Thamesmead Waterfront: 100-hectare development site in London

Thamesmead Waterfront

A new riverside neighbourhood

Thamesmead Waterfront in North Thamesmead offers one of the largest and most achievable opportunities for housing and economic growth in the UK.

This 100-hectare site, on the southern bank of the River Thames, has the potential to be a thriving new town for London – providing 15,000 new homes, outstanding outdoor spaces and a revitalised town centre. It is set to attract significant investment and create thousands of new jobs.

The scheme is being led the Thamesmead Waterfront Joint Venture – a 50/50 partnership between Peabody and Lendlease.

A well-connected town

The neighbourhood will be served by a new rail link, thanks to an extension of the Docklands Light Railway. The extended DLR is welcome news for local people, who have been under-served by public transport for decades.

The proposed extension was supported by government in the 2025 Budget. The government will continue to work with TfL and partners to finalise funding details. While timeframes are to be confirmed, it is hoped that trains will be running to Thamesmead in the early 2030s.

The Thamesmead Waterfront: part of a potential new town

Thamesmead Waterfront has been shortlisted as one of 12 potential locations for a new town by the New Towns Taskforce, an independent expert advisory panel appointed by the government.

Each potential location offers a minimum of 10,000 new homes, helping the government meet national housebuilding targets.

At least three of the 12 locations will eventually be chosen as the next generation of new towns in the early 2026.

A Strategic Environmental Assessments (SEA) is now being carried out on the site, as with all the other shortlisted locations. The SEA looks at the environmental implications of developing a new town in more detail.

The government will publish a final SEA for all shortlisted locations in spring 2026, shortly before confirming which locations will be progressed as new towns.