For 153 years, seven unique structures have towered over one East London suburb – and now, they’re getting a £72,000,000 revival.
The Bromley-by-Bow gasholders were built between 1872 and 1878, and until 2010, supplied a gas connection to the local community. Since then, the 23-acre site has stood without purpose – and crucially, been closed off to the public.
The largest group of Victorian gasholders in Britain, they’re the true embodiment of the peak of the Industrial Revolution and are even Grade II-listed.
Now, they’ve been given a new lease of life as planning permission has been approved for them to be converted into 2,150 new homes across 13 buildings.
Some of these new properties will be integrated into the gasholder frames – which, if you ask us, would make for a pretty unique four walls.
The plans, overseen by St William, are also looking to provide extra green space for all Bromley-by-Bow residents too, as 70% of the brownfield site will function as open space, including a 4.2-acre park with views over the River Lea. There’ll be wildflowers galore, too.
What’s more, the development will contribute an extra £4,790,000 towards sustainable transport initiatives, such as cycling and pedestrian routes, plus upgrades to existing bus services.
Dean Summers, managing director of St William, described the project as ‘one of the most challenging brownfield sites in the country.’
‘Transforming it into thousands of sustainable, well-connected homes and a publicly accessible 4.2-acre riverfront park was always going to require a unique, collaborative solution,’ he added.
‘It is a testament to our brilliant partnerships with Historic England and the London Borough Newham and the invaluable input we have received from residents that we have reached this milestone and that we move one step closer to realising this site’s enormous potential.
‘Private/public sector collaborations like these have never been more important as we continue to navigate challenging market conditions and work together to boost housing delivery and growth.’
Various locals have long felt that Bromley-by-Bow could do with a little bit of TLC, with @iantokelove describing the gasholders on X, formerly Twitter, as ‘skeletal ghosts.’
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And as @strum wrote in the r/London Subreddit, having lived there for 30 years, they felt it was a ‘bit of a dead spot between Roman Road and Poplar.’
‘There isn’t a lot going on, but there’s Three Mills Studio, to the East,’ they added.
Meanwhile, @finetillyoucamealong agreed that it was a ‘bit of a nothing zone’ – but noted that ‘you’re set for transport and only a few stops from livelier places.’
Equally, there’s been plenty of love for it too, as @Naive_Standard4697 has lived in Bromley-by-Bow for almost three years, and ‘loves the canals and being able to easily bike to Hackney, Vic [Victoria] Park, [and] Hackney Marshes.’
‘Super close to Stratford, [and] Canary Wharf. Really convenient to travel into the city. There’s a few good pubs around and not too many amenities but a bunch more coming over the next year or so,’ they added.
Plus, when it comes to access to green spaces, Bromley-by-Bow is conveniently placed, being a stone’s throw from the likes of Mile End Park, Wennington Green, and Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.
And if you’re in search of a place steeped in history, E3 is arguably exactly that, with the aptly named Roman Road dating back to – you guessed it – the Roman era.
It once connected Venta Icenorum (found at modern-day Caistor St Edmund in Norfolk) to what was then known as Londinium (AKA, the Big Smoke).
So, if you’re in search of new digs, Bromley-by-Bow could be the sweet spot.
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