Boris gives green light to Canary Wharf expansion

London Mayor Boris Johnson has rubberstamped proposals for the eastward expansion of Canary Wharf with a development that will include a landmark 57-storey Herzog & de Meuron skyscraper.

His approval builds on outline permission for the proposals for the Wood Wharf area, which were backed by the London Borough of Tower Hamlets in July.

The decision gives the developer consent to build up to 3,610 new homes, 1.9million m2 of office space and 35,000m2 of retail floorspace, along with a community centre and a network of public squares.

Canary Wharf Group previously said it planned to deliver a lower level housing to increase the amount of other use types that it could incorporate into the scheme.

Chairman and chief executive officer Sir George Iacobescu said the expansion would ‘reinforce’ Canary Wharf’s position as one of the most exciting and vibrant places to live and work the capital.

‘It will offer high street retail units to complement Canary Wharf’s existing retail offer, as well as affordable housing on site,’ he said.

‘It will also include substantial new green parks and dockside walks, a library, a large GP surgery, a school for 420 children, a community sports hall and community space.’

Iacobescu said the new office space would be specifically designed to accommodate the technology media and telecoms sector, as well as financial and professional services firms.

Johnson said the development would transform the ‘currently derelict’ Wood Wharf site ‘beyond all comprehension’.

‘This is exactly the kind of scheme that we need to accommodate London’s booming population that is set to break through the nine million mark within the next decade,’ he added.