Construction has begun on “a thriving new town centre” for Canning Town.

Dubbed the Hallsville Quarter, the £600m town centre regeneration scheme forms part of the £3.7bn Canning Town and Custom House Regeneration Programme to reconnect the areas north and south of the A13 flyover.

The first phase, containing 179 new homes and a Morrisons supermarket, will be completed in 2015.

A ground-breaking ceremony was attended by Newham Mayor Sir Robin Wales and councillors, Madani Sow, chair of Bouygues UK and Bouygues Development, and Mick Sweeney, One Housing Group chief executive.

Sir Robin said: “Hallsville Quarter will be a thriving town centre. This is a huge milestone for the area.”