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Employment in the Docklands was once solely based around the manual labour involved in the export and import of goods at the docks. However, when the opportunities for dock-involved labour lessened, there was a lot of employment in the area, which ultimately was one of the major problems in the Docklands area pre-gentrification.

Now, there is far more stable industry in the area, especially in the Enterprise Zone at the Isle of Dogs. The newspaper industry in the area produces a lot of employment, and there is a lot of light industry in the area, with offices along the banks of the Thames.

-Riverside housing in the Docklands-

Over 16, 000 new houses have been completed, with another 5300 improved. £72 million pounds were spent by the LDDC on improving local housing, with such projects as the "Housing for Heroes" housing estate. Another example of improving old housing is the Britannia New Homes Village, which is a self-contained village with new homes and some low-order services. The resident population in the Docklands area has now doubled from 34, 429 to 61, 500 people.

One of the best industries at the moment is the property business - people are often very anxious to live in the area, now that it has become fashionable again, and therefore the price for an apartment in the area can be very expensive. Apartments in the Docklands e.g. riverside penthouse apartments at Butler's Wharf can cost from £200, 000 to more than £500, 000. These high prices reveal one of the more serious problems that has been created in the area - many developers are knocking down some of the older-style housing in areas and replacing it with very expensive penthouse apartments, that the local people cannot afford to buy for themselves. This means that a lot of open space is being taken up as developers buy open derelict land to redevelop into apartments. There is a huge need for residential housing close to the CBD.

Some of the local people feel very strongly about this, that the success of the Docklands has gone to the heads of the developers. There are campaigns such as the above Hermitage Riverside Campaign, and the "We Want Flowers Not Towers" campaign, to try and raise awareness to the development problem now in Docklands. The people of the area feel that these developers are not considering their needs, and are just building as many expensive homes as possible, for maximum profit.


East India Dock Dockside, London E11 1EL
Tel: 020 7165 5899
Fax: 020 7165 5898
Email: info@eastindiadock.c.uk