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Growth and regeneration
in the Thames Gateway
Interregional Planning Statement by the
Thames Gateway Regional Planning Bodies

Growth and Regeneration
in the Gateway
Interregional Planning Statement
by the Thames Gateway Regional
Planning Bodies

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Growth and Regeneration
in the Gateway
Statement by the East of England Regional
Assembly, the Mayor of London and the
South East England Regional Assembly on
planning future growth and regeneration
in the Thames Gateway
This Statement provides an inter-regional planning approach to the
Thames Gateway. While it is a non-statutory document, it provides
the regional partners with an agreed strategy and assessment of
potential development capacity. It gives a common basis for the
current statutory process of regional strategy making that is the
responsibility of the three Regional Planning Bodies (RPBs), 1 whose
regions include parts of the Gateway. It will act as a collective
framework until regional plans reach fruition. The Statement is
supported by the Inter-regional Planning Forum, which is an advisory
body of representatives from the three RPBs, through a process that
has also involved the Thames Gateway Strategic Executive, the
Government Offices and the local planning authorities. The Forum
recommends that this Statement provide the basis for the strategy
and targets for the Thames Gateway in each of the three regions.
The Statement is founded upon the strong statutory Planning
Framework established by Regional Planning Guidance (RPG) 9a and
upon the Government’s Sustainable Communities Plan. 2 Its policies
will be taken forward through the Regional Spatial Strategy now
being produced in the South East of England, Regional Planning
Guidance in the East of England and the Spatial Development
Strategy (“The London Plan”) in London. Although there are
differences between its various areas, the Gateway will only succeed
as a priority location for growth and regeneration if the regions share
a common, long-term vision of its future.
1 The Greater London Authority is not strictly speaking an RPB, but it is the
regional planning authority and is included as an RPB for convenience in this
statement.
2 Creating Sustainable Communities published by ODPM 2003.
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1. The Context
1.1 The Thames Gateway extends along both sides of the River from
the London Docklands to Southend and Sheerness. It forms a
diverse sub-region running through residential and industrial
areas of London and through two corridors of settlements of
varied size and character in South Essex and North Kent. In
2001, the Gateway contained a population of 1,500,000 and
500,000 jobs3 . Map 1 shows the Gateway, together with the
key zones of change which contain the major areas of
brownfield land and development potential.
1.2 The unrivalled development potential of the Gateway lies in two
related opportunities. First, it contains 3,000 hectares of
brownfield land, much of it former dock, warehousing, industrial
and quarrying uses. Second, it is located next to the economic
heart of London and on the route to the increasingly accessible
markets of North West Europe. The Vision statement for North
West Europe4 identifies the UK-continent link, in which the
Gateway sits, as one of first importance for development of the
most dynamic transnational region in Europe.
1.3 Its sheer scale and its locational advantages mean that the
Thames Gateway will offer a unique opportunity to achieve
sustainable community development. It can accommodate major
3 Source: Thames Gateway Strategic Executive.
4 A Spatial Vision for North West Europe European Commission 2000.

housing and employment growth up to 2016, and has the
potential for substantial further development thereafter, if the
right supporting infrastructure is put in place. It provides the
opportunity for exemplary practice in sustainable design and
construction, including combined heat and power and the use
of renewable energy sources. Its development is critical to the
Government’s desire to achieve major growth in the east of the
wider South East.
1.4 The Gateway was never developed in a co-ordinated fashion and
this is reflected in the relatively poor communications in and
between the settlements on each side of the River, which has
itself tended to be a barrier between the north and south. This
Statement promotes a vision of the Gateway as a new
sustainable sub-regional community. (see indicative diagrams
Maps 2 and 3). It will be a place with a clear identity, composed
of sustainable urban communities that have been re-invigorated
by strategies for regeneration and growth. Each of these
communities will benefit from high quality and intensive
development, predominantly focused on brownfield
opportunities, so that wasteful sprawl is avoided and the green
and rural areas around them are protected and enhanced. The
River will become the heart of this new sub-region. The Gateway
will achieve coherence through better communications and a
strong collective purpose.
1.5 The sub-region will develop a strong, polycentric spatial structure
with strategic clusters of employment, including the Isle of Dogs,
Stratford and Ebbsfleet, large urban centres at Medway and
Southend, revitalized towns and communities throughout the
Gateway and high quality new residential areas.
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1.6 The Gateway will be much more than the sum of its parts:
◆ the cumulative scale of growth across the sub-region will
make investment more attractive and cost-effective. The size
and diversity of employment will increase opportunities to
work within the Gateway for all its residents.
◆ the promotion of the Gateway as an entity will mean that
every successive high quality new development and piece of
additional infrastructure will raise the profile of the sub-region
as a whole.
◆ the “new geography” of the Gateway will bring a stronger
sense of place to some disparate and rather isolated
communities.
1.7 The fulfillment of the Gateway’s full potential will take more
than a generation. This Statement uses 2016 as a convenient
time frame within which to set targets. However, the RPBs are
looking well beyond this date. They believe that the Gateway
will have development potential for many years into the future if
the infrastructure that will help to drive that growth momentum
can be put in place quickly and comprehensively.
1.8 This will require public as well as private resources on a major
scale. However the realisation of the capacity of the Gateway
will provide far more effective deployment of public and private
expenditure to accommodate the inevitable growth in the wider
South East than more dispersed and less co-ordinated forms of
development. The full use of the Gateway’s capacity, both as a
priority regeneration area and a Growth Area, will increase
opportunities in areas with high levels of social exclusion, raise

