Docklands Tower: 820 New Homes, 37% Affordable, Boosts Tower Hamlets

A significant new residential tower is poised to deliver a major injection of housing into Tower Hamlets, the UK's fastest-growing local authority, where the population is rapidly outpacing housing supply. The 54-storey scheme at 77 Marsh Wall in the Canary Wharf section of the Docklands proposes approximately 820 new homes and makes a crucial commitment to affordable housing in the borough.

Addressing Tower Hamlets' Critical Housing Shortage

The proposal by Areli Developments is directly aimed at mitigating the severe housing crisis plaguing Tower Hamlets. The borough's population is projected to soar from 323,854 in 2022 to an estimated 389,845 by 2032, putting immense strain on local resources.

The need for housing is starkly evident in the latest local statistics:

• 28,852 households are currently on the housing waiting list, desperately seeking a secure home.
• 13,209 households live in overcrowded conditions, with 2,668 of those considered severely overcrowded.
• 3,220 households are reliant on temporary accommodation, costing the council substantial sums.

The council has already launched one of the country's most ambitious affordable housing programmes to fast-track new homes, making large-scale private developments with strong social commitments, like this one, essential.

A Focus on Affordability and Mixed Living

Areli Developments intends the tower to be a "landmark building" that breaks the mould of traditional London housing by embracing a multi-tenure approach. Crucially for Tower Hamlets, the scheme confirms a commitment to delivering 37% affordable homes.

Rob Tincknell, founder and CEO at Areli, highlighted the urgency of the matter, stating the development would provide a "crucial number of affordable homes to support Tower Hamlets Council’s increasing need" and offer homes "at rates affordable for every resident."

The total of approximately 820 units will be a mix of:

• Flexible Living Units (Co-Living)
• Build to Rent (BTR) units
• Apart-Hotel Units (Serviced Apartments)

The project, which is being developed on behalf of British Airways Pension Trustees Limited, will require the demolition of the site's existing 17-storey office block, Sierra Quebec Bravo.

Creating a Waterside Destination for the Community

Designed by architects Patel Taylor, the tower is envisioned as more than just a place to live; it aims to be an outward-facing community hub.

The design team seeks to "maximise the potential of the site’s prominent location in Canary Wharf to deliver a truly unique scheme" that creates a vibrant destination where one currently does not exist.

The ground floor and a mixed-use podium will deliver approximately 7,000 sq ft of commercial and community space, including new retail units, restaurants, and cafés. Early plans also suggest the podium could incorporate a cinema and roughly 4,000 sq m of leisure and workspace. The focus on new public spaces will ensure the new development connects with and serves both new residents and the existing community.

The planning application is currently under review by Tower Hamlets Council, with a decision anticipated in the first half of 2026. This project, along with the council's own house-building initiatives, will be a key factor in how the borough manages the pressures of being the UK's fastest-growing local authority amidst London's wider housing delivery struggles.