London City Airport:
Thirty years after the first flight touched down at London City Airport, details of its £400m expansion have been released.
The privately-funded investment includes plans for seven new aircraft stands, a parallel taxiway to maximise runway capacity, and a world-class terminal extension to accommodate increasing passengers.
The improvements will enable two million more passengers per year to use the airport by 2025 and add 30,000 additional flights per year, creating over 2,000 jobs and generating an additional £750m per year for the UK economy. The airport is also constructing the UK’s first digital air traffic control tower, operational in 2019. Construction will begin next year with delivery partner Bechtel, with the project set for completion in 2021.
Declan Collier, Chief Executive Officer of London City Airport, said: “Over the past 30 years, London City Airport has become an intrinsic part of London’s transport system; growing to a record-breaking 4.6 million annual passengers in 2016, creating local employment, and connecting business and leisure travellers with the UK, Europe and beyond. As we celebrate this anniversary, we look to a bright future ahead and the world-class transformation which is soon to commence. The City Airport Development Programme presents the opportunity to create an airport of the future, which will help meet demand in the London market, and increase connectivity.”
The creative sector:
Hundreds of creative businesses are making East London their home. The V&A, Sadler’s Wells, The University of the Arts London and University College London (UCL) are working with the London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDC) to form a new cultural and higher education quarter on the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. The scheme is expected to deliver 3,000 jobs, 1.5 million additional visitors and £2.8 billion of economic value to Stratford and the surrounding area.
A new Hollywood-scale film studio planned for Dagenham East has also come a step closer after the London mayor, Sadiq Khan, said a study has shown the site is an ideal location and a “rare chance” to build the first new TV and film studio in the capital in 25 years.
“London is a global capital for film – from Bond to Bridget Jones, and Star Wars to Paddington – and I know these new studios will have us hot on the heels of Hollywood for blockbuster movies, showing the world that London is open to creativity, business and talent,” said Khan.
“I am determined to do more to support economic growth and create new jobs across London. A new film studio in Dagenham East will bring hundreds of new jobs to the area, benefiting everyone from carpenters to camera operators.”
The study estimates that a studio of this size in Dagenham East could generate around 780 full-time jobs in the local area and generate £35m each year for the UK economy.
Tech City:
Tech City, the third largest technology start-up cluster in the world (after San Francisco and New York City) is located 15-minutes from Excel London. In addition, Here East, the former press and broadcast centre for the Olympic Games, is now a thriving commercial space, attracting innovative digital and arts start-ups, alongside corporate brands including BT Sport.
London is a global hub for technology innovation and talent, with the fastest growing ITC sector in Europe. The likes of Facebook, Google, Snap, Apple and Twitter have demonstrated their confidence in London with long term commitments to open offices and recruit more people.
Continued investment:
The area surrounding Excel continues to attract significant investment, with an Asian business park set to become the headquarters for Chinese business in the UK. In addition, the Silvertown Partnership will create a brand new commercial district directly opposite Excel, whilst developer Ballymore is building thousands more homes to accommodate the population that’s moving east.
