London homes by water: the stylish flats and floating villages planned near former docklands and hidden underground waterways

Innovative new schemes to release our big underground rivers, create flood plains and build floating homes are all under discussion as part of Climate Action Week.
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Anna White9 July 2019

The Thames is the talk of the town. This morning, boat-loads of environmentalists, local politicians and residents sailed from London Bridge Pier to the Thames Barrier for a mini-conference on developing the urban riverbank.

This marks the mid-point of London’s first ever Climate Change Action Week run by the Mayor.

Homebuyers continue to gravitate towards the Thames. The waterside population has risen by more than 40 per cent over the last eight years to nearly one million people and swathes of former industrial docklands are being converted into new communities.

London's hidden rivers

More than 100km of London’s waterways are locked away, encased in concrete or hidden underground. The charity Thames21 is urging developers and local authorities to free these lost rivers from their man-made channels, clean and replant them — a process called “rewilding”.

This improves biodiversity of the city, helps reduce air pollution and creates more space for new communities and economic hubs along the riverbank.

Underground rivers that have been freed include the lost River Moselle which now meanders through the Lordship Recreation Ground in Tottenham. It’s opened up land for a new community eco-café, theatre and off-road bike track.

Over the 20th century new homes were separated from the capital’s rivers and canals by high concrete walls, creating narrow and anti-social towpaths, explains architect Richard Coutts.

He wants to connect new homes, parks, walkways, cycle paths and amenities with the Thames and its tributaries bringing water into new developments.

“Humans have an affinity with water. We need to embrace it as an asset and not see it as a threat,” says Coutts, founder of Baca Architects.

New homes near water

Coutts is working on a retirement village in Southend on the Thames Estuary where the river is funnelled through the landscaped gardens as a brook and runs into a natural pool for grandchildren to play in during the summer.

London developers are following suit. In order to sell homes in a tough market and badge their schemes as eco-friendly they must do more then simply build a room with a view of a river.

The new £350 million regeneration of Abbey Quays in Barking, a former fishing village, is making the most of the River Roding, a tributary of the Thames.

In between the 1,089 new homes will be a riverside plaza which will host a market place with wide steps down into the water. The river will be reintroduced to the dried-up Loxford River bed which winds through the site.

Fish Island Village, by developers Peabody and Hill, is a £125 million project converting disused warehouses on Hertford Union Canal in Hackney Wick into one- to three-bedroom homes.

It has opened up 200m of previous closed-off tow paths.

Prices for a one-bedroom flat start from £467,500 and Help to Buy is available. Go to fishislandvillage.co.uk for more information or call (0208) 038 1149.

Protecting new homes against flooding

With climate change and the increased frequency of storm surges the risk of urban flooding is also on the up, but this doesn’t mean we should back away from the water’s edge.

Coutts recommends public spaces in the middle of new homes that are designed to flood.

For example when a storm strikes in Copenhagen all the excess water runs into its sunken urban parks preventing it from pouring into residential basements.

These pocket parks are connected to the harbour by streets where the pavements have been raised leaving the middle as a shallow and temporary canal (or ‘cloudburst boulevard’). They drain the temporary parks-turned-ponds.

The Barking Riverside 11,000-home scheme, is prepared. “We are raising and improving the flood defences along 2km of the River Thames to address worst case scenarios,” explains David Watkinson, director of planning and design.

“We have also moved over a 1,000,000m³ of soil to raise the development platform above the flood level.”

One bed shared ownership apartments start from £61,875 for a 25 per cent share (full market value £247,500), two-bed homes start from £71,875 for a 25 per cent share (full market value £287,500) and three-bedrooms from £90,000 for a 25 per cent (full market value £360,000).

Floating villages — the future of housing?

Coutts believes the future of housing is on the water. He has designed plans for a floating village at the Royal Docks in Newham comprising 50 homes and businesses. The proposals are still being mulled over by planning officials.

The original floating home was, of course, the houseboat. But engineering has moved on and the popularity of floating homes - contemporary wooden houses that are buoyant with a metal hull underneath — is very gradually on the rise.

“With property prices so prohibitive in the south east houseboats have become an alternative form of homeownership. But the traditional houseboat has compromised living space.

"Our pavilions have lots of glass, big windows that frame the view and wide doors that open on to the water,” says Mike O’Shea who builds floating homes and offices in locations such as St Katherine’s Docks and Hampton.

Waterside in Wapping: a floating meeting space built by Mike O'Shea of Eco Floating Homes 
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A two-bedroom floating home will cost £250,000 to be made in O’Shea’s workshop in Hertfordshire but buyers could need to pay as much as £1,200 a week to rent a mooring in the likes of Battersea.

“They are the ultimate eco home, made from sustainable materials and can be moved out of idyllic locations without any sign they were ever there,” he adds.

Coutts is also calling to convert disused floating architecture such as piers into temporary exhibition halls or hotels. “Just imagine a waterside spectacular at the Southbank with people on land watching a performance on the water,” he says.

This is already done in Austria. Every year a floating stage is constructed at the Bregenz festival on Lake Constance featuring plays, opera and ballet.

“We shouldn’t impose our designs on the water, rather the other way round,” says O’Shea. “We have to respect it to enjoy it.”

Wetland flats at Woodberry Down, Hackney

The 64-acres of restored wetlands and parkland are the main feature at Woodberry Down in Hackney.

Philip Dundas, 53, and his husband Glynn Jones, 46, bought a new apartment on the 14th floor at the Berkeley Homes development.

Philip Dundas: loved the idea of living close to Hackney's reservoirs

The couple, who design balcony gardens (Balcon.me), have views over the lakes, nature reserve and sailing club.

“We loved the idea of living close to the reservoirs, we had admired them from afar for such a long time, and there is nothing quite like a waterside view,” says Philip.

Prices start at £540,000 for a one-bedroom apartment (woodberry-down.co.uk or call 0208 985 9918.)

Help to Buy on the Thames at Royal Albert Wharf

Sean Modi: used Help to Buy for a flat with views over the docks
© S Saunders / Digital Nation Photography

27-year-old train driver Sean Modi was renting in east London before he got on the ladder using Help to Buy in Royal Albert Wharf, Newham.

The Notting Hill Genesis scheme along with cafes, shops and bars line the docks and the apartments have dual aspect windows to take in as much of the water as possible.

“My apartment is on the fifth floor and comes with a private balcony. I have a great view over the docks.”

Prices for a one-bedroom apartment start from £385,000, visit nhgsales.com or call 020 3603 2597.