Tower Hamlets' Leap of Faith: Olympic Park Zipline Zooms Closer

The evolution of the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park as an adrenaline-fuelled tourist destination is gaining pace, with Tower Hamlets councillors set to consider a crucial part of a major new attraction next week. Plans to introduce a dramatic 425-metre zipline from the iconic 114.5-metre ArcelorMittal Orbit tower have received a significant boost in the borough.

ZipWorld, the adventure company that recently took over the operation of the Orbit with a reported \text{£}2.6 million investment, is seeking planning permission for the colossal wire from both Tower Hamlets and neighbouring Newham councils. The twin-borough application is necessary because the attraction spans the border, crossing the River Lea.

Focus on Tower Hamlets: The Return Tower

The focus for Tower Hamlets’ Strategic Development Committee meeting next Wednesday, October 22nd, is the planning application for the return tower by Marshgate Way. This structure is integral to the unique design of the ride.

Location: The zipline is proposed to launch from the Orbit's platform on the Newham side of the boundary. It will then cross the River Lea, landing in Tower Hamlets where the new return structure will be built.

Design and Scale: According to a planning officers’ report, the new tower in Tower Hamlets will stand just under 39 metres high.

The Loop: Crucially, riders will not disembark in Tower Hamlets. Instead, they will be transferred back to the Orbit tower in Newham via a second, parallel 425-metre return wire, creating an exhilarating double-zip experience.

Planning Recommendation: Planning officers in Tower Hamlets are recommending that councillors vote to approve the application. The report states that the return tower is not considered to have an impact on the protected Metropolitan Open Land in the area, a vital consideration for development in this part of East London.

The new zipline, which images show will travel past the London Stadium (home to West Ham United), is projected to dramatically boost visitor numbers. ZipWorld anticipates the zipline, combined with other planned additions, will attract an estimated 60,000 extra visitors a year, solidifying the park's legacy as a post-Olympics economic driver.

Newham and the Wider Vision

While Tower Hamlets addresses the landing and return structure, ZipWorld's planning application to Newham Council for the launch platform attached to the Orbit remains pending consideration. The entire project is contingent on both boroughs granting approval.

The zipline is just one part of the adventure company's ambitious vision for the site, which they officially relaunched as Zip World London in February 2025. Plans submitted to both councils also indicate that a separate application will follow for a “gravity descender” attraction on the tower. This 'European first-of-its-kind adventure' is part of the \text{£}2.6 million investment designed to "redefine urban excitement."

The ArcelorMittal Orbit, designed by Turner Prize–winning artist Sir Anish Kapoor and Cecil Balmond for the London 2012 Games, is Britain's largest piece of public art. It already houses the 'Helix', the world’s longest and tallest tunnel slide, and offers the ArcelorMittal Orbit 360 viewing deck.

Should both councils approve the necessary planning applications, the Orbit will be transformed from a viewing deck and slide into a multi-adventure hub, significantly boosting adventure tourism in East London and specifically increasing footfall to the borders of the Tower Hamlets borough.