A transformative development in East London, set to deliver over 7,172 new homes, has been unexpectedly delayed after local councillors raised significant concerns about the funding for a crucial new footbridge.
The decision on the Silvertown Quays scheme, which also includes offices, restaurants, bars, a cinema or theatre, a hotel, and shops, was postponed by Newham Council's strategic development committee during a meeting on Tuesday, November 11th. The delay centres on a £6.3 million shortfall needed to construct a pedestrian bridge across the Royal Victoria Docks.
Political Dispute Halts Major Regeneration
The ambitious project, proposed by The Silvertown Partnership, already possesses planning permission for the bridge itself, designed to connect the new Silvertown Quays district with the ExCel London centre. However, the project has been mired in political disagreement over its financing.
Initially, the Labour-run cabinet agreed in June 2024 to contribute £13 million via a council loan. This decision was challenged by councillors in July, with Labour councillor Lester Hudson warning against taking on debt given the council's "serious fiscal hole."
By September, the cabinet had revised its offer, agreeing to provide £6.9 million from Section 106 contributions—funds paid by developers for local infrastructure. This change, however, created the £6.3 million gap that now threatens to derail the entire housing and leisure plan.
Clash Over Financial Oversight and Committee Powers
A report from planning officers suggested that the remaining £6.3 million would be covered by additional Section 106 money from the Silvertown Quays development. Crucially, it stated that the strategic development committee (SDC) would oversee this funding, not the cabinet.
This triggered a fresh challenge from the committee's chair, Labour councillor Rachel Tripp. She argued that her committee's role was to grant planning approval, not to manage the allocation of funds. "As a committee we're not making decisions about council allocations of funding," Tripp stated, seeking to have the contentious sentences removed from the report.
Despite reassurance from the council's legal adviser, Vincent Healy, that the committee could legally consider the application, concerns persisted. Labour councillor Terence Paul argued that deleting the sentences "doesn't solve the issue" of who would ultimately be responsible for the money.
Deferral and Next Steps
With a vote split, Cllr Tripp used her casting vote as chair to defer the decision. She stated she wanted to be "completely sure about the basis and the limits of the strategic development committee's powers."
The outcome means that the fate of the 7,172-home development and the bridge funding will remain in limbo until at least the committee's next scheduled meeting on December 9th. The delay highlights the complex interplay between large-scale urban regeneration and local government financial accountability.