the quality of life and environment and maximise the fulfillment
of currently under-used resources of people, land and
infrastructure.
1.9 The Planning Framework for the Thames Gateway was
established in RPG9a in 1995. Its main principles include:
◆ making best use of the area’s strengths and resources for
growth and regeneration.
◆ creating a vibrant, inclusive and sustainable pattern of
communities.
◆ making the most of transport facilities and especially
public transport.
◆ raising environmental standards and the quality of
development and bringing life to the river.
◆ promoting sustainable development in which employment,
housing, transport and other activities are planned in a mixed
and co-ordinated way.
1.10The Planning Framework’s principles have proved durable and
are now embodied in development plans in all parts of the
Gateway. The Gateway was strengthened, given status as a
national priority area for regeneration and extended through
South Essex in RPG9 in 2001. The most recent government
policy statement is Creating Sustainable Communities; Making it
Happen: Thames Gateway and the Growth Areas published by
the ODPM in July 2003. That document incorporates the
principles of RPG9a and updates the Government’s policy.
It reflects:
◆ the approach to planning set out in the Sustainable
Communities Plan.
◆ the Government’s decision “to commit support that would
enable the development of at least 120,000 homes in
Thames Gateway by 2016”, adding 40,000 homes to
estimates derived from existing plans.
◆ the availability of suitable investment programmes to support
sustainable development.
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1.11New forms of regional planning are being introduced in
each region:
◆ In London, the Mayor has already produced a Spatial
Development Strategy called the London Plan. It was
published in February 2004. It includes a commitment to
produce a Sub-regional Development Framework (SRDF) for
East London, which includes all of the London part of the
Gateway. This is to be completed in late 2004 and relevant
elements will be incorporated into the first review of the
London Plan, programmed to begin in 2005.
◆ In the South East, the Regional Planning Assembly (SEERA)
is producing a Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS) to 2026
(“the South East Plan”): consultation on a draft Strategy
is scheduled to begin in December 2004 and submission
of the Strategy to the Government in summer 2005.
◆ In the East of England the Assembly (EERA) is producing
Regional Planning Guidance (RPG) to 2021: draft guidance is
scheduled for submission to the Government in 2004 with
approval expected in 2006.
1.12These regional strategies will provide a policy context for future
statutory plans throughout the Gateway and for other activities
such as community and regeneration strategies and master
plans. The process of consultation and decision-making on these
strategies will engage the local communities and planning
authorities and give the opportunity to make the translation
from regional to local policies and targets.
1.13All three regions have incorporated the Thames Gateway
objectives into their emerging strategic thinking. The Mayor of
London has made the Gateway and East London the priority
area of the London Plan. The South East regional transport,
economic development and housing strategies and the options
report leading to RPG14 in the East of England make the
Gateway a priority for development. The Kent and Medway and
the Essex and Southend on Sea Replacement Structure Plans also
support its status as a priority area for growth and regeneration.

1.14There is therefore already a strong collective vision of the
Gateway. This allows the focus to be placed firmly upon
achieving the full sustainable development capacity of the
Gateway. Sustainable development can only be achieved if
housing and economic development is matched by community
facilities, transport infrastructure and environmental
improvement. The next sections look at the main elements in
that development and then draw them together.
2. Employment Capacity
2.1 The Thames Gateway offers an essential contribution to growth
in the wider South East, which underpins the UK economy.
Economic growth will generate the resources needed to sustain
the expansion in jobs and homes and the improvements in
quality of life that are central to the regeneration of the
Gateway. All three RPBs seek to maximise the economic
potential of the Gateway. All three wish to reduce the need to
travel by offering resident workers a sufficient range and quality
of accessible local employment opportunities.
2.2 The different parts of the Gateway have developed their own
clusters of economic specialisation and these should be mutually
respected and supported. Substantial economic development will
take place in all parts of the Gateway and offer a better balance
between homes and work. The western parts of the Gateway
closest to central London support a growing part of its global city
role: there will be 66,000 jobs at Canary Wharf by the end of 2004
(compared to 3,000 in 1991): much of this is in the finance and
business sector. About a third of all workers at Canary Wharf
already live in the Gateway. If resident workers in the Gateway are
to continue to benefit fully, investment in transport and training
is needed to enable them to do so. In particular, public transport
in the Gateway can exploit its linear nature to facilitate access to
the jobs in its western sector, but also to encourage journeys to
new sources of employment in the more eastern parts.
2.3 There is a common desire to increase and to spread economic
growth more widely across the Gateway. Creating Sustainable
Communities estimates that 120-180,000 new jobs could be
created between 2001- 2016 on the basis of transport
improvements set out in paragraph 3.3 below. These figures
reflect an assessment of market demand and a realistic Gateway
share of growth in the wider South East. The mid-point of the
range (150,000) would match the number of economically
active people that would be generated by the figure of 120,000
homes in Creating Sustainable Communities.
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2.4 The RPBs believe that there is sufficient land available to reach
and exceed the upper end of this range. The significantly higher
levels of job growth shown in Table 1 can be achieved if other
key planned transport infrastructure can be implemented,
including Crossrail and the Thames Gateway Bridge. Together
the RPBs aspire to create a net 232,000 new jobs in the
Gateway over the period 2001-2016. This would represent a
surplus of new jobs over new resident workers; however, there
is a current imbalance between resident workers and jobs in
the Gateway that this level of employment growth would help
to address.
Table 1 Potential for Net Job Growth in the Gateway 2001-2016
Potential net new jobs 2001-2016
London 150,000
North Kent 40,000
South Essex 42,000*
Total for Gateway 232,000
*This figure is likely to increase as a consequence of further work to address the
jobs/dwellings relationship in the East of England.
2.5 The full development of a few very large sites would make a big
contribution. For example, five proposed developments in the
Gateway have current private sector development interest and
could create over 150,000 jobs between them: Canary Wharf
(Canary Wharf), Stratford City (Chelsfield and Stanhope),
Greenwich Peninsula (Meridian Delta), Ebbsfleet and Eastern
Quarry (Land Securities) and Shell Haven (P&O).
2.6 The large scale of projected population growth in the Gateway
will itself be a major source of employment as personal and
consumer services that support residential areas become an
increasingly significant generator of local jobs. Equally, the scale
and variety of housing growth can help to provide the necessary
size and mix of labour force, both to support economic growth
and to address current problems of unemployment and
under-employment.
2.7 The full realisation of the Gateway’s economic capacity will require:
◆ A very substantial increase in the size, skills and mobility of
the resident labour force. This will need major investment in
education and training to raise skill levels that are currently
below the average for the wider South East.

