Silvertown, London

Origins and industrial growth

The name Silvertown comes from Samuel Winkworth Silver, whose rubber works opened in the area in 1852. During the later 19th and early 20th centuries Silvertown became home to heavy industrial uses: sugar refineries, chemical works, animal rendering plants and dockside infrastructure. These industries were attracted by deep-water access, railway and road connections, and proximity to London’s growing markets.

Notable events

Silvertown’s industrial role has produced both economic activity and notable incidents. In the early 20th century the area experienced a major wartime explosion at a munitions-related works, an event that caused widespread damage and loss of life and left a lasting impression on local memory. Over the decades the riverside factories and mills shaped the landscape and community of the neighbourhood.

Contemporary redevelopment

From the late 20th century onward many former dockside and industrial sites around Silvertown have been subject to regeneration proposals. A major redevelopment scheme for Silvertown Quays and adjacent land received planning approval in 2015 with plans intended to introduce new homes, offices, cultural space and public waterfront access. The proposal, described in national and local press as a multi-billion pound project, is part of wider efforts to re-purpose former industrial land along the Thames.

Features and uses today

Despite redevelopment, elements of Silvertown’s industrial base remain visible. The area is still associated with large processing plants such as the well-known sugar refinery and animal-processing facilities. This mixture of old industry and new development gives Silvertown a hybrid character: working waterfront, brownfield regeneration sites and pockets of residential and commercial activity co-exist.

Places of interest and access

• Riverside industrial sites and quaysides, some awaiting redevelopment.
• Historic industrial buildings and former mill structures visible in the landscape.
• Planned public realm improvements and proposals for cultural and business space.

Silvertown illustrates the broad pattern seen across London’s former docklands: a transition from heavy industry to mixed-use urban quarters, balanced with efforts to preserve local history and support the communities that grew up around its factories and docks. For maps, transport details and council planning notes see local government and planning resources linked above.