‘Manhattanisation’ of Isle of Dogs concerns residents
Alastair Lockhart, Local Democracy Reporter
Residents are concerned more skyscrapers in Isle of Dogs could put pressure on much-needed services - Credit: London Fire Brigade
Residents fear their London town is being turned into “Manhattan” as huge skyscrapers are thrown up.
Locals on the Isle of Dogs in East London have seen huge skyscrapers built in their town over recent years, and even more are set to be built there soon.
A new 54-storey tower south of Canary Wharf is now being proposed which would bring 421 new homes to the town.
Local councillor Andrew Wood argued that more huge buildings would put pressure on shops and services in the community if more was not invested in the Isle of Dogs.
The Independent-Conservative councillor said that the new building would be in a built-up and tightly-packed area.
He said: “The first really tall residential buildings in this area [were built] around 2010… so we’ve gone very quickly from almost nothing taller than 20 storeys in terms of residential to 75, 67, 68-storey residential buildings – in not even a generation, but 10 years.
“So the argument is either you put that investment in to support that rate of growth or you slow it down so we can still do that.”
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Residents posted online to argue that more should be done to support the huge expansion of the town.
One said the Isle of Dogs was becoming “like Manhattan but without Central Park, Broadway, Times Square, the High Line and the Statue of Liberty.
“Basically without anything that would make the area a more attractive and interesting place to live.”
Another resident asked: “It’s great news. But again where will kids go to school from that block? Where will people have their GPs? Where will they get other much-needed services from?”
One resident also argued in favour of more investment in services, saying: “I would also add as someone who loves Manhattan, if only it was the Manhattanisation of the Isle of Dogs.
“It’s always going to be a tall building area now but at least Manhattan has wide, well designed streets and public realm.”
Thousands of new flats being built is quickly making the Isle one of the most densely-populated places in the country.
The population is expected to double to 100,000 in the next 10 years in a neighbourhood just a few square kilometres in size.
The new 51-storey building is now open for public consultation. The building’s developer Ballymore was contacted for comment.