◆ Vigorous programs of environmental improvement to improve
the image and marketability of the Gateway.
◆ Transport improvements to increase the accessibility of
workplaces and to open up unused and underused sites,
including major employment generators.
◆ Better social and community infrastructure to contribute to
the area’s attractiveness to investment and to stable,
aspirational resident communities.
2.8 All three regions want to see a diverse range of employment.
They wish to consolidate the Gateway’s existing strengths in
areas such as finance and business services, transport and
logistics and pharmaceuticals in order to strengthen innovation
capacity and increase jobs in growth sectors such as innovation
and knowledge based industries, green industries and cultural
and media industries. There is a risk, especially in the western
and mid parts of the Gateway, that too much land may be
released to low density uses and thereby obstruct the potential
for uses generating more jobs and wider economic benefit or for
release of that land to residential use. Manufacturing remains an
important, but changing sector in the Gateway. A clear strategy
is needed to manage the release of land, where this is
appropriate; to examine potential for a greater mix of uses,
including housing, in areas of lighter industry; and consolidate,
improve and intensify solid industrial areas.
3. Transport Capacity
3.1 A transport system that is already liable to congestion and delay
in several areas will need to accommodate major growth in
population and employment and to handle the increasing flows
of people and goods moving through the Gateway between the
UK and the continent. The continuous strengthening of
transport infrastructure is critical to the success of the Gateway,
a key driver for change. Improved access will be an essential part
of the public’s acceptance of growth on this scale and
willingness to live there. It will also be a pre-condition of private
sector investment of the size needed. Improved connections
across the river are needed to widen job opportunities and to
increase the coherence of the Gateway as a sub-region.
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KEY
Crossrail
Channel Tunnel Rail Link
Channel Tunnel Rail Link Domestic
East London Line Extension
DLR Extensions
DLR under construction
East London Transit Phase 1
East London Transit Further Phases
Greenwich Waterfront Transit Phase 1
Greenwich Waterfront Transit Further Phases
Fastrack
Road Improvements
Thameslink 2000
Lower Thames Crossing
Swale Crossing

3.2 Studies 5 have demonstrated that:
◆ many movements, especially in the outer Gateway, are by car
and some road improvements will be needed, but generally
new road capacity would be very quickly absorbed, so that
public transport and a multi-modal approach offer the most
effective means of increasing accessibility.
◆ some major enhancement of strategic public transport
infrastructure will be needed to release the full potential of
sites and manage the movement of growing numbers of
passengers.
◆ sustainable development will only occur if local public
transport is also enhanced so that homes and jobs can be
effectively linked, more intensive development can be
achieved in locations with good accessibility and fullest benefit
can be gained from strategic public transport investment.
◆ large volumes of freight are handled in and pass through the
Gateway, which has a key role in the UK’s international trade.
Freight movement, by-pass and interchange facilities will need
major improvement to handle growth and to prevent conflicts
between passenger and freight movements.
◆ transport improvements are critical to regeneration and are
important in reducing risk for developers.
◆ investment is needed to address existing infrastructure deficits
and connectivity.
5 In particular, Llewellyn-Davies Relationship between Transport and
Development in the Thames Gateway 2003.
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3.3 The RPBs consider that the minimum housing and employment
figures for 2016 in Creating Sustainable Communities could only
be achieved if current transport infrastructure planning
assumptions set out below are delivered as soon as possible
within the 2016 timeframe. The successful development of the
Gateway is contingent upon them.
◆ Channel Tunnel Rail Link and CTRL domestic services:
completion 2007
◆ East London Transit phase 1: completion 2008
◆ Greenwich Waterfront transit phase 1: completion 2008
◆ Kent Fastrack: completion in phases
◆ M25/A2/A13/A127: Improvements: various completion dates
◆ A249 Swale crossing: completion 2006
◆ DLR extension to City Airport: completion 2005
◆ DLR extension to Woolwich: completion 2008
◆ DLR to Barking Reach: completion 2008
◆ Thames Gateway Bridge: completion 2013
◆ Mayor’s package of bus improvements in Transport Strategy
3.4 Other transport projects are needed to reduce the serious risk of
under-achievement of these figures and to provide the potential
for higher figures and for substantial continuing growth. They
include the following schemes, which have partial approval, are
in preparation or are subject to feasibility studies and have the
potential to be completed before 2016.
◆ Crossrail: phase 1 completion by 2012 and development of
phase 2
◆ East London and Greenwich Waterfront Transits phase 2:
completion 2010-2012
◆ C2c line improvements and connections
◆ “Transport for Medway”

