Network Rail Property has submitted a plan to regenerate 30 acres of brownfield land at Bow Goods Yard in East London.
The scheme will deliver London’s largest integrated rail freight logistics hub and will create a future model for rail freight site regeneration. The site will cater for both construction sector traffic and rail enabled last-mile warehousing.
The plan is Network Rail Property’s first independent planning submission.
Bow Goods Yard is the final piece of land to be unlocked as part of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic legacy, and is one of London’s primary railheads. The site is vital to the city’s construction centre and currently supplies over a million tonnes of concrete per year by rail to building sites across the region.
Robin Dobson, Group Property Director at Network Rail, said: “This masterplan takes an ambitious approach to unlocking a challenging site and putting infrastructure at its heart. By reimaging the land-use, we are creating a state-of-the-art freight, warehousing and logistics campus that is vital to London.
“The scheme supports a more sustainable capital with the new green spaces and leisure areas positively contributing to the local community now and for future generations. Being a better, more sustainable neighbour is a clear priority for us.”
An extensive community consultation process and the creation of a Community Brief were key stages in the plan’s creation, and set principles for the site informed by residents, businesses and key stakeholders.
The principles include proposals to:
- Make industry a better neighbour
- Improve connections and routes
- Create green, wild and useable landscape
- Deliver benefits to the community such as jobs and skills training
The project will help London transition to a greener future by taking up to 90,000 HGV movements a year from London’s roads, reducing congestion and emissions.
The scheme will maximise the capacity of the railhead and improve rail freight efficiency. It will also provide an opportunity for a new centralised hub for Network Rail, as well as extensive warehousing and workspaces.
Bow Goods Yard will also play a central role in achieving the government’s target of a 75% growth in rail freight by 2050.
Image credit: Network Rail
