Westferry Printworks demolition begins in London’s Docklands

Westferry Printworks owner Northern & Shell and development manager Mace have this week started demolition of Westferry Printworks in London’s Docklands, paving the way for a new waterfront neighbourhood just minutes from Canary Wharf. 

Richard Desmond, founder and owner of Northern & Shell, together with his wife Joy and son Valentine, were on site for the proceedings. The Westferry Printworks development received planning consent in August 2016. The 16 acre site will provide over 700 new private and affordable homes which will be available to buy or rent.

The development is being designed with lifestyle at its heart, and it is hoped will become a place where people will want to live, work and spend quality time. Residents and locals alike will benefit from beautiful open spaces and waterside walks, two new parks and a new south-facing dockside waterfront promenade. They will be able to enjoy a mix of independent restaurants, bars and shops, great sporting facilities, a new community centre and crèche, healthcare amenities, a cultural ‘hub’ and a new 1,200-space secondary school. This will be a place where people will have space to breath, just a short walk from the Canary Wharf business district.

Richard Desmond, commented: “My company, Northern & Shell, was the first owner, developer and occupier in 1982 in London Docklands, and we moved our publishing business and headquarters there. This helped our small business then to expand and we have been proud to be associated with the regeneration of London Docklands for 35 years.  This connection was reinforced with our acquisition of the Express Newspapers group in 2000 together with its groundbreaking printing operation – Westferry Printworks which provided hundreds of jobs for the people of Docklands and the surrounding area.  I am therefore delighted to be implementing our vision for the next generation of Docklands residents with our new neighbourhood here in the centre of London’s Docklands, just minutes from Canary Wharf.”