◆ Road capacity expansion, especially in South Essex and
North Kent
◆ East London Line extensions: completion 2009
◆ Thameslink 2000: phased with possible completion by 2011
◆ Silvertown Crossing
3.5 Four strategic transport projects will make the biggest impact on
capacity and are therefore critical to its success. They are at
different stages of development:
◆ The Channel Tunnel Rail Link (CTRL) with stations at Ebbsfleet
and Stratford and use of CTRL for domestic services.
◆ The Thames Gateway Bridge, which would provide a key
cross-river link in outer London and has an enhanced level
of commitment.
◆ Crossrail, which is a well advanced proposal, which would
provide an enormous impetus to transport and regeneration,
both because of its capacity and its ability to provide links
between many parts of the Gateway and Central and West
London, including Heathrow. Its overall case rests on its
performance for a wider area, but the RPBs place particular
importance on its potential to increase development capacity
in the Gateway.
◆ A Lower Thames Crossing could provide a further stimulus to
development, increase freight movement capacity and
strengthen cross-river links between Essex and Kent, however
its transport and environmental impacts remain to be assessed.
4. Housing Capacity
4.1 Before the publication of Creating Sustainable Communities,
planning targets amounted to about 80,000 new homes in the
Gateway by 2016. Its revised figure of at least 120,000 reflects
the Government’s belief that more capacity can be achieved
through a variety of policy, funding and delivery changes. The
RPBs agree that a step change in delivery, accompanied by
accelerated market performance, can be made. They believe there
is capacity for growth of at least 128,500 homes by 2016 if the
necessary infrastructure is put in place. This will require a major
gearing up of the development effort in the Gateway, supported
by several factors that will combine to increase capacity:
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◆ The continuing impact of PPG3, which encourages higher
density development, especially in areas with good access to
transport: all planning authorities in the Gateway should base
their policies and decisions on PPG3. Evidence from ODPM
suggests that this is now working through to plans and
decisions in local authorities. 6
◆ The funding provided by the Sustainable Communities Plan,
which gives a valuable stimulus and incentive: continued
support is central to meeting the investment needs of
the area.
◆ A decade of development of policy and implementation
instruments and focus on key sites in the Gateway, which is
increasingly feeding through, supported by new delivery
structures.
◆ Better access, which is being created by strategic and local
transport schemes, either under construction or with certainty
of development in the near future.
◆ Strengthening market demand and growing “recognition” of
the Gateway.
◆ The re-designation of former industrial land, which is
significantly increasing housing figures in several areas,
especially in London.
◆ Better co-ordination of investment in development areas,
led by the RDAs, and in key services such as education
and health.
4.2 Major improvements in the quality of existing and new housing
will be needed. Appropriate increases in density must be
accompanied by high standards of design. The sheer scale of the
Gateway development provides the opportunity for exemplary
practice in sustainable design and construction and for
innovative approaches, for example to the management of
car parking.
6 Delivering Planning Policy for Housing ODPM 2003.

4.3 Tables 2 and 3 show the capacity for new homes in the Gateway
by 2016 that should be tested further through housing capacity
studies and the regional planning process. The figures in these
Tables assume that the necessary transport, education, health
and other infrastructure is put in place together with vigorous
promotion and implementation to support these levels of
growth. 7
Table 2 New Homes in the Gateway 2001-2016
Number of homes 2001- 2016
London 59,000 (minimum: see 4.4)
North Kent 43,000
South Essex 26,500
Total for Gateway 128,500
4.4 In London, there is a strong aspiration to complete a
substantially higher number of homes. The minimum figure for
all parts of the seven boroughs in the Gateway is 86,000 in the
London Plan, of which about 46,000 is in the main areas of
change – the Opportunity Areas and the Areas for
Intensification. These are minimum targets based on assessments
of capacity carried out between 1999-2001. More detail on the
relationship with London Plan figures is contained in Annex 1.
Creating Sustainable Communities assumed a minimum figure of
59,000 homes would be delivered in the London Thames
Gateway by 2016. The LDA sites database, which informs the
London Investment Model8 , developed by the LDA, supported by
the GLA and TGLP, indicates that the minimum figure of 59,000
homes could be achieved by 2012. Even if that earlier timetable
were not to be achieved, the Mayor and boroughs would ensure
that the lower figure is concentrated in the most accessible sites
to avoid unnecessary sterilisation of land, building at
unacceptably low densities and the creation of unsustainable
communities. The LDA sites database also suggests that, with
the achievement of higher densities, increases in town centre
housing, changes of land use to residential and improved access,
7 There have been several studies of the potential housing capacity of the
Gateway and these include the Llewelyn- Davies Study of Housing Figures
June 2003 and the ZOC (2001) and ZAP (2003) exercises done by the
Thames Gateway Strategic Executive.
8 See the LDA London Investment Model and the Development and Delivery
Strategy produced in 2003 by the Greater London Authority (GLA), London
Development Agency (LDA) and Thames Gateway London Partnership.
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91,000 homes could be completed by 2016. This figure is based
on the latest reasonable assessment of capacity in known sites in
the Zones of Change taking account of existing site constraints
and the assumption that the transport and other community
infrastructure proposed in the London Plan is delivered to
timetable. The higher London figure will inform the new London
Housing Capacity Study and the East London SRDF, to be
completed in 2004. The outputs from these processes will
inform revised Thames Gateway housing targets, to be tested
through the review of the London Plan, due to take place
in 2005/6.
4.5 The figures in Table 2 are above the figure of “at least” 120,000
in Creating Sustainable Communities. The RPBs believe that the
cumulative impact of the factors listed in para 4.1 above will
create the conditions for a rather higher level of delivery. The
additional 8,500 homes above the 120,000 figure are spread
across the Gateway, reflecting the view of planning authorities
that more capacity can be realized.
4.6 Previous trends suggest that only about 20% of this total would
be needed to meet internally generated housing needs up to
20169 . This means that the Gateway must develop as a place
where people from all sectors of society will want to come to
live and where existing residents want to stay. That will require
major improvements in the quality of life and in accessibility in
many parts of the Gateway.
4.7 New housing in the period 1991-2001 was completed at well
below the rate needed to achieve 120,000 minimum by 2016 so
there will have to be a dramatic increase in the throughput from
the development, planning and construction industries. For
example, completions in North Kent will have to be 75% higher
than between 1991-2001 to achieve its figure for 2016; in
London a figure of 59,000 would require an increase of roughly
50%. The RPBs will work with the Housing Corporation, whose
financial support will be essential, English Partnership, RDAs and
with house-builders and developers to improve housing
completion rates.
9 Llewelyn-Davies: Relationship between Transport and Development in
Thames Gateway 2003.

