Urban Development Corporations - London Docklands

Question 1

What caused the London Docklands to decline?

Answer 1

• During the nineteenth century and up to the early 1950’s, London was the busiest port in the world.
• However, technological advances in world trade (containerization) required larger ships which could no longer reach the Port of London. They went to coastal ports such as Felixstowe instead.
• The docks in London were abandoned and became derelict.

Question 2

What was London Docklands like as a brownfield site?

Answer 2

• The original houses were high density, small and lacked modern amenities.
• Over 50% of the Docklands was derelict with many empty warehouses and factories.
• The Docklands were a very difficult area to get to due to poor transport routes.
• By 1981 the area had very few jobs, the docks had closed, over half the land was derelict, many of the nineteenth century houses needed urgent repair, transport was poorly developed and there was a lack of basic services, leisure amenities and open space.

Question 3

What did the physical/ environmental regeneration include?

Answer 3

• 728 hectares of derelict land were reclaimed.
• 17 conservation areas were created
• 160, 000 trees were planted.
• 130,000 hectares of open space was created.

Question 4

What economic regeneration was there in terms of jobs?

Answer 4

• Financial and high-tech firms such as the Stock Exchange, Limehouse ITV studios and the Guardian and Daily Telegraph newspapers were attracted by the low rents.
• By 1996, 76% of office space in the prestigious Canary Wharf business complex had been let. Estimates claim that both employment and the number of businesses doubled between 1981 and 1996.
• Between 1981 and 1996 businesses increased from 1000 to 2400 and employment increased from 27, 000 to 69, 9751981. Unemployment has fallen from 14.2% to 9.5 %.

Question 5

What economic regeneration was there in terms of transport?

Answer 5

• Improved transport links mean that central London can now be reached within 10 minutes.
• The Docklands Light Railway is connected to the underground system and carries 320,000 passengers a week over its 29km of track.
• Over 135 km’s of new roads leading to, and within, Docklands have been built, including a link with the M11.
• The City Airport, built in the Royal Docks, handled over half a million passengers in 1995.

Question 6

What social regeneration was there in terms of housing?

Answer 6

• Over 19,800 new homes have been built, many of them former warehouses converted into luxury flats.
• The improvement in home provision has increased the resident population from 39, 400 (1981) to 76, 850 (1996)
• The proportion of owner occupied houses increased from 5 – 40%.
• Newham Council has concentrated on providing low cost housing
• 7,900 local authority (council houses) were refurbished (improved)

Question 7

What social regeneration was there in terms of facilities?

Answer 7

• Almost £100 million has also been spent on health, education, training and community programmes.
• New shopping centres have been developed together with a post 16 college, a technical college, a national indoor sports centre, a marina for water sports, and several new parks.

Question 8

Why might some people say it wasn’t a success?

Answer 8

• New houses were too expensive for local people.
• Most new jobs went to people living outside the area, as local people did not have the technical skills.
• New comers did not mix with local people, causing a breakdown of the East Enders community.
• Wealthy newcomers caused local shop and recreational prices to rise.
• More money was spent on expensive offices and houses than on services such as hospitals and care for the elderly