Pier Road 350 flats approved near Woolwich foot tunnel

Newham Council has granted planning permission for the redevelopment of land opposite the Woolwich foot tunnel entrance in Pier Road to provide 350 new homes.

The plans - submitted by the Newham Council-owned housing company Populo Living - also include changes to Pier Road, such as the relocation of a bus stop and zebra crossing.

The 350 flats will be spread across five tower blocks, ranging from eight to 13 storeys tall, and will be a mix of 'affordable' and private homes.

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How the site looked as of October 2024 (Image: Google Maps)

A new cafe and makerspaces - a collaborative workspace or community hub - have also been proposed as part of the development.

The development site is spread across one hectare of vacant brownfield land which was previously used for temporary parking, according to the planning documents.

The documents reveal that, between the submission of the application in November 2022 and its approval on July 18, several changes were made to the project's design.

This includes the addition of two extra apartments in one of the buildings, as well as the repositioning of balconies for one of the blocks to "avoid facing the Thames Water site to the west".

A CGI showing the proposed development and the Woolwich foot tunnel (Image: Populo Living/Iceni Projects)

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A total of three objections were made to the plans, raising concerns about the loss of river views to existing properties and the "ruined" heritage of the docklands area.

Newham Council's planning team concluded that "any potential material harm in terms of the proposal's impact on the surrounding area" would be mitigated through the conditions placed on the approval.

According to the Populo Living website, the project is expected to be completed in 2029.