Table 3 New Homes 2001-2016 by Local Areas
RPB figures Higher
*1 London figure *2
Isle of Dogs 4,000 8,000
Deptford/Lewisham 5,000 10,000
Stratford/Leaside/Royals 20,000 33,000
Greenwich Peninsula 10,000 10,000
London Riverside 13,000 21,000
Woolwich/Thamesmead 7,000 9,000
Thurrock *3 13,500 13,500
Basildon 6,000 6,000
Castle Point 2,500 2,500
Southend/Rochford 4,500 4,500
Kent Thames-side 20,000 20,000
Medway/Grain 15,000 15,000
Sittingbourne/Sheerness 8,000 8,000
Total 128,500 160,500
*These figures are rounded and in Essex and Kent they are for the parts of the
districts in the Gateway.
1 London figures based on the 59,000 figure, which is consistent with the
assumptions in‘Creating Sustainable Communities’
2 The London figures based on the 91,000 from the LDA Database
3 Thurrock UDC will bring forward its proposals later in 2004 which may increase
this figure
4.8 Table 3 indicates how much of this new housing each RPB
believes could be accommodated in the different parts of the
Gateway. The figures are largely based upon growth in the
Zones of Change that the Thames Gateway Strategic Partnership
identified as the main locations for development (Map 1),
although they also include new homes in the parts of the
Gateway outside the Zones. The second column of Table 3
shows the impact of the high London figure of 91,000 by area
(see Annex 1). The figures will be tested and formally agreed
through the regional planning processes.
4.9 Although the cumulative impact of smaller developments is very
important, especially outside the ZOCs, there will be benefit
from a focus on some of the larger sites, some of which are
identified in section 7.
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4.10There is potential for further homes for many years after 2016
as implementation of major sites proceeds, some of the more
difficult sites start to become available and new transport and
other infrastructure opens up further opportunities. This will
depend upon the continuing delivery of the substantial
infrastructure that will be essential to enable the Gateway to
maximise its contribution to the huge housing needs of the
wider South East. The East of England has a figure of 37,000
new homes by 2021. The other two regions will produce
equivalent figures as their planning processes progress.
4.11The housing figures in Tables 2 and 3 reflect potential capacity.
Demographic change and household size will be important
influences in determining the number and types of homes that
will be needed, but there will inevitably be a continuing demand
and need for housing. Population would grow by at least
275,000 if the RPBs’ figure of 128,500 homes were built to
2016 and by about a further 75,000 if the higher London
figures were achieved.
4.12Some profound demographic changes will continue in the wider
South East and especially in London, with relatively high inmigration
and birth rates. The range of housing types will need
to reflect this change. For example some of the large numbers
of young in-migrants may want accommodation in smaller units
that can be provided in higher density housing. However, the
Gateway must also provide for households at all stages of their
development and for all age groups and family types,
recognising the ethnic diversity of the population.
4.13Sustainable Communities must be attractive to the full range of
income groups. There has to be a range of housing types and
costs across the Gateway, including more homes for higher and
medium level income groups. Some areas are dominated by
particular forms of housing, such as large estates, and would
benefit from greater variety. The contribution of affordable
housing will be important throughout the Gateway to address
social need and ensure that a workforce with a range of skills can
be accommodated across the area. In the London Plan, the Mayor
has set an overall target that 50% of all additional housing should
be affordable. This target includes affordable housing from all
sources and not just that secured through planning obligations.
In the South East a proportion of affordable housing in
additional housing in the order of 30% is anticipated. The target
for South Essex will be determined in the context of Regional
Planning Guidance now in preparation. A comprehensive picture
for the whole Gateway will then be established.

