THE PIER IS A CONTEMPORARY RESPONSE TO THE TRADITIONAL BRITISH SEASIDE PIER

Royal Wharf Pier launch set to become a game-changer for East London connectivity

Launched to the public, Royal Wharf Pier is now London’s newest and longest riverboat terminal. Developed by Ballymore & Oxley, and located at the landmark Royal Wharf development, the pier is a contemporary response to the traditional British seaside pier, and will now welcome locals, commuters and tourists to its shores. In addition to becoming the latest stop on the Thames Clippers service, the pier will provide a large public space for Londoners, consisting of an 162m² viewing platform and 65m walkway completely wrapped in glass to allow for unparalleled views across the water.

The Royal Wharf Pier will be architect’s Nex-’s first foray into marine architecture in London. The ambitious build which secured planning 2016, was constructed offsite in Holland, and travelled almost 300 miles by water to reach its current home at the riverside development, Royal Wharf. The steel, selected by Marine Engineering Consultancy, Beckett Rankine, due to it being incredibly strong and light, is painted a dark grey to ensure the colour weathers well on the river, whilst the balustrade and ceiling of the pontoon is a copper shade to create a feeling of warmth.

Royal Wharf Pier responds to the diverse needs of Londoners, both as a viable alternative method of transport and through its promotion of the Thames, widely seen as an untapped and underused resource. As a fully-operational station on the popular Thames Clippers service, Royal Wharf Pier will offer locals a new and more comfortable way to travel to many of the capital’s most visited destinations, including Canary Wharf (23 mins), Tower (34 mins), London Bridge City (38 mins), Blackfriars (45 mins) and Embankment (52 mins). According to the latest phase of the University of Greenwich wellness research conducted in June 2019, Londoners who commute by boat are still the happiest and most relaxed commuters.

As East London continues to expand and grow in popularity in the coming years, the new pier will be a vital component to developing the area’s transport infrastructure, and will improve connectivity to and from central London for Royal Wharf residents and the wider Newham community.

Royal Wharf Pier is part of the Royal Wharf development by Ballymore and Oxley. This new neighbourhood for London will comprise 3,385 riverside properties housing around 10,000 residents and stands within the £3.5bn Royal Docks regeneration area. Its townhouses, duplexes, apartments and suites are inspired by the classical heritage of London’s great squares and neighbourhoods and are focused around Sovereign Place – a new market square filled with shops, restaurants, bars and cafes. 45% of the 40-acre development is devoted to outside space, including a 500m riverfront promenade.

Sean Mulryan, Chairman & Group Chief Executive, Ballymore, commented: “The new pier having launched for public service is an incredible achievement for all involved, and a great addition for Royal Wharf and Newham residents. We are delivering 3,385 new homes here in east London – which is in essence a new town, ultimately for 10,000 residents across 40 acres. This isn’t just a new build development for the people that live here, it brings a lot for the whole borough. The vision for the neighbourhood is being realised here, with the Royal Wharf Community Dock now open too, plus an NHS health centre, new nursery and primary school all on the way.”

Sean Collins at CEO Thames Clippers, said: “We’re incredibly excited to be adding the Royal Wharf Pier to the Thames Clippers’ network and expanding our popular commuter service to the residents of Royal Wharf and the wider Royal Docks. Increasing access to such a key transport hub will be of real benefit to the 4 million passengers who use our services each year. We’re committed to continuing the eastward development of our service and our ongoing investment in London’s river travel infrastructure.”

Alan Dempsey at Nex— added: “Royal Wharf promises to be an outstanding development – it has been a pleasure to work alongside Ballymore and the wider team as a new neighbourhood for London takes shape. Place-making is at the heart of the Royal Wharf vision and the springboard for our approach to Royal Wharf Pier. At Nex-, we seek opportunities to enhance the public realm with every project and, at Royal Wharf, the chance to combine new transport infrastructure with a floating new public space for London was not to be missed. For us, this is a very special project, and we hope to have created a pier that not only complements the high-quality design of the Royal Wharf development and improves access to the city, but also speaks to its unique Thames-side setting and its remarkable views, offering residents of Royal Wharf, visitors and commuters alike a place to gather, sit and enjoy the city.”