THE body driving the redevelopment of east London’s most deprived areas has been scrapped under the Government’s ‘Bonfire of the Quangos’.

THE body driving the redevelopment of east London’s most deprived areas has been scrapped under the Government’s ‘Bonfire of the Quangos’.

The Cabinet Office Minister Sir Francis Maude confirmed today he plans to abolish the London Thames Gateway Development Corporation as part of swingeing cuts of public sector bodies.

The South Quay-based organisation has overseen dramatic changes already particularly in the Docklands area of east London.

But there will now be fears that the regeneration of areas further east will be stifled by today’s axe.

Bob Lane, chairman of LTGDC, said he was proud of the body’s achievements and conceded the change was always likely under Government efforts to reduce the budget.

“East London has come a long way since we were set up and we are proud of our achievements to date,” he said.

“We have granted planning consent for 16,000 new homes and commercial space for 14,000 jobs. Our key projects are well advanced and have the potential to attract over �1billion of private sector investment into East London – meaning that for every �1 of public money spent LTGDC has levered in �6 of private sector investment

“We expect to continue working on our key projects until 2013 while we organise a phased hand over to succession bodies to ensure successful arrangements are in place to maintain the continued regeneration of east London.“

The organisation is expected to be amalgamated into central Government, but there has been no announcement yet how many jobs will be lost as a result.