5. Environmental, social, physical and
essential services and improvements
5.1 Sustainable Communities emphasised that the Government was
not simply committed to the delivery of additional housing – it
was committed to creating communities” 10 Population and job
growth must be accompanied by timely provision of healthcare,
education, public spaces, leisure and cultural services and other
facilities that meet demands generated by growth, but that also
tackle some existing problems, including high levels of
deprivation, low educational attainment and skill levels and poor
environments. There is a clear commitment in Creating
Sustainable Communities that Government “will ensure that the
forward plans of relevant Departments and service providers fully
reflect the Gateway growth strategy”.
5.2 Regional plans and guidance must have regard to the resources.
They will be assisted in this by the estimates of the need for
investment in support of growth and regeneration that have
been prepared for each region in the Gateway. The Thames
Gateway Kent Partnership has produced an Area Investment
Framework that quantifies and costs the infrastructure that will
be needed and the potential contribution that the public and
private sectors will have to make. 11 In London, the London
Development Agency is preparing an Investment Model,
supported by assessments of the programmes required in each
sector. 12 In South Essex a Strategic Framework has been
produced13 . In this way the regional planning bodies are
drawing together implementation plans that will be essential to
support the development process and to help all the key
agencies to understand the level of resource needed and the
role they will need to play.
5.3 Meeting the demands of both improvement in services and of
growth will have major implications for healthcare. As an
example of the necessary co-ordination of planning and service
provision, the two Strategic Health Authorities in the London
part of the Gateway have made a systematic assessment of
healthcare needs up to 2016, including capital and revenue
costs. 14 Primary, secondary and adult education will have to
10 Creating Sustainable Communities: Making it happen published by ODPM
2003.
11 Area Investment Framework Thames Gateway Kent Partnership.
12 For example The London Thames Gateway Health Services Assessment
produced by the Strategic health Authorities in October 2003.
13 Strategic Framework Document Thames Gateway South Essex Partnership
2003.
14 London Thames Gateway Health Services Assessment NE and SE London
Strategic health Authorities 2003.
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expand to meet growth as well as deal with relatively high
current levels of educational under-attainment in parts of the
Gateway. There must be vigorous investment in skills’
development. These investments will be essential for the
achievement of truly sustainable communities.
5.4 Much of the cost of providing the necessary infrastructure will
fall to the private sector, which will gain from the enormous
development value generated by the sheer scale of growth.
However, some opportunities will be difficult to realize because
of remediation and other preparation costs and the need for
better access. Substantial public sector resources will therefore
be needed to promote development in areas that will otherwise
be unattractive for investors or will be vulnerable to
development at low-density and below the required quality.
5.5 Environmental improvement is an essential part of the Gateway
strategy. There is a vast range of ecological and environmental
assets of the highest importance, including, of course, the River
and its environs. Sites of high biodiversity value must be
protected and, where appropriate, extended and mechanisms
such as Bio-diversity Action Plans used to support this. Good
practice on matters such as energy and waste management can
create jobs as well as improve the environment. The government
has identified the potential of the area in “Greening the
Gateway” 15 . All the regional bodies are developing green grids
to co-ordinate and make best use of open spaces. The Green
Belt should contribute to the meeting of the needs of
sustainable communities through its amenity value for leisure
and other appropriate uses. The capacity of the Gateway will
only be fully realised if new investors and residents can be
attracted to it in very large numbers. This will only happen if the
image of the area improves, including under-grounding of
power lines.
5.6 All development will meet required standards of flood defence.
In practice the major areas of development are already protected
to the maximum 1:1000 year level. The Environment Agency is
studying flooding issues in detail: the regional planning process
will take into account the results of this work. Regional planning
will take into account the implications of growth for water,
energy, utilities and waste management.
15 Greening the Gateway ODPM.

5.7 As well as capital investment in services, robust arrangements
must also be put in place for the revenue consequences and for
effective management and maintenance of facilities. This has
often been lacking in the past.
6. Achieving Sustainable Development
6.1 Development must be managed in a co-ordinated way.
The number of homes to be built must be compatible with
employment opportunities. Balanced communities will only
evolve if they have the schools, health facilities, cultural and
leisure facilities and other community services that together offer
a good quality of community life. These activities generate a
need for transport that should support sustainable forms of
development and movement.
6.2 Clear phasing and prioritisation is needed to make the best fit
between capacity and demand and to take advantage of the big
opportunities as soon as possible. Development can be brought
forward in overlapping phases that relate closely to the
improvement of transport infrastructure and help to manage
market demand:
1. In the “early” phase (2004-8), development is most likely to
be realised in sites and locations that are at an advanced
stage of preparation and already have relatively good access –
or can anticipate the early advent of transport improvements.
This will mean that they can support higher density
development and maintain the momentum of the Gateway.
These locations will include brownfield and town centre sites
inside existing urban areas with potential for more intensive
development. They will also be places that will benefit from
transport improvements already under way. This phase will
include development at some of the major locations that will
deliver a substantial part of overall capacity, such as the Isle of
Dogs, Thurrock and Kent Thamesside. Realistically, a
significant proportion of development in this phase will be in
the western part of the Gateway because of its relatively
better accessibility and its proximity to the dynamic of the
central London economy.
2. In the medium term (2006-12), attention should shift to
locations that will benefit from transport improvements and
master planning currently in preparation. A series of transport
projects, including CTRL, are due for completion in the early
stages of this phase so that areas such as Ebbsfleet and
Stratford will benefit.
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3. In the following phase (2010-2016), more development can
be anticipated in sites that have a long lead-in time because
of ownership, remediation, access or other problems. The
completion of Crossrail in this phase would open up some
substantial opportunities that would continue well beyond
2016. Some longer-term prospects should start to become
available in this phase, including sites that will need
substantial public sector preparation in order to make them
attractive to private sector investment.
4. Beyond 2016 further growth must be anticipated. Work is
urgently needed to assess future levels of growth and
development opportunities so that the long lead-in times of
infrastructure provision can be accommodated and to ensure
that known sites are not under-developed.
6.3 Maps 5a, b and c give a very indicative picture of the phased
pattern of strategic development that would result. It will require
a disciplined approach in which planning authorities and other
agencies avoid making premature decisions on sites that have
longer-term potential for intensive development and thereby
allow proposals to go ahead that make insufficient contribution
in terms of quantity or quality. It will also mean that master
planning should address future phases of development well in
advance. The new development plan system provides a good
foundation for such an approach: priorities can be quickly
established with Area Action Plans providing a vehicle for more
focused attention on priority areas.

