The former flour mill has been used as a filming location in several TV shows and films
(Picture: GLA)Sadiq Khan has announced plans to build thousands of new homes on an iconic vacant site in east London that has “vexed planners and politicians alike” for the past four decades.
The £3.5 billion regeneration of Millennium Mills, which sits on the Royal Victoria Docks near the ExCeL London, will lead to the creation of up to 6,000 new homes and 10,000 new jobs over the next decade.
The former flour mill, which has been vacant since it closed in 1981, has become a popular filming destination and has featured in recent films including The Batman and Spider-Man: Far From Home.
Several unsuccessful attempts have been made over the past 40 years to develop the site, which includes a Grade II listed silo.
But on Tuesday, the Mayor of London announced that an £80 million housing grant from City Hall would see 1,500 homes built on the site during the first phase of redevelopment, half of which will be genuinely affordable.
Millennium Mills will form part of the wider redevelopment of the Royal Docks, which is set to create up to 42,500 new jobs and 30,000 new homes over the next two decades.
Mr Khan has said the development will lead to the creation of a “vibrant new neighbourhood” in Silvertown which is expected to be completed in the early 2030s.
Mr Khan said: “The regeneration of this area is long overdue and I’m excited by the plans for Silvertown which respect its past whilst embracing East London’s vibrant and creative future.
“Not only will this project create a vibrant new neighbourhood with 50 per cent genuinely affordable homes but it will also create highly skilled jobs while supporting the regeneration of the Royal Docks as we build a better, fairer and more sustainable city for everyone.”
As part of the regeneration, 1.8 million square feet of new workspaces will be created as well as spaces for cultural and community events.
The first homes on the site are expected to be ready to be occupied by 2024.
