Key Points
- Property developer Ballymore has secured approval from Newham Council councillors for a 1,667-home development in Silvertown, east London.
- The project includes just 153 affordable homes, equating to 9.2% of the total, drawing criticism from local Labour councillor Madeleine Sarley Pontin.
- The site on Knights Road and Bradfield Road was previously a chemical works, petroleum depot, transport depot, and recycling plant, with potential contamination from asbestos, heavy metals, and hydrocarbons.
- Ballymore cited high remediation costs, river wall works, and highway improvements as reasons for the low affordable housing allocation.
- The development features industrial and commercial buildings, with the application now referred to the Mayor of London for final approval.
- Committee vote: Approved by Labour councillors Rachel Tripp, Blossom Young, John Morris, Alan Griffiths, and Terence Paul; opposed by Cllr Madeleine Sarley Pontin.
Silvertown, Newham (East London Times) April 30, 2026 –Property developer Ballymore has won approval from Newham Council’s strategic development committee to build a 1,667-home neighbourhood in Silvertown. The plans, debated at a recent committee meeting, include only 153 affordable homes amid concerns over the borough’s housing crisis.
Why Was the Ballymore Silvertown Development Approved?
The approval came during a strategic development committee meeting where councillors weighed the proposal’s merits against local housing needs. Ballymore’s representatives argued that the site’s history as a former chemical works, petroleum depot, transport depot, and construction waste recycling plant necessitated extensive remediation, driving up costs.
Council planning officers noted a high likelihood of soil and groundwater contamination with asbestos, heavy metals, and hydrocarbons.
As reported by staff at the Evening Standard, Ballymore UK chief executive John Mulryan stated: “The very high cost of remediation of the sites, as well as works to the river wall and the highway works.” He added:
“The industry has gone through an unprecedented period in the last four or five years, through an extraordinary increase in costs, significant economic headwinds and the market for private housing, which has flatlined for over ten years.”
A Ballymore representative told councillors that 153 social rent homes represented
“more than the maximum viable amount of affordable homes that can be provided on this site.”
Newham Council policies require 50% affordable housing in new developments, but developers can reduce this via financial viability assessments.
The 5.26-hectare site, designed by Allies and Morrison, lies south of London City Airport between North Woolwich Road, the River Thames, Lyle Park, and industrial plots, near West Silvertown DLR station. Detailed consent covers a first phase of 640 homes in three blocks from six to 18 storeys, plus 2,300 sq m of flexible commercial space; outline permission applies to the rest.
What Criticism Did the Development Face Over Affordable Homes?
Labour committee member Cllr Madeleine Sarley Pontin expressed strong opposition, describing herself as “dismayed and heartbroken” at the low affordable housing provision. As reported by the Evening Standard, Cllr Pontin said:
“The majority of those private homes will be sold to people out of the borough and [are] therefore not alleviating the homelessness and the need for larger homes within the borough.”
Cllr Pontin criticised the recurring use of financial viability tests, stating the committee was approving developments with less than 50% affordable homes “meeting after meeting.” She said:
“We continue to be dismayed and heartbroken at the idea that under our local policy, and under the local plan policy, that developers are failing to meet the high level of social homes that are needed.”
Despite the criticism, the committee voted to approve, with Labour councillors Rachel Tripp, Blossom Young, John Morris, Alan Griffiths, and Terence Paul in favour, and Cllr Pontin against. The decision now requires referral to the Mayor of London due to the project’s scale.
What Features Does the Silvertown Project Include?
Beyond housing, the development incorporates industrial and commercial buildings to support local jobs and economy. It will deliver around 4,000 sq m of workspace, retail, and community uses. Ballymore plans major upgrades to Lyle Park, the 4.5-acre riverside green space gifted by Abram Lyle of Tate & Lyle 100 years ago, and improvements to Thames flood defences.
As detailed in Building, Design & Construction Magazine, the scheme aims to regenerate Silvertown by bringing new homes, jobs, and public spaces to an area long dominated by industrial uses and underused riverside land. Ballymore expects to start the first phase in early 2028 after further design work.
The hybrid application allows phased build-out, transforming the brownfield site into a mixed-use neighbourhood. Planning documents highlight vehicular access via Knights Road and Bradfield Road.
How Does This Fit into Newham’s Regeneration Plans?
Silvertown forms part of broader Royal Docks regeneration efforts. Ballymore, known for large-scale Docklands and east London projects, positions this as a key step in high-density, waterside development. Nearby schemes, like Silvertown Quays, have seen prior approvals for hundreds of homes.
Newham’s strategic development committee has handled similar applications, approving reserved matters for multi-function buildings and homes at former industrial sites. However, past delays, such as on Silvertown Quays over footbridge funding, show scrutiny on infrastructure.
The approval underscores tensions between regeneration ambitions and affordable housing targets in a borough facing homelessness pressures.
Background of the Development
The Knights Road and Bradfield Road site has a long industrial legacy, including chemical works, petroleum storage, transport operations, and waste recycling.
This history necessitates significant decontamination before residential use, a factor Ballymore highlighted in viability arguments. Newham Council’s local plan seeks 50% affordable homes to address borough needs, but viability tests often adjust this downward amid rising build costs. Ballymore’s involvement in east London regeneration, including Docklands projects, builds on years of planning for Silvertown’s transformation from industrial to residential use. Committee debates reflect ongoing local plan implementation since at least early 2025.
Prediction for East London Residents
This development can provide 1,667 new homes, potentially easing overall housing pressure in Newham for east London residents seeking riverside living near transport links.
The 153 affordable units may offer limited options for low-income households, while private homes could attract buyers from outside the borough, as noted by Cllr Pontin, possibly sustaining local homelessness and demand for family-sized properties. Commercial spaces and park upgrades could create jobs and recreation, benefiting nearby communities, though remediation costs limit affordable allocation. Phased construction starting 2028 means impacts unfold gradually, with Mayor’s review as a potential checkpoint. For residents, it introduces mixed-use vibrancy but highlights persistent gaps in meeting 50% affordable targets.