Map 5a Main Phases of Development
Area where development activity will be
focused 2003–2008
Additional Transport Improvement by 2008:
– East London Transit phase 1
– Greenwich Waterfront Transit phase 1
– DLR extension to City Airport
– DLR extension to Barking Reach
– DLR extension to Woolwich Arsenal
– Channel Tunnel Rail Link phase 2
– Strategic Route management improvements
– Fastrack Phase 1
– A2/M2 Improvements
– A249 Iwade to Queensborough Improvements
– Sittingbourne Northern Relief Rd
– Domestic rail services on CTRL.
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Map 5b Main Phases of Development
Areas where development activity will be
focused 2006–2012
Potential additional Transport Improvement
by 2012:
– Crossrail line 1
– DLR Extension to Stratford International
– East London Transit phase 2
– Greenwich Waterfront Transit phase 2
– Strategic Route Upgrades
– Extension of Passenger Transport Corridor
to Basildon
– Strategic Interchange Improvements
– Thameslink 2000

Map 5c Main Phases of Development
Areas where development activity will be
focused after 2010
Potential Additional Transport Improvement
after 2012:
– Crossrail extension east of Stratford and
the Isle of Dogs
– Rail improvements and linkages with
CTRL and Crossrail
– Lower Thames Crossing
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7. The Pattern of Spatial Development
7.1 Creating Sustainable Communities identifies five “strategic
development locations” (formed by one or more Zone of
Change each) upon which it wishes to particularly focus
development and take advantage of private sector investment
interest16 .
East London Gateway
7.2 The Isle of Dogs, Stratford, Leaside and the Royals are likely to
generate about half of all Gateway employment growth up to
2016. Canary Wharf has developed rapidly as a Central Business
District (CBD) and the London Plan supports its continued
expansion, which will give much of the employment impetus for
the Gateway in the early to middle phases. Crossrail and
enhancement of the Jubilee Line would be needed if Canary
Wharf and the Isle of Dogs are to achieve their fullest growth
potential. Stratford and the Lower Lea offer key opportunities,
which will be re-inforced by the Olympic bid. The London Plan
envisages a Metropolitan Centre with high density mixed use
development at Stratford City, exploiting the international rail
station and becoming a European business centre. It offers a key
employment driver and a focus for housing development, mainly
in the medium to long term.
Greenwich Peninsula/ Woolwich/ Thamesmead
7.3 This area has the potential for 20,000 new homes. Many of
these will be built on the Peninsula, following the success of the
Millenium Village, and at West Thamesmead, Woolwich town
centre and Belvedere. There is substantial employment potential
at Belvedere-Erith. The Greenwich Waterfront Transit would link
the whole area, will open in 2008 and the DLR extension to
Woolwich is scheduled to open in 2007. These will assist
development, mainly in the medium to long term. Crossrail
would greatly enhance the growth potential of the area and the
Thames Gateway Bridge will provide a vital cross- river link
between Barking and Thamesmead.
16 The Thames Gateway Strategic Executive has produced Zonal Action Plans for
each ZOC: these will be taken into account in formulating regional policy.

London Riverside
7.4 The Barking and Havering Riverside (known as “London
Riverside”) has considerable potential for housing and
employment. Development of 10,000 homes at Barking Reach is
being taken forward between English Partnerships and Bellway
Homes, but will only be fully implemented at appropriate
densities if access is improved. The East London Transit is due to
open in 2006 and there are plans to extend it to Havering. A
DLR extension through Barking Reach is proposed, which would
help to link it to Crossrail and to the c2c line.
Thurrock
7.5 Thurrock can build upon strong recent employment growth
and as a logistics hub and also has considerable housing
development potential in a range of sizeable sites. An Urban
Development Corporation will drive development forward.
North Kent Thamesside
7.6 Employment and housing growth is strengthening in this area.
After Canary Wharf and Stratford/Leaside/Royals it has the
largest job growth potential in the Gateway up to 2016 as well
as substantial housing capacity. Ebbsfleet can become a CBD
around the new international rail station and its potential could
be enhanced by connection to London through Crossrail and
domestic services on CTRL. Major sites have a prospective
capacity for 19,000 homes, including 7,000 at Eastern Quarry.
There is a string of development opportunities along the
Gravesend/Northfleet riverside. Fastrack will facilitate
development, linking Ebbsfleet, Dartford and Gravesend.
Other Zones of Change
7.7 Medway has a range of employment and housing opportunities
on the river, in the existing centres of Chatham and Rochester
and on the Isle of Grain. These would be assisted by the
provision of CTRL domestic services to relieve the North Kent line
and proposals that would increase public transport capacity and
reduce congestion in the urban area. A mixed new community is
envisaged at Chattenden/Lodge Hill in the medium to long term.
Southend, like Medway, can use growth to achieve the critical
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mass of investment that attracts key elements of city life. This
will include university expansion and a role as a cultural hub
focused on the town centre and sea front. Assisted by road
improvements, the MOD ranges and airport also provide
important medium to long-term employment sites. Basildon has
shown good economic growth potential and a mix of
employment and housing development will strengthen its town
centre and overall quality of life. Shell Haven could generate
17,000 jobs in the port and associated development and has the
potential to benefit Thurrock and the wider area. Canvey Island
has significant potential to create employment opportunities,
leisure facilities and new homes around the south of the island.
Sittingbourne/Sheerness has potential for substantial housing
and employment growth, especially if access can be improved in
and around Sittingbourne, and at Sheerness, which will benefit
from the second Swale crossing. Deptford/
Lewisham/Greenwich will accommodate significant housing
and employment growth, exploiting potential in the town
centres, at Deptford Creek and in parts of Convoys Wharf,
especially in the creative and leisure sectors.
Outside the Zones of Change
7.8 There are substantial communities in the Gateway outside the
Zones of Change. In these areas, opportunities will be smaller
scale, but there is significant potential to be exploited by
sensitive intensification and effective regeneration at a more
local level.
8. Implementation
8.1 The emphasis must now be on delivery of the Gateway’s full
potential. There are well – established cross-sectoral partnerships
for each of the three main areas: the Thames Gateway
London/Kent/ and South Essex Partnerships. The RPBs will work
with their respective Partnerships and with the Government
Offices and Regional Development Agencies to achieve the
targets set out in this Statement. They will collaborate with
Regional Housing Boards and create a strong relationship
between regional planning targets and the Regional Housing
Strategies. They will encourage the Thames Gateway Strategic
Partnership to give strong leadership and work with the new
Sustainable Communities Delivery Unit. They will also collaborate
with bodies like the Housing Corporation, Environment Agency,
English Partnerships, Strategic Rail Authority, Health, Education,
Transport and Police Authorities and other key stakeholders.

