The unfinished metamorphosis of the London Docklands

Since modern container ships can only dock in deep waters, ports which are situated inland are going through a period of recession. To cope with this problem in Great Britain, a national policy has been implemented. In London, two thousand hectares of polluted wasteland which were once witness to the golden age of colonial trade have been transformed into areas of apocalyptic landscapes. This project has involved three separate urban districts in three inlets of the Thames. Between 1981 and 1998, the planning of this project was entrusted to the London Docklands Development Corporation (LDDC) which controlled this area with the aim of transforming it into an urban development for the upper middle class. Although relations with the authorities were not always harmonious, a significant start was made in spite of the fact that the project, in which Canadian promoters had made massive investments, appears to have stalled. Neil Parkyn discusses this transformation which is still not finished.