimming would remain a core part of the vision for Royal Victoria Dock West, which is owned by the Greater London Authority but overseen by the Royal Docks team.

However, the organisation said it did not believe the dock's western end was a suitable long term location for wakeboarding or other high intensity water uses - which it currently hosts.

It has approached Wake Up Docklands, which runs wakeboarding in the docks, to explore potential alternative sites if the proposals go ahead.

Royal Docks Waterways said the project aligned with the mayor of London's forthcoming Clean and Healthy Waterways strategy, a 10-year plan aiming to improve water quality, expand public access and restore waterways as environmental assets.

These early proposals will go out for public engagement later this month before further design work and partnerships are developed.

Early phases of construction are expected to begin in 2030, if funding is put in place and plans are approved, Royal Docks Waterways said.

Mayor of Newham Rokhsana Fiaz said: "The development of Royal Victoria Dock West is reshaping the space as a leisure and wellness destination, making the most of the waterway and giving residents and visitors the opportunity to enjoy a new community right on the water."

Mayor of London, Sir Sadiq Khan, described the plans as a "major opportunity for Newham and for London as a whole, creating what will become one of the city's most exciting new public spaces".

He added: "I'm committed to transforming our waterways – cleaning them up, enabling wildlife to thrive and improving Londoners' access to blue spaces across the city."

Residents will have the chance to hear more about the early plans and share their views via drop-in and online town hall meetings during the end of February and early March.

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