They will particularly work with the private sector to help
manage demand and expectations and raise the attractiveness
of the Gateway for investment. This will have to be
accompanied by a positive and co-ordinated marketing strategy
that conveys the new image of the Gateway.
8.2 Implementation must be infrastructure-led. In particular, the
speed and quality of delivery of transport improvements will be a
“make or break” issue for the timely and full realisation of the
Gateway’s capacity to 2012.
8.3 There is an evident need to focus the delivery effort into areas
where the most significant growth will be concentrated. Urban
Development Corporations of the kind being being created in
East London and in Thurrock can help to sharpen up
implementation. Other local delivery agencies are being
developed at Medway, Kent Thamesside, Swale, Basildon, Castle
Point and Southend. Delivery Boards offer another potentially
effective mechanism.
8.4 The planning system must be focused on delivering the
Gateway’s strategy. The spatial development approach of the
RSSs and London Plan provides the opportunity to co-ordinate
plans more effectively across sectors and the new local planning
system allows a speedier approach. Plan-making, masterplanning
and development control throughout the Gateway
must support high quality and more intensive sustainable
development and resist sub-standard applications. There has to
be a strategic and positive planning approach commensurate
with the scale of the Gateway’s opportunity.
8.5 The Inter-regional Forum will take responsibility for
co-ordination across the Gateway between the three RPBs.
It will strengthen inter-regional information and monitoring
systems and provide an “alarm system” where progress is failing
to meet targets.
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9. Conclusion
9.1 Development of the Thames Gateway will be an immensely
complex, demanding and difficult task. The rewards of success
will be great. The Gateway offers an extraordinary opportunity.
It can accommodate a substantial share of the housing and
employment growth that will inevitably take place in the wider
South East. The figures in this Statement show that there is the
potential for sustained development significantly above the
targets in Creating Sustainable Communities to 2016 and
continuing growth thereafter, if the right supporting
infrastructure is put in place and if strong implementation
mechanisms can increase rates of completion. This will require
public as well as private resources on a major scale to fund the
transport and community infrastructure essential for the
necessary step change to achieve high quality growth and
environmental improvement. The scale and location of the
Gateway and the potential to gain substantial value from
currently under-used assets make it a unique opportunity to
combine sustainable community planning with strong economic
development. This will require a collaborative and committed
approach. The Gateway is an opportunity that all three regional
planning authorities intend to seize.

Annex 1: How London housing
figures relate to those in the
London Plan
This Annex explains how the housing figures in this statement relate
to those in the London Plan, published on 10 February 2004.
Paragraph 4.4 gives two London Plan housing figures: 86,000 for the
whole of the seven boroughs in the Thames Gateway, and 46,000 for
the Opportunity Areas and Areas for Intensification in Thames
Gateway. The first of these figures is derived from table 3A.1 in the
London Plan, which sets out annual monitoring targets for all London
boroughs. Taking these annual figures for the seven boroughs of
Barking and Dagenham, Bexley, Greenwich, Havering, Lewisham,
Newham and Tower Hamlets, gives 5,770, and multiplying by 15 for
the period 2001-2016 gives 86,550.
Opportunity Areas and Areas for Intensification in East London are
set out in table 5C.1 and 5C.2 of the London Plan. The areas in
Thames Gateway are:
Opportunity New homes Corresponding London Plan RPB figure Higher
Area or Area for to 2016 in Zones of total for the from Table 3 London
Intensification London Plan Change Zones of of this figure
Change document
Isle of Dogs 3,500 Isle of Dogs 3,500 4,000 8,000
Stratford 4,500 Stratford/
Leaside/ Royals 16,500 20,000 33,000
Lower Lea Valley 6,000
Royal Docks 5,500
Beckton 500
Barking Reach 10,000 London
Riverside 13,000 13,000 21,000
London Riverside 3,000
Deptford Creek/ 1,000 Deptford/ 1,000 5,000 10,000
Greenwich
Riverside
Lewisham
Greenwich 7,500 Greenwich 7,500 10,000 10,000
Peninsula Peninsula
Belvedere/Erith 1,400 Woolwich/
Thamesmead
4,400 7,000 9,000
Thamesmead 3,000
Total 45,900 45,900 59,000 91,000
Most of the RPB figures are higher than those in the London Plan: in
some cases the London Plan took smaller areas than the full Zones of
Change, and in others the change reflects further work on the
potential of the areas since the London Plan was prepared.
31